Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 211
Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Hi,
I hope you can help. I had contact from the CO on Wednesday 2 weeks ago asking for a Police Clearance Certificate for the UK (which will be here next week) but the High Commission for South Africa has been absolutely useless in terms of sending me the forms. I have a deadline to adhere to and it's looking more and more like this documents is not going to make it. I cannot afford to pay the application fee again. I have been here 9 years and have a clean record but rules state that they want my past 10 years.
After countless attempts phoning them I also emailed. They only got in touch today and they said they would be resending the form. Well the 1st one never arrived for a start!
What if anything can be done about this? We are looking to leave in under 4 months?
Please help. I am so worried.
Thanks as always.
I hope you can help. I had contact from the CO on Wednesday 2 weeks ago asking for a Police Clearance Certificate for the UK (which will be here next week) but the High Commission for South Africa has been absolutely useless in terms of sending me the forms. I have a deadline to adhere to and it's looking more and more like this documents is not going to make it. I cannot afford to pay the application fee again. I have been here 9 years and have a clean record but rules state that they want my past 10 years.
After countless attempts phoning them I also emailed. They only got in touch today and they said they would be resending the form. Well the 1st one never arrived for a start!
What if anything can be done about this? We are looking to leave in under 4 months?
Please help. I am so worried.
Thanks as always.
#2
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
You have to explain to your case officer what is happening and ask for an extension. You may also have to be flexible on your departure date as the system works at its convenience not yours.
You may want to point out you've spent less than 12 months in the last 10 years in South Africa and ask for a waiver on that basis?
You may want to point out you've spent less than 12 months in the last 10 years in South Africa and ask for a waiver on that basis?
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 50
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
You have to explain to your case officer what is happening and ask for an extension. You may also have to be flexible on your departure date as the system works at its convenience not yours.
You may want to point out you've spent less than 12 months in the last 10 years in South Africa and ask for a waiver on that basis?
You may want to point out you've spent less than 12 months in the last 10 years in South Africa and ask for a waiver on that basis?
#4
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
DIAC are fully aware of how slow many countries are at providing PCCs so don't worry, just let them know you've set the wheels in motion and they'll give you the time you need.
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 224
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Hi,
I hope you can help. I had contact from the CO on Wednesday 2 weeks ago asking for a Police Clearance Certificate for the UK (which will be here next week) but the High Commission for South Africa has been absolutely useless in terms of sending me the forms. I have a deadline to adhere to and it's looking more and more like this documents is not going to make it. I cannot afford to pay the application fee again. I have been here 9 years and have a clean record but rules state that they want my past 10 years.
After countless attempts phoning them I also emailed. They only got in touch today and they said they would be resending the form. Well the 1st one never arrived for a start!
What if anything can be done about this? We are looking to leave in under 4 months?
Please help. I am so worried.
Thanks as always.
I hope you can help. I had contact from the CO on Wednesday 2 weeks ago asking for a Police Clearance Certificate for the UK (which will be here next week) but the High Commission for South Africa has been absolutely useless in terms of sending me the forms. I have a deadline to adhere to and it's looking more and more like this documents is not going to make it. I cannot afford to pay the application fee again. I have been here 9 years and have a clean record but rules state that they want my past 10 years.
After countless attempts phoning them I also emailed. They only got in touch today and they said they would be resending the form. Well the 1st one never arrived for a start!
What if anything can be done about this? We are looking to leave in under 4 months?
Please help. I am so worried.
Thanks as always.
For a UK PCC the application form and details can be found here: http://www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp
You fill in the form, pay and post the form. They are very efficient and should have it to you in 10 days, mine was return within 10 days. I lived in the UK for two years so had to get a UK PCC.
Not sure if you need a South Africa clearance but for for a SA PCC the application form and all the details about applying for one from abroad can be found here: http://www.dfa.gov.za/consular/policeclear.htm, the website has all the details and it should take about 28 days. You can speed it up by getting someone to go to the criminal records center in Pretoria for you (friend or relative). I got mine in 10 days by going there.
As the others say though as long as you can send through proof (payment receipt) to the DIAC to show you have applied for the certificate your application should be fine.
Last edited by grantvt; Jun 24th 2009 at 9:06 am.
#6
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Hi,
I hope you can help. I had contact from the CO on Wednesday 2 weeks ago asking for a Police Clearance Certificate for the UK (which will be here next week) but the High Commission for South Africa has been absolutely useless in terms of sending me the forms. I have a deadline to adhere to and it's looking more and more like this documents is not going to make it. I cannot afford to pay the application fee again. I have been here 9 years and have a clean record but rules state that they want my past 10 years.
