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What Is a Police Clearance Certificate?

You may also see this document described as a penal clearance. It reports whatever criminal-history information the police or government body is authorised to release. Home Affairs reads it together with the rest of the person's character material. The certificate is only one part of the character assessment. Applicants must still answer every character question truthfully and disclose criminal charges and convictions, including matters outside Australia. Home Affairs may also request Form 80, Form 1563, military records or other character evidence.

When are police certificates usually requested?

No universal checklist applies. Broadly, Home Affairs looks at countries where a person over 17 accumulated 12 months during the previous 10 years. Many visa checklists begin counting from the person's 16th birthday and add separate periods together. Each family member can have a separate character-document requirement. On some family applications the sponsor is checked as well, especially when the application involves a child. Read the checklist for the actual subclass before ordering anything.

Types of Police Clearance Certificates We Assist With

Kritin Global provides complete guidance for all major types of police clearances in Australia and abroad:

Clearance Type Purpose Authority Format
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Clearance Required for immigration and certain work/study visas. Australian Federal Police Name or fingerprint-based
State Police Clearance Needed for local employment and professional licensing. State/Territory Police Departments Name-based check
Overseas Police Clearance Required if you lived abroad for 12+ months. Foreign Police or Embassy Country-specific

Getting the Australian certificate right

For Australian immigration or citizenship purposes, apply to the Australian Federal Police for a National Police Check. Home Affairs directs applicants to use: • purpose type: Commonwealth employment / purpose; and • purpose code: 33 - Immigration/Citizenship, for supply to the Department of Home Affairs. Enter all names linked to your identity: former names, aliases and alternative spellings included. Where a name changed, attach the record that explains it. Fingerprints are not needed for this Australian immigration check, according to Home Affairs. A routine employment check or a certificate issued by a state or territory police service is not a substitute. Ordering the wrong check can mean paying again and delaying the visa evidence.

Overseas Police Certificates

Use the Home Affairs country instructions to confirm:

the approved issuing authority

whether the application is made online, in person or through another channel

whether fingerprints, photographs or a request letter are needed

the correct certificate type and purpose

how the certificate will be delivered

Some countries will not issue a certificate until Home Affairs supplies a request letter. Others have different processes for citizens, former residents and people applying from overseas. If a certificate genuinely cannot be obtained, keep evidence of the attempts made and follow any further direction from Home Affairs. Do not substitute a different document without checking whether it will be accepted.

Documents commonly needed

The issuer sets its own document list. It may ask for:

a current passport or other identity documents;

proof of present and previous addresses;

evidence of former names or name changes;

photographs;

fingerprints, where the overseas authority requires them;

the relevant application form and fee; and

a Home Affairs request letter, where required by the country process.

If a police certificate is not in English, provide the original certificate and an English translation prepared in the manner Home Affairs specifies. Details must be consistent across the certificate, passport, visa application and any Form 80 supplied.

Validity and timing

For visa purposes, plan on a 12-month life from the certificate's issue date. A replacement can be requested when the document runs out before decision, or when the person goes back to that country after expiry. Applying too early can therefore create repeat cost and work, especially for a visa with a long processing period. Applying too late can leave the application without required character evidence. The right timing depends on the visa pathway, current processing conditions and whether Home Affairs has already requested the certificate. Processing time belongs to the issuing authority and varies by country, identity matching, fingerprints and whether further checks are required. Kritin Global cannot expedite or guarantee the issue of a police certificate.

If a certificate shows a criminal record

A record does not automatically decide every visa application, but it must not be hidden. Home Affairs assesses character under the Migration Act and may consider convictions, charges, sentences, associations, conduct and other relevant information. Disclose the matter accurately and provide the documents requested for the visa. Depending on the circumstances, that may include court records, sentencing material, evidence that fines or orders were completed and a personal explanation. If there is any criminal history, obtain advice before lodging rather than relying on the wording printed on the certificate alone.

How Kritin Global Can Assist

Kritin Global's registered migration agent can help you:

identify the certificates relevant to your visa application

confirm the correct AFP purpose and country process

check identity, name-history and translation documents

organise certificates within the wider character evidence

respond if Home Affairs requests further information

Discuss Your Visa Documents

Frequently Asked Questions

For Australian criminal-history evidence requested by Home Affairs, use an Australian Federal Police National Police Check under Code 33. State and territory police certificates are not accepted as a substitute for immigration purposes.

It usually applies where a person over 17 has lived in a country for at least 12 months during the past 10 years. Many visa checklists count time since turning 16 and combine separate periods. The exact requirement must be checked against the relevant visa.

You may need a separate certificate from each country that meets the residence threshold, including your home country. Use the Home Affairs instructions for each country because the authority and application method differ.

Select Commonwealth employment / purpose and Code 33 - Immigration/Citizenship, for supply to the Department of Home Affairs. Include every name you have used.

Home Affairs states fingerprints are not required for the Australian police check used for immigration. An overseas authority may still require fingerprints for its certificate.

Allow 12 months from the issue date. You can be asked to obtain another certificate if that period ends before decision, or if you return to the country after the certificate expires.

No. Home Affairs considers the applicable character provisions and the facts of the case. Hiding a charge or conviction creates a separate problem, so disclose it accurately and provide any court material or explanation requested.

The issuing body controls the timing. Identity matching, fingerprints and additional enquiries can all lengthen the wait, so check its current estimate when you apply.

No. The relevant police or government authority issues the certificate and controls its processing. Kritin Global can help identify the appropriate certificate and prepare the supporting visa documents, but cannot guarantee timing, content or acceptance.

Disclaimer

This information explains police certificates in the Australian visa process at a general level. It does not assess an individual case. The correct document depends on the visa, the country and the person's history, so confirm the current official instructions before applying.

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