 |
Requirement for police clearances
New Zealand clearances
As part of the application process for registration (provisional, subject to confirmation); renewal of practising certificate (full); and application for a Limited Authority to Teach, the New Zealand Teachers Council requires police clearance of all applicants.
If you are living in New Zealand you are required to complete the Consent to Disclosure of Information section of the specific application form. You are also required to obtain a police clearance certificate from any country in which you have lived for periods of 12 months or more other than New Zealand in the last ten years.
Overseas police clearances
If you are an applicant who is not living in New Zealand or who has lived for periods of 12 months or more in any country other than New Zealand in the last ten years you are required to obtain:
The certificate(s) must be current unless you have not returned to that country for 12 months or more since your last police clearance certificate was issued.
If you have NZ residency and have not lived in another country for 12 months or longer since receiving residency, you may supply a certified copy of your residency permit in lieu of a current police certificate. www.immigration.govt.nz
Procedures for obtaining clearance vary between countries as does the cost. In most cases an application needs to be completed. Details and forms can generally be obtained from the local embassy for that country. Useful information on police clearances is available on the New Zealand Immigration Service's website. This link to "How to Obtain a Police certificate" may alter due to a restructuring of their web-site. If so, try www.immigration.govt.nz and search for the above document.
Other useful addresses commonly requested are as follows. Please note that this is updated when we are informed of contact detail changes.
www.migrationint.com.au/office.asp
http://www.met.police.uk/information
Other contact addresses are as outlined below for the countries shown:
AustraliaApply to Criminal Records, Locked Bag 1, Weston ACT 2611, Australia for a criminal history check. Application forms and further information available from www.afp.gov.au - go to "Employment and Services"
CanadaApply to the Commissioner, RCMP, Attn: Identification Services - Civil Section, PO Box 8885, Ottawa, Ontario for a police certificate based on full name and date of birth. Apply to your local police station if living in Canada.
FijiApply to the CID, Police Headquarters, Suva, Fiji and request the certificate to be forwarded direct to the Teachers Council, Box 5326, Wellington, NZ.
IrelandApplicants living in Ireland apply to the local Garda Siochana Authority under section 4 of the Data Protection Act 1988 for a search of the Garda Criminal Records Database for any information held on you. Those outside Eire apply to the Commissioner of Police, Garda Siocharna, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, Ireland
JapanApply to the Prefectural Police Office in your town or city of residence. Tokyo residents apply to Metropolitan Police Department, Public Safety Division, Tokyo. Applicants in NZ apply to the Embassy of Japan, Box 6340, Wellington.
SingaporeCall at the Criminal Record Office, Criminal Investigation Department, 90 Eng Tong Sen St, Singapore 0105 and show this instruction sheet. Applicants in New Zealand apply to the Singapore High Commission, 17 Kabul Street, Khandallah, Wellington for a form to apply direct to the Criminal Record office.
South AfricaApply to the Criminal Record Centre, South African Police, Private Bag X308, Pretoria, 0001.
UK & Northern IrelandApply to MPS Public Access Office, 20th Floor, Empress State Building, Empress Approach, Lillie Road, London, SW6 1TR for your person record: prosecution/conviction history from the UK Police National Computer (New Scotland Yard) under section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998. Form is available at http://www.met.police.uk/information. Apply to your local police station if living in the UK.
USA: Apply for a FBI identification record to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Attn: Identification Division, 1000 Hollow Custer Road, Clarksburgh, West Virginia 26306, USA.
Hong KongContact the New Zealand Teachers Council to obtain a letter indicating that a police clearance is a requirement of registration and then send this letter together with your request to
The Certificate of No Criminal Conviction Office
14th Floor, Arsenal House
Police Headquarters
1 Arsenal Street
Wanchai
HONG KONG
Other CountriesYou should make your own enquiries about obtaining a police certificate either from the police in that country or nearest embassy as appropriate.
Further information is available from the following website www.migrationint.com.au/office.asp
If you are unable to provide a police certificate a statutory declaration is accepted by the Council as a last resort and only for countries where a police clearance certificate is unobtainable. The statutory declaration must be less than six months old, and must detail your attempts to obtain a police certificate. It needs to state that you have not been convicted or found guilty of any offences against the law of that country or have not been charged with any offence against the law in that country. The statutory declaration must be signed by solicitor, Justice of the Peace or notary public.
|
|
