Police Check Requirements

[Casanundra]

Well latest news in from several of my friends going through this process is that UK police reports are now required and that they have been basically told to go away and get one before applying for their non-imm B visa. They were originally told to get their police reports from the Bangkok police but that has now moved a goal post and it's back to your home country you must go. All of these guys are resident here in LOS and all of them recently got rejected from Penang for failing to have this police report.

If anyone is interested, I got my police report around August last year from the UK, it took about 8 weeks, cost me 10 pounds and all it said when it came back was "no police record found" and it was as non descript as you could get and no finger prints where required to obtain it either. But then again, i'm not here teaching English to kids so maybe all of this nonesense doesn't apply to me although my current employer did request this police record before extending my contract.

So, if anyone would like a genuine copy of a genuine UK police report to erhum maybe scan in and push through photoshop for a bit of creative engineering then you are more than welcome to have mine.

Edited January 5, 2007 by Casanundra

[Loaded]

This situation looks like it will cause more illegal working not less and lot more teachers having to work through agencies.

That's what my money is on.

The demand for native-speaker teachers increases every year and it now looks just too pain-in-the-arse to become kosher.

[Loaded]

Casanundra

What did you have to do to obtain the report in the uk? Just go to your local police station or something more? Do you think it's workable for a relative to obtain on your behalf and then send to Thailand?

[Rinrada]

Casanundra

What did you have to do to obtain the report in the uk? Just go to your local police station or something more? Do you think it's workable for a relative to obtain on your behalf and then send to Thailand?

From my earlier posting...

Cant DIY..gotta get your company to request....

Applicant’s Guide to the CRB's Disclosure Service

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), an executive agency of the Home Office, provides access to criminal record and other information to organisations in England and Wales through a service called Disclosure.

Its specific purpose is to help organisations make more informed decisions when recruiting people into positions of trust.

The Disclosure service is also available to other professional, licensing and regulatory bodies whose volunteers, employees and licensees are not necessarily in direct contact with the vulnerable, but still need to uphold the highest standards of professional performance and Disclosure can help improve these recruitment decisions as well.

Through the Disclosure service, organisations can provide greater protection for the vulnerable members of our society and afford greater protection to their customers, staff, volunteers and ultimately their organisation

http://www.crb.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=1871

--------------------

wad some god the gif tae gi us

[Casanundra]

To start working legally requires the non-immigrant B visa...

Putting aside your valid points about the lenghly process of getting through and into the system legally, you can also actually get a job here on a valid Non immigration O visa as well and many mistakingly think that the only visa that is valid for work in Thailand is the non imm B.

[Casanundra]

Casanundra

What did you have to do to obtain the report in the uk? Just go to your local police station or something more? Do you think it's workable for a relative to obtain on your behalf and then send to Thailand?

It was very simple. I downloaded the form off the Internet. Sent it off with a cheque for 10 pounds along with a certified copy of my passport page and voila, 6 weeks later I get the report back.

Easy peasy pudding and pie.

If I recall, the form allows someone to do it on your behalf back in the UK by proxy. Either way, you can only get this report by sending it in by mail and a visit to the police station itself would only serve the purpose of saving you a stamp and an envelope

As for the post by Rinrada, i'm sorry but that's not true unless the rules have changed since last August. What you just posted was not my actual experience of getting the police report and I most certainly did it myself.

Edited January 5, 2007 by Casanundra

[Loaded]

Casanundra

What did you have to do to obtain the report in the uk? Just go to your local police station or something more? Do you think it's workable for a relative to obtain on your behalf and then send to Thailand?

It was very simple. I downloaded the form off the Internet. Sent it off with a cheque for 10 pounds along with a certified copy of my passport page and voila, 6 weeks later I get the report back.

So, you didn't do the CRB thing?

Can you give a link to download the form? - thanks

[Loaded]

I'm also quite lucky as the terrorist and drug offences I was sent to prison for happened in France and Germany so the British Police report will show I'm 'clean'. (sarcasm)

[Robski]

I'd also like the website. A very useful piece of paper to have in any situation.

