Police criminal background check for Australian Visa

[N1ckyJ]

My missus and me are in the process of moving from Thailand to Australia and have been told we need to get a criminal background check because we have lived here for over a year. Can anybody help or point us in the right direction for this as we have been led down so many paths and given 'bum' info.

Where can we get this done?

How much does it cost?

What documentation do we need?

Thanks to helpful answers...

[EvilTwin]

Go to the police station. You get them there....I think.

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[N1ckyJ]

Thanks, yeah that's what I thought, went to police station in Chalong, Phuket and got the usual Thai answer 'no have'....

[simple1]

Check out the official RTP website below. Normally needs to be processed at their office in BKK for a fee if 100 baht. Best to obtain & present the writen request from Immigration.

http://www.pcscenter.sb.police.go.th/eng/

Edited June 8, 2014 by simple1

[N1ckyJ]

Thx simple1

[David48]

OK ... we have just (6 weeks ago) done this.

Look at their website, then ring them and ask if you need a certificate that the applicant is a single person ... available at the ampor.

It's absolutly crazy ... but we confirmed this as a requirement.

You can walk there from the BTS Siam.

Within the complex, walk straight ahead from the main gate.

You will have to pass through Security Checkpoint ... you can ask them.

this is what you need to look for.

Actually, it's quite a relaxed place ... I feared something more severe!

Hope that helps a little.

.

[David48]

The PCS center in the above post also outsources this service to this agency, which is also linked directly from the RTP PCS website: http://www.a-plusservice.com/

This agency can get you the police check quickly without most of the excess documentation of the official route - for a price, of course (I think it was around 3800 baht including delivery within Thailand). I used them to get police checks for my wife and I earlier this year. Really fast & good service.

How did they do the Fingerprint bit?

What about the new requirement to have the 'Single Certificate'?

.

[David48]

The PCS center in the above post also outsources this service to this agency, which is also linked directly from the RTP PCS website: http://www.a-plusservice.com/

This agency can get you the police check quickly without most of the excess documentation of the official route - for a price, of course (I think it was around 3800 baht including delivery within Thailand). I used them to get police checks for my wife and I earlier this year. Really fast & good service.

How did they do the Fingerprint bit?

What about the new requirement to have the 'Single Certificate'?

You download & print the fingerprint form from the agency website, roll your prints, and scan/email it back. None of the other docs were required except for passport scans and the app form.

How on Earth do you prove the applicants fingerprints are Kosha?

Or is this an 'Only in Thailand Moment' ...

[David48]

^^ Opps andy ... I forgot my manners ... thanks for the reply ...

[ozsamurai]

David, what is this new 'Single Certificate thingy about? Wife is off tomorrow to get the Police check started. She needs a certificate to say she is single? when she is married, or is it just in your case? Will check the site and ring anyway...but...

Oz

[David48]

David, what is this new 'Single Certificate thingy about? Wife is off tomorrow to get the Police check started. She needs a certificate to say she is single? when she is married, or is it just in your case? Will check the site and ring anyway...but...

Oz

No problems.

Yes, my bad ... apologies.

My gf and I are not married ... hence she needed a certificate or paperwork stating that she was single.

If you are married, maybe a quick call to ask what they need for that.

Sorry, I should have made the disclaimer ... we all want accurate information.

[xen]

My gf has also done this recently and the above answers cover that but another police check you may need is if you are Australian and if you are applying for immigration to Oz and have any children that are not yours but are included on the immigration application and are under 18 years old is an Australian police check. The reason should be apparent . You get these from the Australian Federal Police in Canberra and just a file check/certificate is 45 AUD and takes about 4 weeks. This may not apply to you but it is not in Immigration documentation /information either and so it is just another surprise when you visit VFS. You can download the forms off the AFP site.

[woody087]

We got a police check done for wife back in April.First go to vfs get a form requesting police clearance cert, take that to police hq.We are married so no single certificate as per david48,they just wanted copy marriage cert,copies both mine and wifes passport,change of name certificate and a few passport photos.

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[woody087]

You can put your application for visa in at vfs without the police clearance certificate, they dont need it straight away.We put ours in about 3 weeks after application, ie we put our visa application in and got the police clearance cert request at the same time then went to police hq

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[N1ckyJ]

Thanks for all the info, most helpful.

[ozsamurai]

Went yesterday to Police Check. There is now no "express" service, and it will take 3 weeks at minimum. Also my wife and I were married in 2009, the year they began issuing the 'change of name' papers, unfortunately, the local Amphur did not keep up with the times and only issued a name change for her middle name not surname. The Police said they will not process it without it. Go to our registry office Bang Rak, they say 'no have', its in Samphran where you live, they ring them for us, 'we forgot to make one, and can't make one now, its too late'.... back to Police, 'there is none, you have all we have'.... here write this letter to the head officer. But if we need that certificate then we will call you. Wife says "whats the point of calling us? It doesn't exist! Call the bloody Amphur who stuffed it up!" or polite words to that effect. We shall see.

Oz

(as a side the VFS applicaton is 96000 + 600 VFS fee, that in my calculations comes to $3220AUD, whereas applying online would have been $3085 + hassle)

Edited June 17, 2014 by ozsamurai

[David48]

Went yesterday to Police Check. There is now no "express" service, and it will take 3 weeks at minimum. Also my wife and I were married in 2009, the year they began issuing the 'change of name' papers, unfortunately, the local Amphur did not keep up with the times and only issued a name change for her middle name not surname. The Police said they will not process it without it. Go to our registry office Bang Rak, they say 'no have', its in Samphran where you live, they ring them for us, 'we forgot to make one, and can't make one now, its too late'.... back to Police, 'there is none, you have all we have'.... here write this letter to the head officer. But if we need that certificate then we will call you. Wife says "whats the point of calling us? It doesn't exist! Call the bloody Amphur who stuffed it up!" or polite words to that effect. We shall see.

Oz

Mate, did you have it done at the Main Police Headquarters near Siam?

Thanks for the update (I've ran out of likes) ...

.

[ozsamurai]

Yes this is at the main HQ, if you wanted it done in your own area then it can be partially done, but would still need to be submitted there. ie the local cops would do the finger printing etc. then you/they? send it off.

Oz

[ozsamurai]

An update as of today. We went to submit the police check for the Visa today at VFS, due to the fact that it couldn't be done in time for the lodgement. They informed us that as of last week they now charge 470Bht to send papers to the embassy unless it has been requested from them. So we pay or wait until our case officer requests the police cert. Since the whole fee is 600, a 470 additional charge is a little rude don't you think?

Oz

[David48]

^^ Mate, if you know your case officer, why not send direct to the Embassy?

When MissFarmGirl got hers done, the Police Dept sent them direct to either the Embassy or VFS (didn't pay attention to that bit.

[ozsamurai]

The point being that this is a NEW fee as of last week, under the normal circumstances I would have done that, but felt a little annoyed at the effrontery of them. The police will definitely not send the check for you to the embassy or VFS, it needs a case number, they do not even have. As to the case officer. The person who is at the bottom of our email asking for her medical, I'm not sure if she is now our officer, or just a secretary or such. Of course asking is pointless as they won't answer any questions. Catch 22.

Oz

[ozsamurai]

A case from the 'Thai wives sites'. Recently a case officer has requested that not only the applicant, but the Australian husband get a THAI police clearance certificate. He is in Australia working, she has a tourist visa to stay with him, intends to return to collect her visa. The reason stated was that he had spent more than one year in Thailand.

Oz