Police Check Australia

[Hawkeye 0]

Hi Everyone,

This has been an amazingly helpful website. I now have a specific question of my own that I can't find an answer to. Hoping you can help me!

I live in Victoria, Australia and sent a National Police Check from Victoria Police to the NVC which they accepted. They seem to be asking for a Queensland Certificate since I also lived in Queensland for 5 years. I have called Queensland Police and they said (in a voice recording) that for people living outside QLD I should go to the Australian Federal Police to get a Cert. I have a Interview date scheduled for October. Have any Aussies gone through this already? Did you require a AFP check? I have emailed the Consulate in Sydney but I'm unsure how long they will take to get back to me. Would apprecitate your help!!

[hikergirl 277]

Found this on the US Embassy in Canberra site:

What sort of police check do I need? Do I have to apply in each state?

The Australian police check must be done on the basis of a fingerprint check.You do not have to apply from each state you’ve lived in unless you were born before 1941. In that case only, you will need to apply in each state where you have lived. Application forms for police checks are available from your local police station.

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/iv_faqs.html#police

Hope this helps

Edited September 3, 2011 by hikergirl

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hi Everyone,

This has been an amazingly helpful website. I now have a specific question of my own that I can't find an answer to. Hoping you can help me!

I live in Victoria, Australia and sent a National Police Check from Victoria Police to the NVC which they accepted. They seem to be asking for a Queensland Certificate since I also lived in Queensland for 5 years. I have called Queensland Police and they said (in a voice recording) that for people living outside QLD I should go to the Australian Federal Police to get a Cert. I have a Interview date scheduled for October. Have any Aussies gone through this already? Did you require a AFP check? I have emailed the Consulate in Sydney but I'm unsure how long they will take to get back to me. Would apprecitate your help!!

You got a National Police Check from AFP already didn't you?? So you don't need a separate one for Queensland. Victoria doesn't do their own one, it's done through the AFP.

Where did you read you might? Where are they "seeming to ask for one from Qld"? Did they specifically ask for that??

Here's the actual police check link: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/obtain_police_cert.html You just get the one for the state you live in presently, and it's a NATIONAL check so it checks all over Aus. You'll see they link you to the AFP site, this part here: http://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/police-checks/national-police-checks.aspx

Edited September 3, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[Hawkeye 0]

Found this on the US Embassy in Canberra site:

What sort of police check do I need? Do I have to apply in each state?

The Australian police check must be done on the basis of a fingerprint check.You do not have to apply from each state you’ve lived in unless you were born before 1941. In that case only, you will need to apply in each state where you have lived. Application forms for police checks are available from your local police station.

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/iv_faqs.html#police

Hope this helps

Thanks for finding that info for me! - that is extremely helpful!!

[Hawkeye 0]

You got a National Police Check so you don't need a separate one for Queensland.

Where did you read you might? Where are they "seeming to ask for one from Qld"? Did they specifically ask for that??

Here's the actual police check link: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/obtain_police_cert.html You just get the one for the state you live in presently, and it's a NATIONAL check so it checks all over Aus.

Hi Vanessa&Tony

In the correspondance I just recieved from the NVC detailing the Interview date and time it gave me a checklist of documents to make sure I have submitted everything. At the very bottom it says 'AUSTRALIA POLICE CERT NSW/QUEENSLAND' - P = The police certificate must be requested by the applicant. If you have already applied for this document, no further action is required. The issuing police authority

will send the police record directly to the appropriate US Embassy to have on hand at

the time of the interview.

It confused me because as you said, I thought I had sent a NATIONAL Police check with Victoria Police - fingerprints and all. It also said in previous correspondance that 'If I reside in QLD' - which I don't, I needed one from there.

It's just one of those things where I am soooo anxious to get everything right I go a little crazy on the details!! - thanks for you reply

[Hawkeye 0]

You got a National Police Check from AFP already didn't you?? So you don't need a separate one for Queensland. Victoria doesn't do their own one, it's done through the AFP.

Where did you read you might? Where are they "seeming to ask for one from Qld"? Did they specifically ask for that??

Here's the actual police check link: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/obtain_police_cert.html You just get the one for the state you live in presently, and it's a NATIONAL check so it checks all over Aus. You'll see they link you to the AFP site, this part here: http://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/police-checks/national-police-checks.aspx

I don't have a Police Cert through the AFP, do I need one?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I don't have a Police Cert through the AFP, do I need one?

okay, based on what you wrote I think they only wrote that NSW/QLD thing because you lived enough time there to require one BUT you got a National one done so no issue.

I checked my cert. It's says "National Police Check" and then a Vic Police logo on the right. I had no issues with that. Mine looks like this: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/retrievemedia.asp?Media_ID=34676 (will load a pdf) BUT I only lived in Vic. I really doubt you'll have issues though. I have never heard of anyone having issues and one of my VJ friends lived in QLD but was in Vic, or from Vic living in QLD... something like that

Mine also said "reason for applying" or something like that and says "Visa purposes".

It's important that you know that if you DON'T have it exactly right and are missing docs they won't deny you and you have to start from the start. They'll issue you an RFE (basically) telling you they need this info and giving you time to provide it. Even if they doubt your relationship most of the time they give you time to get more evidence together but really Australia is a pretty easy consulate.