Oh my Vanuatu: Police Report

During our recent court proceedings for Grayson's adoption, the judge required Shawnda and me to get local Police Clearance as part of her vetting process. Sounds easy enough, right? Oh, and she wanted it by close of business the same day ;)

The procedure serves as an exemplary model of how these sorts of things are done in Vanuatu. Here's what I did...

1. Go to the Police Station general inquiry counter (I mean, you would think you would get a *Police* Clearance at the *Police Station*, right?). The officer on duty said that I needed to go and get an application form at the VANSEC House up the road.
2. Go to the VANSEC House and retrieve an application form.
3. Return home to fill out form and gather necessary documents (Passports, Birth Certificates)
4. Go to town to get copies made of relevant documents.
5. Go to the Government Finance Building and pay the fee ("Urgent" fee for same day processing available for twice the cost).
6. Take receipt and application form back to Police Station, for them to run us through their system.
7. Take signed application back to VANSEC House for them to print out official Police Clearance forms.
8. Come back in a few hours to retrieve the forms.
9. Submit to the Supreme Court clerk

Whew, made it! Oh, my Vanuatu ;)