Living overseas and suddenly asked for a South African police clearance? You are not alone. Thousands of South Africans in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and the Gulf need one every year for visas, new jobs, residency and citizenship. The good news is that you do not need to fly home to get it.
What is a South African police clearance?
A police clearance certificate is an official document issued by the South African Police Service (SAPS). It confirms whether or not you have a criminal record in South Africa. Immigration authorities, employers and licensing bodies abroad often ask for one, especially if you lived in South Africa as an adult.
The process in four simple steps
1. Get your fingerprints taken locally, for example at a police station or a fingerprinting service near you. If you have any difficulty, contact us for alternative solutions.
2. Prepare your documents: a clear copy of your ID or passport, the purpose of the clearance and your delivery address.
3. Submission and tracking: we check everything before it is submitted and keep you updated throughout.
4. Delivery: your certificate is couriered to your address abroad. If you also need an apostille, attestation or certified translation, we can arrange it at the same time.
How long does it take?
Processing usually takes several weeks, and times vary depending on SAPS workloads and courier routes. If you have a visa or job deadline, start as early as possible and tell us your date so we can plan around it.
Need help?
ClearPath SA helps South Africans in 14 countries with police clearances, apostille, attestation and certified translation. WhatsApp us on +27 62 313 9099 with your country, purpose and deadline for a free quote.