Home   >   Front Page   >   Featured Articles   >   Using Interpol in Nicaragua for Police Report Requirement for Residency

Using Interpol in Nicaragua for Police Report Requirement for Residency

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member country clubs. Their role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Their high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century. This article is to inform you about the process to get an INTERPOL report to satisfy the police report requirement for residency. Scott and Nicki are a new couple to the Granada area. 

By Scott and Nicki Hed

Yesterday, we headed to Managua early to submit our information to Interpol for our police reports to process our residency application.  Our attorney had advised us before moving down here that it wasn’t necessary to get our police reports back home – it could be easily done in Managua,  She provided us with a list of items that are required, and this same list was posted at the security/entrance office at the National Policia campus near the Metrocentro Mall.  It is 2 blocks east of Plaza Sol.  The parking lot area is small, but we were fortunate to find a space.  We were told to get there early, as Interpol is only open from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm.  Due to heavy traffic into Managua, we arrived at the National Policia campus around 8:30 am.

You first enter a security office at the entrance gate.  Pass through a metal detector, and provide your passport information to be admitted to the campus.  We were joined by our driver, and he was helpful as our Spanish language skills aren’t close to passable yet. Our driver provided his ID card, which was kept at this security checkpoint in exchange for a visitor’s badge that he needed to wear.  We were directed to a nearby building and told that the Interpol office would be on the third floor.  Upon entering that building, we again presented our passports for admittance, and were directed to the elevators that took us to the third floor.

We arrived at the Interpol office and were the only ones there – good advice from our attorney to arrive early, as while were being processed a half dozen people arrived and formed a line in the hallway waiting for us to finish.

First, the officer took a look at the documents that we had brought with us.  These included 2 passport size photographs for each person, color copies of primary passport page and any passport pages with visa stamps on them, color copies of drivers license from home country, and the original receipt for $30 (per applicant) from a deposit that was made into the National Policia bank account at Bancentro/Lafise.  I had made the deposit at the Lafise branch in Granada two days before our visit to Interpol in Managua, and I had deposited $60 to cover the two of us.  This was a minor issue at the Interpol office, and it would have been easier if I had made 2 deposits of $30 each – one for each of us.  However, the officer got approval to accept the single deposit receipt as payment for both of our reports.

After being satisfied with our documents, the next thing we did was complete a fairly simple form that included typical identification information, occupation, addresses and phone numbers in home country as well as Nicaragua, and purpose for requesting the police report (residency application in our case).

Finally, we were fingerprinted.  Every thumb and finger on each hand.  Sort of messy, but you get a wet napkin to clean up afterward.

For preparation purposes, we were happy that our attorney explained what we found to be a fairly simple process and that she also provided a copy of the exact information that is required.  With the disclaimer that this is subject to change, here is the information on that list:

* Two passport-size color photographs

* Color copies of primary passport page and any pages with stamps on them.* Color copy of drivers license from home country

* Color copy of cedula from home country (if applicable)

* Original receipt for $30 deposit (per person) into the National Policia account at Bancentro/Lafise

   – Probably best to make a separate deposit for each person requesting a police report

* Information form to be completed at the Interpol office

* Fingerprints taken at the Interpol office

When it was all finished, we were given a name and a telephone number for an officer at Interpol and instructed to follow up by telephone in 15 days to see if our police reports are ready to be picked up.  Our fingers are crossed and we will report when we receive the police report.

DB – One issue I have heard with this process is that it is good for 60 days and often, the residency process takes longer than that so this should be done late in your procedures.

 

11 Comments