After countless attempts phoning them I also emailed. They only got in touch today and they said they would be resending the form. Well the 1st one never arrived for a start!
What if anything can be done about this? We are looking to leave in under 4 months?
Please help. I am so worried.
Thanks as always.
I hope you can help. I had contact from the CO on Wednesday 2 weeks ago asking for a Police Clearance Certificate for the UK (which will be here next week) but the High Commission for South Africa has been absolutely useless in terms of sending me the forms. I have a deadline to adhere to and it's looking more and more like this documents is not going to make it. I cannot afford to pay the application fee again. I have been here 9 years and have a clean record but rules state that they want my past 10 years.
After countless attempts phoning them I also emailed. They only got in touch today and they said they would be resending the form. Well the 1st one never arrived for a start!
What if anything can be done about this? We are looking to leave in under 4 months?
Please help. I am so worried.
Thanks as always.
Cheers
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 224
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Check this site http://www.bunnyhop.co.za/policeclearances.htm. They've done for me police clearance 3 years ago. It took about 8-9 weeks.
Cheers
Cheers
Last edited by grantvt; Jun 24th 2009 at 8:41 am.
#8
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 211
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Hi, just to clarify. My UK PCC is on it's way. No worries with efficiency here. Prior to the UK I lived in South Africa and the Aus High Commission want a PCC for SA as well. This is where the problem is. I have until 20 July to submit everything! and they are dragging this out (SA I mean). I don't have 8-9 weeks to wait for a certificate. I really don't want my application thrown out on this basis
#10
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Hi, just to clarify. My UK PCC is on it's way. No worries with efficiency here. Prior to the UK I lived in South Africa and the Aus High Commission want a PCC for SA as well. This is where the problem is. I have until 20 July to submit everything! and they are dragging this out (SA I mean). I don't have 8-9 weeks to wait for a certificate. I really don't want my application thrown out on this basis
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 224
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Hi, just to clarify. My UK PCC is on it's way. No worries with efficiency here. Prior to the UK I lived in South Africa and the Aus High Commission want a PCC for SA as well. This is where the problem is. I have until 20 July to submit everything! and they are dragging this out (SA I mean). I don't have 8-9 weeks to wait for a certificate. I really don't want my application thrown out on this basis
Just send them proof you have applied and apply for one as they say here: http://www.dfa.gov.za/consular/policeclear.htm, or use the bunny hop site given by SantaM. I got my SA one in 10 working days.
Waiting for things is part of this process, you will probably have to wait a while longer after the DIAC receive your certificates.
Last edited by grantvt; Jun 24th 2009 at 9:03 am.
#13
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Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 211
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Well the plot thickens! Phoned the Bunny Hop people and clearances are taken about 8 weeks to get out due to back logs and a broken printing machine! Very 3rd world isn't it. Phoned my local police station and a set of prints is a staggering £60! The lady is going to email me notification of the delay and hopefully this and proof of my countless and emails and phonecalls will prove that I tried my best to get it. A further extension is cutting it fine if we want to leave at the end of October! This is so stressful!
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 224
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
Well the plot thickens! Phoned the Bunny Hop people and clearances are taken about 8 weeks to get out due to back logs and a broken printing machine! Very 3rd world isn't it. Phoned my local police station and a set of prints is a staggering £60! The lady is going to email me notification of the delay and hopefully this and proof of my countless and emails and phonecalls will prove that I tried my best to get it. A further extension is cutting it fine if we want to leave at the end of October! This is so stressful!
Last edited by grantvt; Jun 24th 2009 at 9:53 am.
#15
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 89
Re: Police Clearance Certificates: Problems getting a South African one
I got mine in about 28 days and this over the month of April with all the public holidays. You just have to provide proof to your CO that you applied for the cert.
What you do is e-mail [email protected] and ask for the latest form to use and how to get the ZAR 59 to them (bankers draft etc). Then just get a courier company to drop of and collect the certificate. Should be way cheaper compared to bunnyhop.
BTW: My FBI clearance also took a good few months and there were no issues raised by my CO.
What you do is e-mail [email protected] and ask for the latest form to use and how to get the ZAR 59 to them (bankers draft etc). Then just get a courier company to drop of and collect the certificate. Should be way cheaper compared to bunnyhop.
BTW: My FBI clearance also took a good few months and there were no issues raised by my CO.