Quick Answer: Police Clearance Certificate for Immigration
Long-term immigration routes, including residence and settlement applications, normally require police clearance from every country where you have lived for an extended period as an adult, not only your country of citizenship.
This is more demanding than the clearance required for a short visit, because the number of countries involved multiplies the timelines and each certificate has its own limited validity. Requirements.co.za is an independent information website. It is not a visa agency, embassy or government department, and nothing here is immigration or legal advice.
Who This Requirement Applies To
This guide is for applicants on residence, settlement and other long-term immigration routes.
For shorter visa routes, see Police Clearance for Visa. For legalising a certificate, see Apostille Police Clearance for Visa.
Eligibility Requirements
The scope is what distinguishes immigration applications from short-stay ones.
Applicant type
- Countries of residence. Normally every country where you have lived for a defined period as an adult. Confirm the threshold, since it differs by route.
- Period covered. Some authorities require clearance covering specified years rather than a current snapshot.
- Legalisation. Certificates for use abroad commonly require an apostille or authentication.
- Accompanying family. Adult dependants normally require their own certificates.
- Validity. Each certificate expires, and coordinating several so they are all valid at submission is the practical challenge.
Documents You May Need
Plan the whole set together rather than obtaining them one at a time.
Required proof
- Police clearance from each relevant country.
- Fingerprints in the format each authority requires.
- Identity document or passport.
- Legalisation of each certificate where required.
- Certified translations where certificates are not in an accepted language.
Steps to Apply or Prepare
List every country of adult residence and confirm which the route requires clearance from.
Establish each country processing time, and start the slowest first so the set can be assembled within their validity periods.
Arrange legalisation and any translation after each certificate is issued, then submit the complete set together.
Costs, Processing Times and Validity
Each country charges its own fee, with legalisation and translation on top. Timelines vary widely and can run to months. Because validity is limited and the set must be valid simultaneously, sequencing matters more than starting early.
Common Mistakes and Delays
Common mistake
- Obtaining clearance only from the country of citizenship.
- Starting with the fastest country, so the slowest certificate arrives after the others have expired.
- Overlooking that adult dependants need their own certificates.
- Forgetting legalisation until the visa appointment.
- Fingerprints taken in a format the issuing country does not accept.
Where to Confirm Official Requirements
Confirm the requirement with the authority deciding your application. The Official Requirements Sources South Africa page links to the responsible bodies. For South African certificates, confirm with the South African Police Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries must issue clearance for immigration?
Normally every country where you have lived for a defined period as an adult. Confirm the threshold and list with the authority deciding your application.
Do children need police clearance?
Adult dependants normally do. Requirements for minors differ by route. Confirm what applies.
How do I manage several expiring certificates?
Start with the slowest country first so the whole set is valid at the same time. This is the main planning challenge on long-term routes.
Do certificates need legalisation?
Commonly yes for use abroad. Confirm what form the receiving authority requires.
Where can I confirm the requirement?
Confirm with the authority deciding your application, and with each issuing police authority.