ian-mstm

Police certificates are valid for one year... and one year only. If it's been more than one year since you received the certificates, they are invalid and you will need to get new ones.

Ian

Leon_87

I just got an e-mail from the ACRO:

The lady that wrote the e-mail says that the Doctor that endorsed my photo didn't sign it.

Only problem, I am sure she did sign it. But she's got the most ridiculous signature which is just a small line. She even used afterwards an official stamp from the public Spanish National Health System to endorse her own signature, which might be stopping the lady from the ACCRO from actually "locating" the signature.

Hence, I replied back asking to please double check that she cannot find the signature. I definitely do not trust at all a person that out of the 8 letters of the doctor's name misspells 3. That's a very obvious sign that someone does not put much attention or effort to whatever she is doing...

I live in Paris, and the doctor I asked to endorse my picture lives in Spain. I thought about asking just any pharmacist or someone else here in Paris to give me a hand and just lie about how long they've known me; it would have been a hell lot easier. But I was honest and respected all procedures all along. And this is what brought me.

I just called my annoying mother, who lives in Spain, to go see the doctor again so that she can have the page fulfilled. Of course, my mother who is not enthusiastic at all about me moving 5000 miles away from her, moaned and said that "yes, well, I think, I guess I could do it...".


I am sorry to say again, but this service to get the UK Police Certificate is a disgrace. I f***ing posted my application almost 3 weeks ago, and NOW they tell me that they think something is missing. None of the other certificates had even half of the cost of the UK one, they were processed in 1/3 of the time, and only required my passport.

I left a feedback on the ACRO website that I'm pretty sure they won't be publishing anywhere near the fantastic references other people left saying "how helpful and wonderful they were".


Really, this is what I get for telling not only the truth, but all the truth. If I had "forgotten" I spent 14 months in the UK when I was 18 a decade ago, nobody would have ever known and I would not be wasting my time dealing with incompetent public services.

Leon_87

I think I am going to get in touch with the US Embassy in Madrid to ask them to send me my passport back. Otherwise, I think there is no way on earth I will be getting my passport anytime before the 25th of May, when I'll need it to fly to Morocco.

Best case scenario would be my mother getting the document tomorrow, I would scan it to the ACRO straightaway (at least they accept it scanned... how very kind of them) so they would be processing my application to the end on Thursday, posting it on Friday. I would get the document probably on Tuesday; and send them straightaway to Madrid so they would get them on Wednesday the 16th...

Damnit, damnit, damnit.

I really wanted to get my green card asap in order to buy the plane tickets for August, because prices are already super expensive.

materialcontroller

It's not ACPO's fault that they can't decipher your doctor's "ridiculous" signature. Maybe the doctor should have been clearer. I've applied for two ACPO certificates and never had to wait as long as you have. So either foreign applications take a little longer to process, or you're just unlucky.

RICH

I remember when getting my UK police report for K1 visa in 2004. I was living in London and was able to take the form and everything to the nearest police station and pay the fee in cash. I thought it was all straight forward, but a month later nothing had happened. I called some help line and was told to FAX copies of what I had submitted to them. I got the report within a week after that (in other words they "lost" the original app). That was the biggest hassle of the whole process

Leon_87

Someone's signature is just the way it is... altering your own signature would be the real not-so-right thing to do. And doctors are well known for having exotic handwriting.

As I just said, I don't trust at all someone totally misspelling someone else's name (I wrote the doctor's name myself, and I have extremely clear handwriting), which is the obvious sign you do something very fast, without paying attention, or without really caring. Not very professional.


Finally, I just think it's very "surprising" that three neighbouring European states were able to deliver the document in no time, just by submitting my passport, for much less money (or even none at all) while dealing with the ACPO is proving much more expensive, harder and even much more time-consuming than the entire Visa process with the US...

This really has nothing to do with "what country is better or not better". I just think that when 3 administrations deal with something much better (from all perspectives..) than the 4th one, then it is an obvious indicator for that 4th administration that some updating might be needed.

materialcontroller

I do understand your frustration, but you really made things worse for yourself when you overlooked the requirement to submit the police certificates earlier:

Blaming ACPO for delays at this stage is all well and good, but you'd never have been in this position if you'd been paying attention at the outset.

Leon_87

^^ Definitely!

It still doesn't change that ACPO is much less efficient, much more complicated to deal with, and much more expensive than their European counterparts I had to deal with. Fact.

My personal inconveniences do not change that.

You really should not take my comments as UK-bashing, because they are not. I opened a thread to talk about Police Certificates (since I had 4 to get -I don't think many people had to get that many!- and hence much information to share) and that's what I am doing.


Although I apologize for the strong words on ACPO, especially if anyone got offended.

materialcontroller

I'm not taking your comments as UK bashing. No disrespect meant to you, but I see them as rather futile if anything. You may as well complain about the USA visa process for being far more involved and bureaucratic than some other places.

The ACPO process is what it is. It doesn't matter what any other country does or doesn't do. In much the same way that the USA can apply whatever rules they want to their visas, well the UK can also do whatever it likes in respect of it's ACPO.

roraimap

Hi Ian,

The embassy told me "the validity is 6 months , but if you have not been in the country since you have the police report is going to be valid". I think the process is very gray in many aspects and it depends on the embassy.

Also they told me I dont need any apostille even if the documents are not from Europe.

I would advice to everybody to get in contact with the US embassy before getting the documents.

Leon_87

Of course

They could also give out handwritten certificates with golden letters on pink backgrounds and only accept French kisses as valid payment.


But thank God most administrations have self-improvement goals to some degree and do not just take comfort at thinking "we are the UK and we can do whatever we like in respect of our ACPO". Looking what counterpart administrations do is usually a good and useful source of inspiration, as tedious as it may be to read and hear that others make things simpler.

Leon_87

I just got a further answer from the ACPO.

After I asked them to doublecheck, she said she did so and everything is fine and that my certificate will be dispatched tomorrow...

I am obviously happy () that I am finally getting the certificate. Nevertheless.... .... ... ... no further comments.

ian-mstm

They lied to you... and they are allowed to lie to you. The police certificate is valid for 1 year, and then it expires... and then you need a new one.

This is the reason why you should never seek the answers to immigration questions from the Embassy (or Consulate).

Ian

lansbury

ACPO isn't a public service it is a staff association for police officers above a certain rank. As such it is the same as any other staff association or union, it isn't a public body it is run for the benefit of the members. Perhaps half the trouble is while you are berating the people you are dealing with you are to stupid to understand who they are, or UK laws governing their access to the PNC.

Leon_87

Have you just read about me "asking them to double check" and then they saying "oh, yes, actually it's fine"? And yet you defend them? And you even call me "stupid"? Why is it that small people are always the first ones to start insulting.

This forum sucks. Apparently it's just full of little englanders just too proud to even hear any critics about "their country" doing wrong. Not worth the time!

Au revoir. Malvinas Argentinas!