bonza2211 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Hi Guys, Page 40 : http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/character-requirements/character-penal.pdf States that : Non-resident citizens -> Apply to the nearest Indian High Commission, consulate or embassy in your country of residence. Technically I am an NRI (Non-resident indian) as I have been in OZ for 3 years now. The thing is my application is ready to submit and I'm pending the Indian PCC(I have a valid one from the Police Commissioners Office but as of Feb 2013, DIAC wont accept that anymore). I want to goto India and get the PCC from my local RPO instead of waiting endlessly at the mercy of VFS in Sydney. The reason is I travel a lot on work and cant afford to have my passport locked up with them. Has any NRI citizen successfully had an onshore visa application approved in Australia with a PCC that was obtained from the local RPO from India rather than the VFS centre in Australia? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonza2211 Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 Also missed an important point : What is your experience at the RPO if you are an NRI. How do you substantiate your present address? Do they cause trouble saying you are an NRI ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalyst2012 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 As far as I know, PCC's issued by RPO's list your "current" residential address, and given that you're overseas, I believe DIAC would not accept a PCC issued by an RPO. Your best bet is to apply for a PCC at VFS and wait for a couple months (I've heard it doesn't take more than 8 weeks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonza2211 Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 Thanks. So when VFS issues a PCC who does that come from? Does it not also come from the RPO but simply that VFS delivers this process? 8 weeks - I may as well resign my job and then wont have an employer to sponsor my 186 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalyst2012 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Okay, when you apply for a PCC at any Indian mission overseas, it's the mission that issues the PCC after receiving clearance from the respective RPO that issued your passport. So it's either the Indian Consulate in Sydney or the Indian High Commission in Canberra that'll issue your PCC and you'll see their stamp and seal on the PCC as well as on your passport (which is why you are required to submit your passport). 8 weeks is the standard processing time VFS specify if your passport was not issued by the Indian mission in Australia. I'm not aware of how things work behind the scenes, but if you've got a clear police report when your passport was issued, I reckon it wouldn't really take as long as 8 weeks. I know a few people who got theirs in 2 weeks. See how you go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonza2211 Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 That is a compelling explanation, Thank you. I think I will send out some feelers on the ground in India to the RTO to understand if they issue PCC for NRI's. If so I get that in hand till I get some clarity here via an immigration lawyer. Meanwhile I could also return and try my luck with VFS here. If the passport is simiply at the HC in Canberra the process to withdraw it maybe quicker than I expected (worse case scenario that I need to travel/apply for a visa to a country that requires on). Appreciate your response, Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonza2211 Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 Also missed an important point : What is your experience at the RPO if you are an NRI. How do you substantiate your present address? Do they cause trouble saying you are an NRI ? I thought over this last night and realised I may have answered my own question. Lets consider a hypothetical situation : 1. Mr.Apu has live in London on a 3 year work permit from Feb 2010 till Feb 2013. 2. In Feb 2013 he was required to return to India as his work permit for UK expired and he need to re-apply (offshore?). 3. Technically Mr. Apu is an NRI since he spent the last 3 years overseas. Visa requirement is a PCC for any country that the applicant lived in for 12 months cumulatively. Therefor for up until 2010 the Indian PCC and 2010-2013 the UK PCC. So technically a NRI are able to request a PCC at their local RPO in order to apply for future visa's! (The drama this involves I don't even want to know). Finally : This is not to say that DIAC will accept this, it's just an angle I am pursuing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalyst2012 Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Here's how it works with the RPO's - If you haven't changed your address and have lived at the address that's on your passport, "generally" you're given a PCC on the same day as long as there's a clear police report on your file (no questions asked). One of my friends was actually asked to provide proof of his residential address for the last 12 months when he had applied at the RPO that issued his Passport (Mind you, he hadn't even changed his address). So it's entirely at their discretion whether to ask for proof of residential address or not. That's bureaucracy at its optimal best If you've changed addresses, you're asked to fill out a set of forms that are sent out to the respective Police stations that cover the jurisdiction of where you live/have lived, and from there on it's the same old process of Police Verification that you'll have to undergo. I would still apply at VFS since that's what DIAC want. It's your call after all! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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