International Police Check for Australia: How to Get One

An international police check — also known as an overseas criminal record check or foreign police clearance — is required in several scenarios in Australia. If you have lived, worked, or studied overseas for a cumulative period of 12 months or more in the past 10 years, many Australian employers, licensing bodies, and government agencies will require you to provide a police check from each relevant country.

The most common situations requiring an international police check include:

• Australian visa applications: The Department of Home Affairs requires police clearances from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more (cumulatively) in the past 10 years. This applies to most permanent visa subclasses, including skilled migration (subclass 189, 190, 491), partner visas (subclass 820/801), and parent visas.
• Employment in regulated industries: Employers in aged care, childcare, healthcare, education, and financial services are often required to obtain international police checks for employees who have lived overseas. The Aged Care Act 1997 and NDIS Practice Standards explicitly require this.
• Professional licensing: Bodies such as AHPRA (health practitioners), state teacher registration authorities, and the Legal Services Board require overseas police checks as part of registration or renewal.
• Australian citizenship applications: Applicants must provide police checks from every country they have lived in for a total of 90 days or more in the past 10 years.
• Adoption and foster care: All adults in the household require international police checks if they have lived overseas.

It is important to start the process early, as international police checks can take significantly longer to obtain than an Australian national police check. Some countries have processing times of 8–16 weeks, and additional steps like apostille or authentication may be required.

Each country has its own process and issuing authority for police clearance certificates. Below are the processes for the countries most commonly relevant to Australian immigration and employment — the top source countries for migration to Australia.

United Kingdom (ACRO Police Certificate)

United States (FBI Identity History Summary)

New Zealand (NZ Ministry of Justice)

Canada (RCMP Criminal Record Check)

India (Police Clearance Certificate)

Philippines (NBI Clearance)

If you are currently in Australia and need an international police check from a country you previously lived in, there are generally three pathways:

• Apply directly to the country's issuing authority: Many countries now accept online or postal applications from overseas. This is typically the cheapest option but may have the longest processing time. Examples include the UK ACRO portal and the NZ Ministry of Justice online system.
• Apply through the country's embassy or consulate in Australia: Most embassies and consulates can process police clearance certificates for their nationals. This is often the most reliable method for countries like India and the Philippines where local police verification may be needed.
• Use a third-party agent or service: Several Australian companies specialise in obtaining international police checks on behalf of applicants. They charge an additional service fee (typically $50–$150 on top of the official government fee) but handle the entire process including document preparation, submission, and follow-up. This can be worthwhile for countries with complex processes.

Regardless of the pathway you choose, start by gathering the following documents, as most countries require them:

• Certified copy of your passport (current and any expired passports)
• Proof of previous addresses in the relevant country
• Fingerprints taken by a qualified technician (for FBI, RCMP, and some other countries)
• Passport-sized photographs meeting the country's specifications
• Name change documents (marriage certificate, deed poll) if applicable

Always check the specific requirements of the issuing authority before applying, as requirements change frequently. The Australian Department of Home Affairs maintains a country-specific guide on their website listing the accepted police check types for each country.

An apostille is an international certification that verifies the authenticity of a public document. Under the Hague Convention of 1961 (to which Australia is a signatory), documents issued in one member country can be authenticated for use in another member country via an apostille — rather than the older, more complex process of consular legalisation.

Whether you need an apostille on your international police check depends on:

• The requesting Australian agency: The Department of Home Affairs requires apostille on FBI checks but generally does not require it for UK ACRO, NZ, or Canadian RCMP certificates. Always check the specific requirements for your visa subclass.
• Whether the issuing country is a Hague Convention member: Countries like the UK, US, Canada, NZ, India, and the Philippines are all members. Non-member countries require consular legalisation instead of apostille.
• Your employer or licensing body: Some Australian employers and professional registration bodies have their own authentication requirements that may exceed what the Department of Home Affairs requires.

To obtain an apostille, you submit the original police check certificate to the designated competent authority in the country that issued it. For example:

• US: US Department of State, Office of Authentications
• UK: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
• Canada: Global Affairs Canada
• NZ: Department of Internal Affairs
• India: Ministry of External Affairs
• Philippines: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

Apostille processing adds 2–8 weeks to the overall timeline and costs an additional fee (typically $20–$80 depending on the country). Plan accordingly and factor apostille time into your overall timeline when applying for international police checks.

