Overseas police clearance
If you have lived overseas for 12 months or more within the last 10 years, you will need to provide and overseas police clearance to gain registration and certification.
Police clearance requirements
If you’ve spent 12 months or more in any country outside New Zealand in the last 10 years, even if it wasn’t all in one visit, you’ll need to provide a national police clearance certificate from that country. The certificate must cover the entire time you lived there.
AIS International is the provider for international criminal police checks, that works directly with primary judicial sources to verify certificates providing overseas police checks within 10 working days.
You can submit information and pay a fee directly to the service provider for police checks in most countries (excluding UK, USA, and Canada).
Apply for overseas police check with AIS International
For some countries the Teaching Council requires a special type of police certificate including the UK, USA and Canada.
You will need to apply for the police certificate directly from the country via the following sites:
- Canada- Request a Vulnerable Sector Check. If unavailable, a name-based or certified criminal record check from the RCMP is acceptable Criminal record checks | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- United Kingdom- Apply for an International Child Protection Certificate via the official website. If you need a letter, please contact us.
- United States of America- Request a criminal record from the FBI Identification Division. You may forward the FBI email directly to: sfendorsement@teachingcouncil.nz. Please ensure the email includes your pin verification information.
If you have already obtained a police certificate, you can provide a certified copy until 5 July 2026, please contact your Registration Officer for further information.
Police certificates for overseas applicants
You must provide a certified copy (or true original copy) of your police certificate if from the UK, USA, Canada or any other country not supported by AIS International.
Certification must be completed by one of the following:
- a judge (from the country’s judicial system)
- a justice of the peace
- a commissioner of oaths
- a commonwealth representative (ambassador or high commissioner)
- any person legally authorised to administer oaths for judicial purposes in that country.
If a Police certificate cannot be obtained
In rare cases, a statutory declaration may be accepted. This must:
- show evidence of your attempts to obtain a certificate
- confirm you have not been convicted, charged, or found guilty of any offence in that country
- be signed by a solicitor, Justice of the Peace, or notary public.
FAQS
A certified document is an official copy of an original document that has been verified as a true and accurate reproduction. The document(s) you provide must be certified by an official such as a:
- NZ school principal
- a Teaching Council approved identity referee
- an NZ centre manager
- a justice of the peace, a solicitor, a notary public
- a registrar, or the authority who originally issued the document.
The person certifying your document(s) must:
- note on every page the words “certified true copy of the original”; and
- clearly identify and include on the document their:
- full name
- title
- signature
- address and contact number
- official stamp or seal
- certification date.
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