UK police certificates

[MotherBear]

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.

[ebianca]

When does this new thing come in?We have the police certificates already are we gonna have to get these new ones to apply for our visas or is there a time?

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by ebianca

When does this new thing come in?

As this is the only means of obtaining a police certificate that's being offered to UK residents now, I assume it's already in force. It is only a pilot scheme so I don't know what the outcome will be.

Depending on how old the certificates are that you've already got and when you're likely to be able to submit them, perhaps you'd get away with it if you explain that you deliberately got the certificates before you left the UK.

[ebianca]

We have only had them a few weeks and we aren't going to have time to get these other ones before we go so they will have to do!

[ebianca]

I have just emailed INZ to ask them if we can still use the older style certificate.Will let you know when I have a reply.

[cook00]

Hey that would be great if you could let us know if the old ones are still valid....i have only had my one for a few weeks but my Fiance is still waiting for his (applied for the old way)!!....Maybe this is why its taking so long to come through!!

[ebianca]

Had my reply back from INZ- only one day- not bad going eh?

They said that they are still accepting the old UK police certificates.