How to Apply for South African Police Clearance Certificate

If you’ve been making plans to travel out of South Africa, then you need to start thinking of how to apply for a police clearance certificate. This document is very important for your visa application. Most embassies will need you to present a police clearance certificate before you’re being issued a visa.

The police clearance certificate is very important immigration documentation to determine your character and eligibility as an upstanding citizen with a substantially clean criminal record in order to get the intended country’s visa.

Assessment for police clearance certificate is based on the following.

• If you have been sentenced to 12 months or more in prison, or multiple sentences that add up to more than 12 months in prison. A suspended sentence is considered a prison sentence.
• You have been convicted of escaping from immigration detention in another country
• you are or have been a member of a group or organization or have an association with a person, group or organization that are suspected of involvement in criminal conduct
• If you’re a suspect of being involved in people smuggling, people trafficking, genocide, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a crime involving torture or slavery, or a crime that is of serious international concern
• Your past and present criminal or general conduct shows that you are not of good character
• If it has been determined that you posed a security risk to another person in the form of stalking, physical or sexual abuse
• You are subject to an adverse security assessment by the South African Government

What is a Police Clearance Certificate?

A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is an official document issued by the Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management (CR & CSM) stating whether or not any criminal convictions have been recorded against an individual. This service is available to people who require confirmation of their criminal status for emigration purposes or for travel or employment abroad.

In South Africa, the issuing of a Police Clearance Certificate is the sole responsibility of Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management in Pretoria.

Police Clearance Application Requirements

• A full set of his/her fingerprints on a SAPS 91(a) when living in South Africa. The fingerprints must be taken by the South African Police Service. Persons living outside South Africa may apply at any police station in that country or at the South African Embassy. Fingerprints must be taken on the official fingerprint forms of the applicable country or, if available, on the SAPS 91(a) fingerprint enquiry form.
• An application form must be duly completed.
• A certified copy of the applicant’s identity document/passport. The applicant must present his/her identity document/passport at the police station, as proof of identity will be required.
• Should a maiden surname and/or other surnames be required on a Police Clearance Certificate, mention must be made thereof in the application and documentary proof of the maiden surname and/or other surnames (for example a certified copy of marriage certificate) must be attached to the application.
• Proof of payment. The prescribed fee is R150,00 per application. The required non-refundable tariff is payable in cash at the nearest police station or electronically into the South Africa Police Service’s account in favour of the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service.

The banking details are as follow ABSA cheque account number 4054522787; branch code 632005; Swift code ABSAZAJJXXX. In the case of electronic payment, the letters “PCC” followed by the initials and surname of the applicant must be indicated as reference.

Applicants living abroad may forward the application and required documents directly to CR & CSM for processing. Applications received from abroad will not be returned to the applicant. The applicant must monitor progress via the SAPS website and upon completion arrange for collection as indicated on the application form.

For security purposes the certificate will only be handed over to the person nominated by the applicant or chosen courier service. Note that certificates not collected within three months after finalisation will be destroyed.

Applicants living in South Africa may, at no additional costs to the applicant, request the police station to forward the applications to CR & CSM in Pretoria. The applicant may also in person deliver the application to CR & CSM in Pretoria or use the service of a postal or courier service at his/her own cost.

For security purposes the certificate will upon completion only be handed over to the applicant or person nominated by the applicant or chosen courier service as indicated on the application form. Where the applicant requested the certificate to be returned to the police station, the responsible person at the police station must ensure that the certificate is handed over to the applicant in person. Proof of identity must be presented when the certificate is collected. Note that certificates not collected within three months after finalisation will be destroyed.

POSTAL ADDRESS

The Head: Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management (For attention: Police Clearance Certificates)
South African Police Service
Private Bag X308
PRETORIA
South Africa
0001

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

The Head: Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management (For attention: Police Clearance Certificates)
South African Police Service
Bothongo Plaza West
CRC Client Service Centre
1^st Floor, Room 14
271 Francis Baard Street
PRETORIA

If the applicant provides his/her cell number (currently only available in South Africa) on the application for a Police Clearance Certificate, he/she will be provided with a sms acknowledging receipt of the application and the reference number allocated to his/her certificate.

A follow-up sms will be sent upon completion of the application. While the application is being processed, the applicant can establish the progress on the status of the application by enquiring on the SAPS’s website.

Click here to do an online enquiry

Incomplete applications will not be processed and a sms will be send to the applicant in this regard.