Police Clearances from Third Countries: When and How to Obtain

When Do You Need a Police Clearance from a Third Country?

The DHA requires a police clearance (a document confirming your criminal history) from every country in which you have lived for 12 cumulative months or more in the 10 years before the date of your visa application, from the time you turned 16.

This means:

• If you lived in one country for 7 years, then lived in another country for 2 years, and then lodge an Australian visa application from Australia: you need a police clearance from both countries.
• If you travelled or worked short-term in several countries but did not reside there: you do not need a clearance from those countries.
• If you have lived in Australia for more than 12 months: you also need a police clearance from Australia (the AFP — Australian Federal Police).

The 12-month threshold is counted cumulatively, not necessarily continuously. For example: 6 months in Germany in 2015 and 7 months in Germany in 2018 = 13 months, requiring a clearance from Germany.

Police Clearances from Your Home Country

In your home country, a police clearance is typically issued by the relevant justice or police authority for the area where you are registered. Many countries issue more than one type of certificate, and they may differ in the amount of information shown.

For an Australian visa, the most commonly accepted form is a basic clearance confirming the absence of a criminal record. It must be translated into English by a certified translator.

People living abroad can often authorise a relative to obtain a clearance in their home country, or contact their home country’s embassy or consulate in the country where they are living.

Police Clearance from Australia (AFP)

If you have lived in Australia for 12 months or more, you need a National Police Check from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) or from providers authorised by the AFP (ACIC-accredited bodies).

How to obtain one:

1. Create an account on the AFP website or with an authorised provider.
2. Enter your personal details and provide identification (driver’s licence, passport).
3. Pay the fee (around AUD 42–60 depending on the provider).
4. Receive the result by email within 1–15 business days.

An AFP National Police Check is usually accepted by the DHA. It is the most common and easiest to obtain among the clearances you may need.

Police Clearances from Difficult Countries

Some countries do not have a system for issuing police clearances to foreigners or to people who have left the country, or the process is very complex. Typical examples:

China: issues a “no criminal record certificate”, but the procedure requires presence in person or a valid power of attorney and usually takes several weeks.

Some Middle Eastern and African countries: the process is not transparent, takes a long time, and requires different documents.

Countries in conflict or without a stable government: a clearance cannot be obtained.

If you cannot obtain a police clearance from a country for objective reasons (for example, the country does not issue one, or it is dangerous to make contact), you need to explain this in writing to the DHA together with evidence of the reason you cannot obtain it.

Validity Period and Apostille

Validity: a police clearance must usually be issued within the 12 months before the date it is submitted to the DHA. Some countries require it to be more recent (for example, 3–6 months). Check the specific requirements for each visa type.

Apostille: for some clearances from countries other than Australia, the DHA may require an apostille certification (under the 1961 Hague Convention) to confirm the authenticity of the document. Not all clearances require an apostille — check the specific requirements.

Translation: a clearance not in English must be translated by a translator certified by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) (if submitted from within Australia) or by a certified translator accepted by the DHA.

Consequences of Not Submitting All Clearances

If you do not submit a police clearance from all required countries, the DHA may:

• Request additional documents, considerably slowing the processing of your application.
• Assess your character based on incomplete information.
• Refuse the visa because the application does not meet the requirements.

For this reason, check your 10-year residence history carefully before lodging and prepare clearances from all relevant countries.