A Complete Guide to Getting A Police Clearance Certificate for US Immigration

A police clearance certificate or a police check is one of the compulsory documents for entry to the US. To get a police clearance certificate for US immigration, it is crucial to carefully prepare all necessary documents according to the requirements of relevant authorities.

Follow this article from Thao & Co. to learn everything you need to know about this process.

When do I need a police clearance certificate for US immigration?

A police clearance certificate or police check is a document issued by the National Center for Judicial Records or the Department of Justice. This certificate contains:

1. ● Criminal records and court convictions of an individual.
2. ● Whether this individual is banned from holding certain positions in enterprises or establishing and managing their own business.

A police check is necessary for entities who want to enter the US for the following purposes:

1. ● Settling in the US
2. ● Marriage with foreign citizens
3. ● Studying in formal institutions
4. ● Sponsoring family members to come to the US
5. ● Applying for a US work permit
6. ● Applying for a US visa renewal
7. ● Seeking job opportunities
8. ● Investigation, prosecution, and adjudication work.
9. ● and so on.

Regulations on police clearance certificates for US immigration

According to US laws, foreign citizens who want to enter the US are requested to submit a police check. For residents of Vietnam, a Police clearance certificate No. 2 is required. For people who have been living in other countries aside from Vietnam for over 6 months, you will need to apply for a police check at the authorities of your country of residence.

A valid police check must contain these details:

1. ● Personal information of the applicant: Full name, date of birth, nationality, permanent and temporary address, national ID number, passport number, full name of family members (parents, spouse, etc.)
2. ● Criminal records: The police check will show “Không có án tích” if you don’t have any previous criminal convictions, or your full criminal records, including your previous convictions and current charges.
3. ● Whether you are banned from holding certain positions in enterprises or establishing and managing your own business
4. ● Police check translations need to be certified before submission to agencies and authorities in the US

Note: According to the USCIS, foreign documents only require certified translations performed by professional translation agencies. You don’t need to obtain a notarized translation at notary public offices or the Department of Justice.

Required documents for police check application

Here are the documents you need to submit for a police check application:

1. ● A declaration requesting the issuance of a police clearance certificate
2. ● National ID, passport, or household registration book
3. ● Certificate of permanent or temporary residence

Keep in mind that you must submit your own application for the Vietnam police clearance certificate No. 2.

The application process for a police clearance certificate

Both Vietnamese citizens and foreigners currently living in Vietnam can apply for a Vietnam police clearance certificate No. 2 by following these steps:

1. ● Step 1: Prepare all the necessary documents including the declaration, passport, household registration book, certificate of permanent or temporary residence
2. ● Step 2: Submit your documents to the Department of Justice National Center for Judicial Records or at your location and pay the application fees
3. ● Step 3: Wait for approval

You can also submit your documents online by following these steps:

1. ● Step 1: Access the public service portal (https://dichvucong.gov.vn/p/home/dvc-trang-chu.html)
2. ● Step 2: In the search bar, enter the search keyword “lý lịch tư pháp” (Police check) into the search box
3. ● Step 3: Select your current place of residence and click “Đồng ý” (Confirm), then click on the “Nộp trực tuyến” (Online Submission) box.
4. ● Step 4: Log in or register if you don’t have an account
5. ● Step 5: Fill out the declaration form and upload all necessary documents.
6. ● Step 6: Pay the application fees
7. ● Step 7: Wait for approval

Police clearance certificate for US immigration fees

Here are the application fees for Vietnam police check as well as the fee reduction policy:

1. ● For Vietnamese citizens or foreigners living in Vietnam: 200,000 VND/check/person
2. ● For students, relatives of martyrs, and people with meritorious services to the revolution: 100,000 VND/check/person
3. ● Individuals who can obtain a police check for free: those officially recognized as economically disadvantaged, disabled individuals, and residents of low-living standard communes

In case you request more than two copies of police check for your application, an additional cost of 5,000 VND/check will be applied from the 3rd check onward.

Does police clearance certificate for US immigration need translation?

The answer is Yes. According to US regulations, police checks and other foreign documents must be translated into English and certified to guarantee their accuracy and legal validity.

Here are the requirements for USCIS certified translation:

1. ● The translated document is accurate and consistent with the original format
2. ● A certificate of translation accuracy issued by a professional translation agency is included.
3. ● The translation is done by a qualified translator.
4. ● The certification statement includes the signature of the translator as well as the contact information of the translation agency.

Besides police checks, other documents such as personal documents, employment contracts, academic-related paperwork, documents demonstrating your financial ability and the purpose of your trip, and so on also need to be translated and legalized according to US laws.

Translation of those documents must be completely accurate and precisely formatted in consistency with the original so that the authority can verify their authenticity. Therefore, it is best to entrust your documents to a reputable translation agency.

If you are looking for a high-quality translation company for your paperwork, look no further than Thao & Co. We have extensive experience in providing top-notch translation services for over 50 languages.

By choosing our certified and notarized translation services, you can expect to receive the best quality and legally valid translations done by linguists with high expertise and complete dedication to client satisfaction.

1. ● 24-hour delivery for standard documents
2. ● Seasoned linguists with degrees in English linguistics and qualifications meeting USCIS standards.
3. ● Transparent working process and prompt quotation
4. ● Absolute information confidentiality via Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
5. ● Years of experience in handling visa applications, study abroad documents, and other immigration paperwork

Moreover, Thao & Co.’s proprietary platform allows for easy file management, convenient progress tracking, and complete security with no third-party involvement. Our unwavering commitment to improvement and professionalism has consistently garnered great trust from clients.

We hope that this article has provided useful information about the application process for police clearance certificate for US immigration. If you need translation for your police clearance certificate, please leave your information on our Get a Quote page and we will promptly assist!