Police Clearance
Key Takeaways:
Police clearance, or criminal record checks, verify an individual's criminal history.
Essential for various purposes like employment, immigration, or legal proceedings.
Timely acquisition and accurate information are crucial for a seamless verification process.
So, you have decided that it is time for you to make a move. A change of scenery (and pace). Somewhere new where you can spread your wings.
Keep in mind though that if you are looking to emigrate (whether it be for work or to study), you will require a police clearance certificate (PCC).
What is a PCC?
A PCC is an official document issued by the Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management (CR & CSM) stating whether or not any criminal convictions have been recorded against the person applying for the PCC.
Essentially it is a sort of background check and provides confirmation of a person’s criminal status.
What does a PCC reflect?
If the person applying for the PCC has no criminal record, it will state exactly that i.e. “No convictions have been recorded for any crime”.
If, however, the person does have a criminal record, the PCC will state that convictions have been recorded against that person’s name (they will then be listed and displayed on the second page of the document).
What happens if I have a criminal record?
Even if the person applying for the PCC has a record, the document is still valid, legal and can be used in applications requiring it.
The authority (e.g. a country’s government/consulate) viewing the PCC will decide if it has any bearing on the application (e.g. work visa).
Why would I need a PCC?
A PCC would be required as confirmation or proof of a person’s criminal status for emigration purposes or for travel or employment abroad.
Who can apply for a PCC?
A South African PCC is available to anyone, whether they have been in the country or not. It simply is a database check (like names and other details such as fingerprints) to see whether these details correlate with anyone on the South African criminal records database.
In short - anyone, from any country, with any details, can apply for and obtain a South African PCC.
How do you acquire a PCC?
A PCC can only be obtained from the CR & CSM in Pretoria. Unfortunately, the CR & CSM Centre does not accept electronic applications.
To apply for a PCC, you need to provide the following documents:
A full set of fingerprints on a SAPS 91(a) when living in South Africa. The fingerprints must be taken by the South African Police Service (SAPS). Persons living outside South Africa, may apply at any police station in the country they are in or at the South African Embassy, consulate or mission. Fingerprints must be taken on the official fingerprint forms of the applicable country or, if available, on the SAPS 91(a) fingerprint enquiry form;
An application form must be duly completed in black ink;
A certified copy of your identity document/passport must be attached;
Should a maiden surname and/or other surnames be required on a PCC, mention must be made of the required surnames on the application form and substantiating documentation (and proof) of the maiden surname or other surnames must accompany the application, and
Proof of payment – according to the SAPS website, the fee for a PCC is R160.00 per application. Refer to the SAPS website for payment methods (cash or EFT into SAPS bank account).
For those living abroad
If you are applying for a South African PCC abroad, you can forward the application and all required documentation (as per above) directly to CR & CSM in Pretoria for processing.
Please take note however that applications received from abroad will not be returned to you. You will need to monitor progress via the SAPS website. Once the application has been completed, you can arrange for collection as indicated on the application form. For security purposes the certificate will only be handed over to the person nominated by you or a chosen courier service.
Note that certificates not collected within three months after finalisation will be destroyed.
If this seems intimidating, don’t stress - contact us should you require further information and we will try our utmost to assist you.
Must a PCC be authenticated?
Authentication of a formal document, like a PCC, means to legalise it and is specifically required for use abroad.
Legalising a document means that official (public) documents executed within South Africa for use outside of South Africa (for example when emigrating and requiring a VISA, obtaining a foreign passport or applying for citizenship applications), are affixed, sealed and signed either with an Apostille Certificate (if the destination country is a signatory country of the Hague Convention) thereby authenticating the origin of a public document, or with a Certificate of Authentication (if the destination country is not a signatory of the Hague Convention).
This process is done by sending it to the Legalisation Section of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (“DIRCO”) in order to get it affixed with an Apostille seal or a Certificate of Authentication (as per the above).
Note: DIRCO will not apostille or authenticate a PCC if it is older than 6 (six) months.
We are able to assist you with legalising your PCC. So don’t be shy, get in touch!
Must a PCC be notarised?
You would need to notarise a PCC should you require copies of it (especially for authentication or legalisation purposes).
And you would need copies of it only if your documents are going to be used abroad (as per the above). And for this purpose, they can only be notarised before a Notary. The Notary attaches a completed and signed notarial certificate to the front of the copy of the original document, and affixes a seal next to their signature thereby verifying that it is a true copy of the original.
How long is the notarised PCC valid for?
Simply put, it all depends on the authority requesting the notarised document.
What happens if I lose my PCC?
You will be able to apply for a reprint of your PCC directly from CR & CSM in Pretoria, if your PCC was issued no longer than 6 (six) months ago. If however it has been longer than 6 (six) months since your PCC was issued, you will have to submit a new application (as per the above i.e. pay R160.00 and submit all relevant documentation).
Why should we trust Benaters to notarise our police clearance certificate?
At Benaters we pride ourselves on the fact that we are able to offer a specialised niche service, always remembering that due to the ethical nature of the services which Notaries render and the specialist knowledge required to draft and/or legalise certain documents, the office of a Notary is considered to be held to a higher standard of care. And we take that extremely seriously (and therefore hold ourselves to very high standards).
We are proud to offer this specialised service to you! So, let’s see how we can best support you during this process.