Passport Frequently Asked Questions

To get a clearance in the UK, you are generally required to be a resident of the UK for a minimum of five years and will be required to complete all the steps of the vetting process which involves: Baseline Personnel Security Standards, Company/Departmental Records Check and Security Questionnaire.

To get an enforcement certificate, also popular as the ‘Certificated Enforcement Agent’ certificate, on a “Taking Control of Good” you need to complete a training course at level 2 qualification, pass the exam, and with the necessary documents apply to the County court. It includes good character proof and demonstrates your understanding of enforcement laws to a judge who decides whether you are the right person to get the certificate or not. This process generally includes providing a security bond and references.

The Police Certificate will show the personal details, photograph, applicable cautions, convictions, reprimands, and with the ACRO step-down model the warnings in line with the applicant.

Traveling overseas with a criminal record can be difficult but not an impossible thing. Every country has its specific rules about who can enter and these can depend on the crime type and conviction time.

Yes, a passport-sized photograph is required when applying for a PCC (Police Clearance Certificate). You need to provide a photo with specific dimensions and proper background color as specified by the issuing authority. Generally, a recent colored photo with a plain white background is required.

A US police clearance certificate usually takes 16-18 weeks to process and is also known as an FBI background check. However, the processing time may vary depending on the complexity of your case. If you opt for expedited service then the FBI will take 10 business days to process your application.

To apply for a PCC online, you need to visit the passport seva website of your country’s embassy or consulate> register an account> fill out the application form with accurate details> upload the required documents> handle the fee> schedule an appointment to submit your application (if needed).

Indian nationals staying abroad can get a Police Clearance Certificate from the Indian Diplomatic Mission or Post in their area. They can also apply for a PCC online and then submit the application at the relevant center in person.

No, there is no age limit for procuring a Police Clearance Certificate. However, the age of the applicant may be considered when evaluating the certificate. The process to obtain a PCC is the same for all ages.

A PCC in the United States is valid for two years from the date it was issued. However, the validity may vary depending on certain circumstances. Like, if your PCC was issued from the previous resident country and you have not returned since then, the certificate may be valid for longer.

Yes, you can travel to India. Even if you don't have a surrender certificate of Indian citizenship.

Yes, a police clearance certificate or PCC is requisite for a surrender certificate. Visament can assist you with a police clearance certificate help.

No, you don’t have to submit your PIO cards when you are applying for an Indian Passport in the UK. This is because PIO cards no longer exist.

Until now, the UK government hasn’t allowed its citizens to apply together. However, when you receive the surrender certificate you can apply for an OCI card later.

Yes, an OCI is allowed to purchase property like commercial and residential in India. However, he/she is not permitted to buy agricultural land, involving farms or any type of plantation property.

No, any person who previously held Indian citizenship is compulsory to show their surrender certificate while applying for an OCI or Indian visa.

The only big drawback is after renouncing Indian citizenship as a foreigner you won’t be able to own agricultural land in India. So, if a person holds a lot of agricultural property in India, renouncing the citizenship means he/she misses out their inheritance.

No, the Indian constitution does not allow the holding of citizenship of two countries at a time. Based on that you have to surrender your Indian citizenship after getting the foreign one.

Yes, as renunciation and surrender of Indian citizenship are two different things. You can surrender your passport without applying for renunciation. However, the renunciation certificate may be needed when you apply for other services. Also, you can apply for both services through a single application.

Surrender: It applies to those people who get foreign nationality before 1 June 2010. Renunciation: It applies to those people who get a foreign nationality after or on 1 June 2010. However, both processes require the people to submit documents and applications to the Indian consulate. As it is illegal to have an Indian passport by your side when you have foreign citizenship.