What are my options if I cannot get a police clearance certificate from my home country?

Reciprocity tables for specific countries that are maintained by U.S. DOS will show whether or not police clearance certificates are available and obtainable from specific local agencies or departments. Your attorney should be able to guide you how to obtain it. If a document is truly unobtainable, then the applicable local agency or department should be able to explain why in writing.

If the State Department indicates it is generally available, you have to prove you have tried by sending certified mail requests and if they do not reply, then you have to provide reasonable evidence that it is not available. Waivers are not easy to get unless you can show that the document is truly unavailable.

I can see how this could be frustrating. You should certainly try to get the document before going to the interview. Is there any way you could document that you have tried to get the document but could not? Keep copies of all your correspondence with the Ministry of Interior and try to document that you have tried to get the police clearance certificate but could for reasons beyond your control.

If you have evidence from your home country that you did not obtain a police clearance, you should attach your document from the Ministry of Interior stating so. The National Visa Center is very familiar with conditions in the various countries, in terms of whether or not the applicant can readily obtain a police clearance.

Sometimes, showing that you at least tried to get the document, but could not due to circumstances beyond your control, is enough. I&#39ve seen it done for green card applications here in the States (adjustment) and in naturalization cases.

If you can show that you requested it, perhaps the U.S. consulate/embassy will accept that. But if not, and your country is simply not cooperating, the U.S. may not allow you to immigrate.