Processing times for international police checks vary significantly between countries. The following estimates are based on typical processing times in 2026 and assume a complete application with no complications:

• New Zealand: 1–5 business days (online, fastest option)
• United Kingdom (ACRO): 6–8 weeks (postal only)
• United States (FBI): 12–16 weeks by mail, or 3–5 business days via electronic channeler (+ 4–8 weeks for apostille if required)
• Canada (RCMP): 4–6 weeks (fingerprint-based)
• India: 1–3 weeks if in India, 4–8 weeks from Australian embassy/consulate
• Philippines: 1–2 weeks if in Philippines (no HIT), 6–10 weeks from Australian consulate
• China: 4–6 weeks (must be applied for from within China or through a Chinese embassy)
• South Africa: 6–12 weeks (South African Police Service, known for lengthy processing)

These timeframes can extend significantly if your application is incomplete, if there is a name match requiring manual verification, or if the issuing authority is experiencing backlogs. As a general rule, allow a minimum of 3 months from the time you start the process to receiving your final, authenticated police check.

If you are applying for an Australian visa, the Department of Home Affairs generally allows police checks issued within 12 months of your visa application date. Plan your international police check application carefully so it falls within this window without expiring before your visa is decided.

Once you receive your international police check, there are several important considerations for using it in Australia:

Translation requirements: If the police check is not in English, you must have it translated by a NAATI-accredited translator (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters). The Department of Home Affairs and most Australian employers will not accept translations by non-accredited translators, friends, or family members. NAATI translation typically costs $50–$150 per page and takes 3–7 business days.

Document validity period: Most Australian agencies accept international police checks that are less than 12 months old from the date of issue. For visa applications, the Department of Home Affairs may request a new check if the original is close to expiring before a decision is made on your application.

Multiple countries: If you have lived in multiple countries for 12 months or more in the past 10 years, you will need a separate police check from each country. This includes Australia — you will also need a standard Australian national police check in addition to your international checks.

Digital vs. physical copies: Some agencies accept scanned copies uploaded through online portals, while others require certified copies or original documents. For visa applications through ImmiAccount, you can upload a clear colour scan of the original document. For employment purposes, check with your employer whether they need the original or a certified copy.

Disclosable outcomes: If your international police check reveals criminal history, Australian employers must assess it under Australian anti-discrimination and spent convictions legislation, not the laws of the issuing country. However, the foreign convictions themselves are assessed based on whether the conduct would constitute an offence in Australia.

Australian employers who hire workers with overseas backgrounds have specific obligations regarding international police checks. These obligations are particularly stringent in regulated industries.

When employers must request international checks:

• Aged care: Under the Aged Care Act 1997, providers must take reasonable steps to obtain police checks from every country where a staff member or volunteer has resided for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission actively enforces this requirement.
• NDIS: The NDIS Worker Screening Check framework requires consideration of international criminal history. While the state worker screening units conduct the assessment, providers must ensure candidates disclose overseas residency.
• Childcare and education: State-based teacher and childcare worker registration bodies require international police checks as part of registration for applicants who have lived overseas.
• Financial services: ASIC and APRA require fit-and-proper-person assessments that include international criminal history for responsible persons and key personnel.

Cost responsibility: There is no national law dictating who pays for international police checks. However, under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers generally cannot require employees to pay for checks that are a prerequisite of employment unless this is clearly agreed in writing before the expense is incurred. Many employers in regulated industries absorb international police check costs as a cost of doing business.

Privacy and handling: International police checks are handled under the same Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as domestic checks. Employers must store them securely, only use them for the stated purpose, and destroy them when no longer needed. The Privacy Act 1988 applies regardless of where the police check originated.

Reasonable timeframes: Given the lengthy processing times for some countries, employers should provide candidates with reasonable timeframes to obtain international police checks. Withdrawing a job offer because a candidate has not yet received an international police check — when they have applied in good faith — may expose the employer to claims of unfair or discriminatory conduct.