Edited January 5, 2007 by Robski

[Jonson83]

Casanundra

What did you have to do to obtain the report in the uk? Just go to your local police station or something more? Do you think it's workable for a relative to obtain on your behalf and then send to Thailand?

It was very simple. I downloaded the form off the Internet. Sent it off with a cheque for 10 pounds along with a certified copy of my passport page and voila, 6 weeks later I get the report back.

Easy peasy pudding and pie.

If I recall, the form allows someone to do it on your behalf back in the UK by proxy. Either way, you can only get this report by sending it in by mail and a visit to the police station itself would only serve the purpose of saving you a stamp and an envelope

As for the post by Rinrada, i'm sorry but that's not true unless the rules have changed since last August. What you just posted was not my actual experience of getting the police report and I most certainly did it myself.

My place of work sorted my CRB out.All i did was fill in the usual crap(name,adresss,'i am not a criminal' etc) and provide proof of identity.I certainly couldn't have done it on my own though.As there were a couple of sections that my work had to fill in,they also paid the fee btw.I did this last month.

Maybe there are different types of CRB clearance?

[Boatabike]

Anyone know how this effects those already in the loop? I have my work permit (2 years), a teacher license was never issued to me (I believe that this will be needed to renew my contract). Will i also need to get a criminal record clearance check from the UK to renew the contract or is this only applicable to new visa applications?

Maybe we need two new pinned posts, one on requirements for those in the loop, and one for those who are thinking about teaching here for the first time.

Thanks in advance.

[Ijustwannateach]

This thread's only 3 pages so far, and has been holding its own against the deluge of other threads recently opened (joke). Your issue is a interesting one, Boatabike, but so far have heard nothing from my own school or those who work for other schools on this issue- presumably the relevant Ministries may be logical enough to realise that if someone's worked here a few years, the most relevant police reports are the ones *here*. But if you hear otherwise, feel free to post here or start a new thread if you have any actual news. Right now everything still seems very speculative.

[PeaceBlondie]

Whilst we're speculating and spreading rumours, here are some more. As I write this on Monday morning, it's rumoured that some higher-ups in the MFA may be telling their embassies and consulates to reverse the earlier requirements about police checks. And, that the special police office in Bangkok is for Thai citizens, not farang. And, that Ajarn Ponchasachakornakit doesn't know, anyway.

Americans refer to this as 'yanking my chain.' Thais enjoy yanking Yankees around. And Poms and Ozzies and Welshmen, too. Sometimes they yank our chains without even knowing it. "Oh, it's Monday morning, Deputy Under Secretary of Vice - let's issue some new, obscure, vague statement about education, or work permits, or the price of somtam in Wrethedburi..."

[toptuan]

I do like this link on the home page though:

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/

"A criminal record is now required to teach"!

Does my criminal record have to be in the U.K.?

Can I commit a crime in the U.S. to qualify, too?

[Loaded]

I do like this link on the home page though:

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/

"A criminal record is now required to teach"!

Does my criminal record have to be in the U.K.?

Can I commit a crime in the U.S. to qualify, too?

The rules are strict - home country only. Fortunate for Bin Laden who doesn't have a criminal record from his home country. He could come here and teach evil.

[Robski]

I been offered a teaching job, but I've turned it down.

Without going into details I would have been working on a false premise. I was encouraged to do so.

Nothing new in Thailand, but if the finger gets pointed it's me that loses out, so on principle I turned it down.

I would willingly do a criminal record check to show that I'm worthy of trust.

Why should I want to become a criminal to get employed in this country.

I'm leaving definately. I'll be back but not to teach.

Edited January 8, 2007 by Robski

[Hadrian1]

Applicant’s Guide to the CRB's Disclosure Service

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), an executive agency of the Home Office, provides access to criminal record and other information to organisations in England and Wales through a service called Disclosure.

I don't think you can get one as a member of the public. I don't think that even organisations from other member EU states can get this information. I taught at a school in Belgium and also was given clearance (qualifications only) to teach in Dutch state schools. Niether country asked for a Criminal Check. I am sure if that service was available then they would have followed it up. There's a lot of BS being thrown around here. Then there's the person above who says you can do it by proxy....LOL It's highly sensitive information as you can imagine.

