An applicant applying for a U.S. immigrant visa abroad will need to procure several personal documents in preparation for their visa interview. One of the documents a visa applicant may be required to collect and submit to the National Visa Center (NVC) is a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). A PCC identifies the individual’s criminal record and provides a clearance certificate if their record is clear. If an applicant is applying for an Immigrant Visa, then the applicant needs to procure a PCC for each country where the applicant lived for more than one year after turning 16 including:

  • country of current residence if the applicant is 16 years of age or older and has lived in that country for at least six months,
  • country of nationality if the applicant is 16 years of age or older and lived in that country for more than six months at any point in their life, and
  • any country (except the United States) where the applicant has been arrested regardless of their age or how long he/she lived there.

Visa applicants under the age of 16 years old are not required to submit PCC. If the individual is applying for a temporary non-immigrant visa including a B-2 or H-1B visa, a PCC will not be required since their stay in the U.S. will be of limited duration. PCCs validity period varies depending on the country that issues the document, but usually, a PCC is valid for one year. The process for applying for a PCC is different for each country. Below we give the example of obtaining PCC for an Indian national from India.

An Indian national who is currently residing outside of India must physically travel to the Indian Diplomatic Post that has jurisdiction over their residence and must apply in person for a PCC. An Indian national currently residing in India, on the other hand, may apply for a PCC online through the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK website). To apply for a PCC on the PSK website, the individual must create a profile on the website, complete the form, pay the mandatory filing fee, and create an appointment to submit the documents in person to the nearest PSK. After submitting the documents, the individual must be present with all of the required documents on the day the police verify the document and must then collect the PCC from the PSK in person. There is no available option for mailing a PCC to a residence. Applicants can track the status of their application under the “Track Application Status” tab on the PSK website. This process usually takes between fifteen and twenty workdays from the time the application is completed until the time the PCC is issued.

A foreign national that is currently residing in India may apply for their PCC online on the e-FRRO portal. The applicant must complete the form and state the amount of time he/she has been in India. After the form is submitted, the applicant is not permitted to leave India until the application has been processed and the PCC has been issued. This process usually takes between one and three weeks.

If you have questions regarding your or your family’s National Visa Center case, please contact an attorney at ILBSG. Our experience and dedication to your case ensures you get the right advice.

B-2 h-1b immigration Police Clearance Certificate