Has anyone noticed that instead of the usual application to your local police headquarters and a 10 GBP fee, you now have to apply to
Association of Police Officers and pay a 35 GBP fee plus you need certified photos as well. This could prove difficult if you're out of country (in NZ maybe) and haven't known a professional for 2 years who can vouch for you. The benefit, if you can say there is a benefit when the fee has tripled, is that there's a 10-day turnaround instead of up to 40 days.
UK Police Certificates (right at the bottom).
With our application looming ever nearer, I'm getting very twitchy because it's come to light that prison sentences are now being dished out to motorists here in Oman (mainly expat, I suspect) for various fairly minor traffic offences e.g. touching a yellow line with your tyre, finding yourself gridlocked on a junction and the traffic lights change to red behind you, which is looked on as jumping a red light etc. And this is 'Go straight to jail and don't pass Go' (for those who've played Monopoly) - no court case until afterwards. I wonder how INZ will look on such things which, in another country, would be treated as a minor offence, but here it's a blot on your police record and the stigma of having been in prison. The sentences are only for a few days but it still remains on your record. You get a darned fine on top of this, too. Several of hubster's colleagues have already 'done time', sleeping on a cold, hard floor with only a thin blanket for cover. What are these people like! It's worse because their own people are the worst offenders, yet, with some wasta (clout), they can get off scot-free.
I was worried enough about passing the medical without this added worry.