Personal Police Clearance From South Africa
Essential Facts About Difficulties Encountered by Applicants
May 20, 2009
In most countries, workers from abroad are required to submit a personal police clearance certificate from each country where they resided or worked before an employer will consider hiring the candidate. Although this process is relatively painless, people requiring a certificate from South Africa might become frustrated at the time consuming process of the South African Police Service.
Apply for Police Clearance Certificate from South Africa
Firstly, applicants must obtain an original set of fingerprints from the local police service of the country where they currently reside. In some countries, like the United Kingdom, this may mean the applicant has to make an appointment with Scotland Yard to have the fingerprints taken. Scotland Yard provides this service at a fee.
The South African Police Service further requires a copy of the applicant's current passport, irrespective of which country it was issued in, or a copy of the applicant's South African identity document. Although the requirements from the South African Police Service don't state that the copies need to be certified, it is advisable that applicants do so as the requirements often change.
Payment of the fee applicable for the processing of the application must accompany the application. This can be made via postal orders, bankers draft or via direct deposit or Internet payment.
The application form, Annexure 23b is not stated as a requirement for the applications to be processed, but the SAPS prefers the document to be submitted with the application.
Processes Followed by SAPS to Issue Police Clearance Certificates
Once the South African Police Service receives the application for the issue of a Personal Police Clearance Certificate, the application is registered and the date received is noted. The applications are then submitted to the AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) system for the comparison of the fingerprints received against the database of offenders in South Africa.
Should no previous criminal record exist, the result is returned to a typist and the certificate is printed, where it is checked and signed by a designated official, usually an officer with a rank of Captain or higher. Once signed the police clearance certificate is ready to be collected or posted to the applicant.
Delays in the Issue of Police Clearance Certificates from South Africa
The first delay could already be experienced by the method in which applicants forward these applications to the South African Police Service. Using the postal service could mean delays of sometimes weeks before the applications are received. It is always advisable to use a courier service, although the cost is significantly higher, to ensure the applications reach the SAPS in the shortest possible time.
The second possible delay could result when the AFIS system becomes unstable and inoperative for a couple of days. As the SAPS receive thousands of applications a day, a few days could result in a significant backlog of applications.
Further delays may also be caused by applicants not furnishing correct forwarding methods, like arranging for a courier and including a completed courier waybill and envelope, or requiring the SAPS to return the certificate via registered mail.
In order to obtain personal police clearance certificates from South Africa in the shortest possible time, applicants should ensure their documentation is in order and preferably engage the help of someone in South Africa to follow up on the progress of the certificate and collect the completed certificate on their behalf.
