Police certificates are how you meet the character requirement for an Australian visa, and they trip people up in two ways: not realising they need certificates from more than one country, and getting them at the wrong time so they expire before a decision. This guide covers which police checks you need, who has to provide them, and how to time them correctly.
The character requirement
Most visa applicants (and, for some visas, sponsors) must satisfy a character requirement, and police certificates are the primary evidence. You generally need a certificate from every country you've lived in for a total of 12 months or more over the last 10 years, counted from the age of 16.
The Australian check (AFP)
If you've lived in Australia for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, you'll usually need an Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check. Key points:
- Request it directly from the AFP, selecting the correct purpose for a visa or immigration application
- Use the name the Department has for you, and list previous names if you've changed yours
- Order it yourself — the applicant's own AFP check is easy to overlook when it feels like the 'main' documents are elsewhere
Foreign police certificates
For each country (other than Australia) where you've spent 12 months or more cumulatively in the last 10 years since turning 16, you need that country's police certificate. Each country issues these differently — some through a national police service, some through embassies, some with their own fees and processing times.
- Start early — some countries take weeks or months to issue a certificate
- Get a certified English translation if the certificate isn't in English
- Include certificates for every qualifying country, not just your country of citizenship
Police certificates are generally valid for 12 months. Order them at the right time — early enough to have them ready, but not so early that they expire before your application is decided.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting a country you lived in years ago that still falls inside the 10-year window
- Missing the sponsor's police check where the visa requires one (partner visa sponsors, for example)
- Letting a certificate expire because it was obtained too early
- Requesting the wrong type of AFP check (choose the National Police Check with the immigration purpose)
Character documents sit alongside your identity, relationship or skills evidence, and health checks — a VisaPacks checklist lists the police certificates your specific visa needs so none of the countries get missed.
How many police certificates do I need for an Australian visa?
One for every country you've spent 12 months or more in, cumulatively, over the last 10 years (since turning 16). For many applicants that's an AFP National Police Check plus one or more foreign police certificates — not just a certificate from your home country.
Which AFP check do I need for a visa?
An AFP National Police Check, requested with the correct immigration/visa purpose. Use the name the Department has on file and list any previous names. If the Department needs a specific purpose code, it will tell you.
How long are police certificates valid?
Generally 12 months. Time them so they're valid when a decision is made — early enough to have ready, but not so early that they expire and need to be redone.
Does my sponsor need a police check?
For some visas, yes. Partner visa sponsors, for example, must provide an Australian police check. Check the requirements for your specific visa so a sponsor's certificate isn't overlooked.