A police clearance certificate is a document that shows a person’s criminal record, if any. It typically lists any arrests, the reasons for the arrests, and the outcome of the arrests. Spouses applying for a marriage-based green card from outside the United States must submit a police clearance certificate from countries they have lived in previously, even if they have no criminal record in those countries. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide about how and where to obtain a police clearance certificate.