Reply to: Criminal Record Checks - how to speed it up ?

[BrilloPad]

Ah, that explains a lot.

And there was me thinking that I couldn't remember racking up the £700 bill at an online casino and purchasing £400 of fabric from the asian haberdasher because I had been p*ssed at the time.

But those dresses were your own though!

[Gonzo]

"Proof of Identity: ACRO require copies of your passport and 2 recent utility bills, bank statement, or other correspondence confirming your address (NOT the original). The copies will not be returned."

They will instead be left in a bin liner round the back of our offices where they will be harvested by identity thieves

Ah, that explains a lot.

And there was me thinking that I couldn't remember racking up the £700 bill at an online casino and purchasing £400 of fabric from the asian haberdasher because I had been p*ssed at the time.

[NickFitz]

For a price, these people will turn them around rather quicker.

http://www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp

"Proof of Identity: ACRO require copies of your passport and 2 recent utility bills, bank statement, or other correspondence confirming your address (NOT the original). The copies will not be returned."

They will instead be left in a bin liner round the back of our offices where they will be harvested by identity thieves

[Gonzo]

Experts: I turn to you for advice now.

I have a contract offer in Germany pending a criminal record check from 'a competent authority in your home country'. This I am expected to produce myself. Phone calls have revealed that CRB won't do it as I won't be working with kids or vulnerable people - it is a straight up offfice tech job in finance. Besides CRB won't report an individual's record to the same individual.

So I was told to contact Police. Checked online and discussed with Police Information Officer in my home area. He said this will take 40 days to check the PNC - Police National Computer and is standard across all constabularies. They don't have any express or expedited service. I have submitted the paperwork anyway.

Informed the end client and agency. Response: they are in discussions today but bottom line: they won't wait more than 2 weeks for me and have other rejected candidates they will turn to. (Though presumably if they are from UK they will also need to wait 40 days.)

40 days makes no sense to me at all.

I've read on CUK of others needing to be checked but no one describes the delay or work-arounds.

In this market you'll know it wasn't easy to land the gig. Don't want UK gov to blow it up for me.

Ideas ?

For a price, these people will turn them around rather quicker.

http://www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp

It states that these are a pilot for the purposes of visa applications to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, although I can't see how the end use of the certificate would have much bearing on its production.

I should have taken a copy of mine and I could have had a look for you, but I sent it straight on.

[Marina]

Obviously the company are aware of the difficulties and are using them as a pretext for avoiding hiring non-German candidates (assuming the company can't just reject foreign applicants, in case that might get it into trouble with the EU for discriminating against foreign EU nationals or something)

Some of you do come up with some cr*p

and later ..

Marina: I can't write about this on a public message board but as I know the end-client very well having done some work for them in the past (prior to criminal check rule): there may be something to your comment.

Yes Dodgy, you know best

[NickFitz]

It looks like some kid made it and some countries need it 'appostilled' cos they dont believe its worth the paper its written on.

EDS

[Fishface]

I got this done 9 months ago.

The police record checks are different for different purposes some take longer than other.

the 40 day one is good enough for a US Green Card application.

Some searches are not so thorough and therefore quicker.

Go to a main station to submit it plus a tenner in cash.

It looks like some kid made it and some countries need it 'appostilled' cos they dont believe its worth the paper its written on.

[LegendsWear7]

Success.

To close out the topic:

After pleading my case I have been given an exemption to commence work so long as the paperwork does eventually arrive.

An affidavit wouldn't have been accepted by this client but its a top idea for later.

I think I may drop a line to my MP or somewhere more appropriate to ask wtf does it take 40 days to check a database? This is no doubt costing people jobs and businesses money.


Thanks all.



Marina: I can't write about this on a public message board but as I know the end-client very well having done some work for them in the past (prior to criminal check rule): there may be something to your comment.

[TheBigYinJames]

Maybe. They are Germans.

They just want a piece of paper to cover their ass, you can always ask them if it will suffice until a full 40 day police check comes through.

Or perhaps just get them to check your Ebay feedback page

[LegendsWear7]

Trust me, I does work. I used to do it all the time.

It looks something like this.

AFFIDAVIT

Affiant details:
Name: <<name>>


Signed by the affiant <<name>>:




Witnessed By:

Wow. To HairyArsedBloke. This might do the trick. I think rather than ask the client, I'm just going to go to a solicitors now and get one of these run up. Send it to Germany and if they say 'that's not a competent authority' - - - then deal with it and say "In UK, this is acceptable" and blag and say I'll send off for police one.

Maybe. They are Germans.

Hiring manager wants me to start Monday.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Never thought about it. It could work.

Trust me, I does work. I used to do it all the time.

It looks something like this.

AFFIDAVIT

Affiant details:
Name: <<name>>
Date of Birth: <<DoB>>
Passport Number : << Passport No. >>



Sworn on <<Date>>

I <<Name>> of <<Address>>

MAKE OATH and say as follows:

1. I have no criminal associations or convictions
2. To my knowledge the UK Police systems do not hold any information on me


SWORN at:

<<Solicitors name and address>>


Signed by the affiant <<name>>:




Witnessed By:





A solicitor empowered to administer oaths



You could print off your own or the solictor may wish to do their own.

I just have to cross my fingers when I do it

[oracleslave]

Some of you do come up with some cr*p

work

[DodgyAgent]

Obviously the company are aware of the difficulties and are using them as a pretext for avoiding hiring non-German candidates (assuming the company can't just reject foreign applicants, in case that might get it into trouble with the EU for discriminating against foreign EU nationals or something).

Some of you do come up with some cr*p

[Marina]

Obviously the company are aware of the difficulties and are using them as a pretext for avoiding hiring non-German candidates (assuming the company can't just reject foreign applicants, in case that might get it into trouble with the EU for discriminating against foreign EU nationals or something).

[DodgyAgent]

The whole thing is a farce anyway as I've spent most of last decade outside UK .

Guantanamo Bay?