How to Get Police Clearance Certificate for Immigration to US?

Caught up in confusion over how to get police clearance certificate from India? It’s normal and happens with every newbie who is prepping up to shift to the US. Whether you google or ring to inquire information about the criminal check certificate, all sources would point to the same solutions.

If any source states some different NRI services solutions that would be in accordance to the outsourcing procedure. It’s quite similar to the difference in acquiring visa from the foreign employer and in-person from the consul. So, don’t worry! Both processes would be ‘ok’ provided that you must have scrutinized the authenticity of the outsourcer (if go for outsourcing Police Clearance Certificate).     

Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)

PCC is a must document for every prospective expats to acquire if his/her age is 16 or above. Without it, the visa would not be granted to work and study abroad. The applicant can apply for PCC at the nearest police authority. The document must read the duration and address of his residency in that country.

In case, the applicant was detained or convicted in the past, its mention should be clearly there in that document with valid cause & nature of the crime. Subsequently, the foreign embassy would be a sole authority to approve or disapprove that applicant’s visa application.

Where should apply for PCC? 

There are a few conditions that should be glanced prior to applying for the visa to the US or any other foreign country.  Basically, the person is caught up in dilemma over where it should be applied. It happens because there is police authority, passport office and consul from where it can be gotten. So, I’m clearing here in which condition you should choose which authority to get this criminal check certification.   

• If living in India & got passport within six months: Check the date when you got your passport. If it shows less than six month of issuance, then you can get your police verification certificate from the passport office.
• If living in India & have more than 6 months old passport: If your passport is more than 6 months old, the application for PCC should be applied in passport and district police office.   
• If lived in any other country: In this case, the applicant should have to seek the PCC from the consular office of the resident country.
• If living in India but lived abroad also: Suppose an NRI/PIO/OCI card holder is now living in India and wants the visa to the US or any other country, the PIO/OCI has to apply for police verified certificate from passport office or district police station and also from the police authority or consular office of the foreign country where he/she lived in the past.   
• If a foreigner and immigrant in India: Suppose a 16 year old foreign native lives in India and wants the visa of the US, the person should have to verify from the consular office or district police station. A statement would be issued reading that the bearer has no criminal background. In this condition, the age matters a lot. If the person is minor or short of 16 years of age, he/she would require no such police verification letter.  

Which documents are required?

The given names of documents would be required to verify and issue the aforementioned document:

• Original passport & its photocopy
• Residential proof (like Utility bill, rental deed, voter id, bank passbook etc.)
• The proof of change in residential address if the applicant has changed it for one or more years. 

Is there any validity of PCC?

Generally, this certificate is valid for just one year. But diverse countries may have different norms in reference to it. So, get the authentic information from the consular office.

What about the processing time of PCC?

In India, the processing time would be 7 to 15 days. However, the outsourcer providing NRI services can take a month to deliver it.