[paulmw]

Applicant’s Guide to the CRB's Disclosure Service

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), an executive agency of the Home Office, provides access to criminal record and other information to organisations in England and Wales through a service called Disclosure.

I don't think you can get one as a member of the public. I don't think that even organisations from other member EU states can get this information. I taught at a school in Belgium and also was given clearance (qualifications only) to teach in Dutch state schools. Niether country asked for a Criminal Check. I am sure if that service was available then they would have followed it up. There's a lot of BS being thrown around here. Then there's the person above who says you can do it by proxy....LOL It's highly sensitive information as you can imagine.

25/12/06 Thai consulate Savanaket Lao. Went to renew b visa was told no can do require background check UK & Thailand so came back on a 60 day t/visa.

Have e-mailed the Uk Embassy twice as to the process to get this NOTHING HASCOME BACK from BritEmbassy.

As I understand this comes under the Data Protection Act, all so understand difficult to obtain & at a cost as well + a letter from brit Embassy to confirm Uk background check I think that costs in the region on 2K Baht not sure though.

Anyone been down this road so asto point the way as Uk Ebassy don't seem to want to reply.

Paul.

[paulmw]

The problem most teachers here in Thailand (and the ones who will be trying to get here) is not the idea of police checks- actually they're a very good idea, and I don't think my one lack-of-proof-of-automobile-registration from 15 years back is going to cause too much trouble for me. I'd welcome the opportunity to get rid of some of the riffraff here (let's institute them for *all* tourists, too).

The problem is the logistics. Those who are already familiar with the way things work here know that typically, you don't even get hired until about 1 week before you are supposed to start working. To start working legally requires the non-immigrant B visa (available pretty much only from abroad), a teacher's license from the MOE (for which this police check has now become only one of the requirements), a work permit from the department of labour, and then a visa extension contingent on all of these documents. It's already a farce to assume that anyone can work legally at a new job in Thailand (typically, even if the school is serious about paperwork it will take at least a few months)- adding another few months to this timeline for the foreign police checks to be processed (because the school has to request them) means that you're looking at a minimum of 6 months at a job before anyone can manage to work legally at that job. This is far too long, and serious teachers are going to stop considering Thailand as an option.

THAT's the problem with police checks.

Perhaps the pressure to get paperwork in order will finally cause schools to hire sufficiently far in advance- but they're going to have slim pickings hiring from abroad for the kind of wages they'll tend to offer- and I have the feeling that pressure from the schools is more likely to change the regulation than the regulation is likely to change the schools.

From the security point of view, incidentally, I don't think Israel is the best model for how an average country should manage its affairs- for what I hope are the obvious reasons.

"Steven"

If Your a Uk Res Steven U come under the 10 yr rule on crimes clear sheet (Lol).

Only the tax people have no limits to time as usual

[Loaded]

usual Thai <deleted>: silly rules made by silly people who never checked the validity or possibility of their silly little 'notifications'. It won't work but for the next couple of weeks until they find a face saving way of forgetting this there will be confusion and maybe pain.

[toptuan]

Fortunate for Bin Laden who doesn't have a criminal record from his home country. He could come here and teach evil.

You're just Loaded with comforting thoughts. Thanks.

[paully]

You'll need to get one of these from your local police constabulary if you're from the UK:

"A subject access form should be completed for: -

immigration purposes (*1)

to assist in obtaining a visa (*1)

Personal information (*2)"

Apparently, it takes up to 40 days and costs £10 payable from a UK bank.

The value of this is questionable - you're really supposed to get an enhanced disclosure certificate from the CRB at a cost of £35 if you intend to teach 'children or vulnerable adults' in the UK or abroad. This gives access to more possible details about you, such as sex offender lists.

Edited January 10, 2007 by paully

[Hadrian1]

I don't think you can get one as a member of the public. I don't think that even organisations from other member EU states can get this information.

OK......I am willing to admitt that it seems that I was wrong. Apologies. Things appear to have moved on in the last couple of years or so.

[garp]

I do hope this doesn't apply to renewals.

