Police Certificate Requirement in India
Posted Jan 11, 2002

The MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom previously reported the U.S. Department of State's (DOS') implementation of new police certificate requirements at the various consulates in India. The American Immigration Lawyers Association updated this information at the end of December 2001. According to the update, the Consul General in New Delhi announced that a final decision regarding the certificates has not yet been made. At present, it appears that the consulates in Mumbai and Chennai will have to standardize their policies in accordance with the policies in New Delhi.

The requirement for two Police Certificates (one from the local Police Station and the other from the Regional Passport office that had issued the visa applicant’s passport) for those who have the immigrant visa (IV) interview at the consulates in India will now become effective after January 31, 2002. This information differs from that originally issued and reported in our December 21, 2001 article entitled, New Security Requirements at Indian Consulates from Jan. 2002, regarding the January 1, 2002 effective date and may be helpful to many of you who had your IV interviews scheduled during this month, January 2002.

The specific rules regarding the new requirements for Police Certificates and the procedure for obtaining them, were recently issued by the consulates in India and confirmed as applying only to those who have IV interview on or after February 1, 2002.

Indian Police Clearance Certificates 
should be Obtained as Follows :

• All Indian IV applicants age 16 and above, residing in India, should obtain police certificates from the local passport office. Applicants whose Indian passport was issued within the past six months may present just the passport office police certificate, and need not obtain additional police clearances.
  

• Applicants over age 16 whose passports were issued more than six months previous to visa application must also obtain a police clearance from the district police office serving the applicant's place of residence.
  

• Indian passport holders applying for visas outside India should obtain statements from their local embassies or consulates confirming they have no criminal records.
  

• Non-Indian IV applicants residing in India should obtain police certificates from the district police stations serving their areas of residence.
  

• Indian police certificates are not available for foreign (non-Indian) applicants applying outside India.