Job Discussion Forums

johnslat · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:51 pm Post subject:

Dear leez,

" . . . will change it once i get my visa."

Good to hear - of course, once you get to Saudi, you may have to change it again to one more like trap's.

Regards,
John
Smile

saharastars · Joined: 30 Sep 2009 Posts: 107 Location: Wonderland

The question is , where did you get it?

leez · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:11 pm Post subject:

snowsilver · Joined: 23 Jun 2009 Posts: 34

OK, here's our entire experience with the police report. I can't speak for other states--maybe the consulate will be more lenient. I can only tell you about New York.

In NY, one gets a form from the Department of Criminal Justice (DCJ). One fills it out with name and personal info. There is also a fingerprint card which one takes to one's local police station. One is then fingerprinted and the prints, along with the form, are returned to the DCJ--along with a check for $50. A few days later you receive a letter from the DCJ with an official seal--but it is not a raised seal. It is simply letterhead showing the seal. It states the Mr. XYZ has no criminal record on file.

We sent this to Travisa (the agency we hired to facilitate the visa). They deemed it acceptable and Daud (our rep) hand delivered everything to the lady at the consulate who approves the visas. She called him a day or so later saying she would not accept the police report as it did not have a raised seal. She stated we could have written the letter ourselves, found a seal on the internet somewhere and simply submitted that. Frantic (because we were already past deadline to leave) we called the DCJ and were told it could take several weeks to get a letter with the raised seal and we would be required to travel to Albany to pick it up. Now we're truly frantic (Albany is 7 hours away). We called Travisa back and asked if we overnighted the envelope the police report came in showing that we did, indeed, have information from the DCJ along with the fingerprint card--would that work. Travisa said it must might. We spent about $25 overnighting the additional info. Daud took it to her personally. She said, "nope, won't work. Gotta have that raised seal".

In desperation we called DCJ again. To our astonishment (we are not used to such help from the bureaucracy) they typed up a letter with a raised seal--had the head of the dept sign it, and they overnighted it to us at no charge (they would not send directly to the consulate due to privacy issues). When we got it, our hearts dropped. It basically only said "This is to inform you that as of X-date, NYS had adopted a policy wherein we no longer provide police reports with raised seals. The report you were given previously represents the true and actual report from NY's DCJ." We were SURE she would not accept that, but we sent it anyway. Miracle of miracles--she accepted it.

That's our experience. Not sure how things work with other states. But it was a nightmare for us.

manowur · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 68

OK, this truly proves that the embassy doesn't follow any standard guidelines.

I know another guy from NY who recently got his visa and I confirmed that the police report he submitted did NOT have a raised seal.
I guess everyone has their own personal experience when dealing with these guys.

Moral of the story: If you can get the raised seal, then do so. If not, try with what you got. If still not, visit your local Hallmark. Confused

What do you think???

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

gorkomi · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Posts: 142

All I can say is that with the state of our world today, it is pretty rotten and sad that Watha at Washington DC Embassy strives to stress others and make things as bad as possible for those who are daring enough to venture out to a country that strips people of common rights as it is. What a way to enter a job.

gorkomi · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Posts: 142

snowsilver... I wish I could ask that woman to read your story and consider how absolutely bizarre it is, but I don't think she's able to look outside of her sealed little box.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

Didah · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject:

Hi Gorkomi,

I see you are the recipient of that famous Saudi bureaucratic hospitality. I had the same problem as you with the police report. Neither the city or county where I am in California have a raised seal or a stamp. My initial police report was kicked back for that reason. The visa agency I used said that I could get the police report notarized and the embassy would accept it and they did. So, if your report is kicked back again, or you are in the process of sending another one, I would suggest that you get it notarized. It worked for me. Now, I am just waiting to see what else they can find that is wrong. If it makes you feel any better, I have been in Visa Hell with the KSA D.C. consulate for about six months with help from an agency. The first company I was to join did not have the proper block visa on file. My current future employer has the right visa, all the paperwork has been submitted again and I am just waiting for the white smoke in the chimney (sorry for the mixed religious metaphor). One more thing you may find humorous. When my visa application paperwork (which was already approved for the job that didn't work out) was re-submitted, the consulate told me that all the paperwork had to be resubmitted because it was stamped with the other employer's company name. So my degree had to be re-certified, police report (with the notary stamp), and the medical report... well you get the idea.

I hope things go better and faster for you.
Good Luck,

gorkomi · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Posts: 142

Thanks guys. You bring me some comfort in knowing I am not alone. I could deal with all of this embassy bureaucracy, but it kills me that my classes have already started. It seems just wrong that students don't even have a teacher... what are they going to do, weed out problem students and create a new class for them using teachers like myself?

Dida (Sorry, I'm going on memory- I hope that's your name)... You give me hope. When I asked the police office if they could stamp it again to make it flashier for the embassy, they used a notary stamp that reads "This is a true and correct copy"

However, I called today and my report (which has been in some office at the embassy for a week now, unless thrown out) still has not been delivered to the visa department.

mrbbkk · Joined: 02 Jun 2007 Posts: 70 Location: Tokyo

My employment verification letter complete with seals on official stationary was mailed to my university and they claim they don't have it.

In 14 years in Japan, nothing ever got lost in the mail.

It is never their fault and now it is my problem and I may have to request it again.

Well I will wait for my visa first.

I'm not going to bother people in Japan again till I get a visa and sign a real contract

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Never deal with the Saudi embassy or consulate yourself in obtaining a visa. Always hire a visa handler such as Diran or others recommended in these pages.

Mothra or whatever the h ell her name is prefers to deal with the handlers because she knows them and they know how to please her with documents submitted correctly the first time--through THEM, not from you directly.