I have been in the system for 6 years.

Never even left the country for a day in all that time.

Not been in the UK for 10.

I can't even remember my last address in the UK.

Utterly impractical.

[paulmw]

I do hope this doesn't apply to renewals.

I have been in the system for 6 years.

Never even left the country for a day in all that time.

Not been in the UK for 10.

I can't even remember my last address in the UK.

Utterly impractical.

Hi Garp.

Same problem but was informed by Thai consulate in Savanaket Lao I need a UK background check as well as a Thai one now so came back on a 60 day tourist visa.

Mailed Brit Embassy twice about this FA came back not even an acknowledgment from them.

So ?????????????????

Paul

[Etrigan]

I just renewed my non-imm B a few days ago in Suan Phluu centre, nothing was mentioned nor posted there. My passport was stamped as it has been for the last decade. So, what's going on?

[Boatabike]

I have just returned from my local Immigration office where I asked about this subject. As far as they were concerned, for the renewal of my contract and new visa, all would be as it was last year. They knew nothing about the criminal record paper at all.

This in itself does not surprise me. They have however said they will ask about it and let me know in plenty of time if this is going to affect those already in the loop or just new applicants.

Just because they were unaware of it does not mean diddly squit of course. A local office in the sticks is often the last to know anything! However, for now it looks to me as if those in the loop are just that, I hope this remains to be my thoughts come next April when I renew my contract. If asked to go to the UK for a piece of paper it may very well be the straw that breaks this camels back.

[Ijustwannateach]

From what I can see on this and other Thai teaching forums, all is confusion and clear as mud. Different institutions and agencies have issued or received different guidelines regarding police check requirements, and though many individuals have not had to produce them, a few have. Things are as clear as mud. If you can afford a gamble, then come ahead.

"Steven"

[markg]

Please dont be confused. There are two types of checks in the UK.

One is the Police check under the disclosure of information in the Data Protection Act. This is NOT valid for working in schools in the UK and specifically states is not valid abroad. This check is the one that costs 10 pounds and you can do it yourself by post. Its kinda just for your own benefit to see all your convictions and also to see if you're wanted. Mine came back on a letterheaded A4 piece of paper with one sentence on it. "We have no knowledge of you "

Or was it "Bailiff, whack his pee pee"

The other check, and the one we need to concern ourselves as teachers in Thailand, is the CRB check. This is the one that CANNOT be done by yourself but has to be done by your school or some other organisation. It checks the Police National Computer (as per the police check above) PLUS it checks on other data bases, like the sexual offenders register and some other Department of Education blacklist databases.

Just wanted to point that out.

Still doesnt clarify much from the point of view that the CRB check will take 6 weeks, not counting postage both ways. Thats 8 weeks. Then you have to apply for a none B somewhere, then the Teachers licence, then the work permit.

We are advertising for jobs starting in August..................if you apply now you might just make it......................

Mark

[Jonson83]

Please dont be confused. There are two types of checks in the UK.

One is the Police check under the disclosure of information in the Data Protection Act. This is NOT valid for working in schools in the UK and specifically states is not valid abroad. This check is the one that costs 10 pounds and you can do it yourself by post. Its kinda just for your own benefit to see all your convictions and also to see if you're wanted. Mine came back on a letterheaded A4 piece of paper with one sentence on it. "We have no knowledge of you "

Or was it "Bailiff, whack his pee pee"

The other check, and the one we need to concern ourselves as teachers in Thailand, is the CRB check. This is the one that CANNOT be done by yourself but has to be done by your school or some other organisation. It checks the Police National Computer (as per the police check above) PLUS it checks on other data bases, like the sexual offenders register and some other Department of Education blacklist databases.

Just wanted to point that out.

Still doesnt clarify much from the point of view that the CRB check will take 6 weeks, not counting postage both ways. Thats 8 weeks. Then you have to apply for a none B somewhere, then the Teachers licence, then the work permit.

We are advertising for jobs starting in August..................if you apply now you might just make it......................

Mark

Thanks for pointing that out m8.

I was starting to get really annoyed with all the speculative,conflicting nonsense being posted on this thread