Overseas police clearance
To gain registration and certification you will need to provide an overseas police clearance if you have lived overseas for 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
On this page
You will find information about various countries and how they issue police clearances:
Have you spent 12 months or more in any country other than NZ over the last 10 years, even if you didn’t spend the 12 months all in one visit? If so, you will need a national police clearance (police vet) certificate from that country covering the entire time you lived there.
If you are required to supply an overseas police clearance with your online application in Hapori Matatū, you will need to supply either a true original copy or a certified copy to the Council.
Certified copies of Police Certificates if you are living in New Zealand
If you are living in New Zealand, a certified copy is a copy of the document that has been verified by an official such as a school Principal or Centre Manager, Justice of the Peace, Solicitor, Notary public, Registrar, or the authority who originally issued the document. The person certifying your documents must note on every page the following: “certified true copy of the original”, and clearly identify and include on the document: name of official, signature, title, address and contact number of the official, official stamp or seal, date the documents were certified.
Certified copies of Police Certificates if you are currently living overseas (outside of New Zealand)
If you are currently living overseas, the Council can accept a certified copy of a document from a Judge (of the country’s judicial system), Justice of the Peace, Commission of Oath Commonwealth Representative (Ambassador/High Commission), a person authorised by law of that country to administer an oath for the purpose of judicial proceedings.
The person must note all the following on every page being certified: (1) The statement ‘Certified true copy of the original’, (2) their full name and official title, (3) their address and contact phone number, (4) their Signature and date, and (5) their official stamp/seal.
Australia
Visit the Australian Federal Police webpage about national Police checks. Request a National Police Check and ensure you select code 43 (Overseas Employment - Teaching).
Canada
Visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police webpage about criminal record checks. If possible, please request a Vulnerable Sector check, however if unable to obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check, please request a name-based criminal record check or a certified criminal record check from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Fiji
Visit the Fiji Police Force website and fill out the Police clearance form. Request a police certificate to be forwarded direct to the Teaching Council and provide our postal address: Teaching Council, PO Box 5326, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. Fiji Police should email the police certificate to overseasclearance@teachingcouncil.nz
Ireland
Visit Ireland’s National Police and Security Service webpage about Garda Vetting or go into your local Garda stations and request a police certificate of good character.
Japan
From New Zealand, visit this webpage about Police Certificates.
From Tokyo, contact the Tokyo Public Safety Division, Metropolitan Police Department, 2-1-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo.
From elsewhere in Japan, visit our local Prefectural Police Office and request a 'No Criminal Record Certificate' (NCRC) 'Police Clearance' (Keisatsu Shomeisho, Hanzai Keirei Shomeisho or Muchanzai Shomeisho).
Singapore
Visit the Singapore Police Force webpage about certificates of clearance.
From Singapore, apply in person at the CNCC Office, Police Cantonment Complex, Blk D#02-01A, 391 New Bridge Road, Singapore 088762.
USA
Visit the FBI Identification Division website.
Note: when obtaining an electronic FBI identification record you can forward on the email from the FBI to the Council at: sfendorsement@teachingcouncil.nz, which will be verified and attached to your application record in place of a certified copy being provided.
Hong Kong
Visit the Hong Kong Police webpage about Certificates of No Criminal Conviction. Hong Kong police authorities require a letter of confirmation from the Teaching Council that a police certificate is required for the purposes of registration in New Zealand. You will need to submit your application for registration to the Teaching Council before we can issue you with this letter.
Once the Teaching Council has sent you the letter to send to the Hong Kong Police authorities, you will need to apply for 'The Certificate of No Criminal Conviction’ either in person or via mail, from 14th Floor, Arsenal House, Police Headquarters, 1 Arsenal Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong.
Other
If you are unable to provide a police certificate, the Teaching Council may accept a statutory declaration as a last resort and only for countries where a police clearance certificate is unobtainable. If this is the case, you will be contacted by your registration officer.
The statutory declaration will ask you to provide evidence of your attempts to obtain a police certificate, and state that you have not been convicted, found guilty or charged of any offences against the law of that country. It must be signed by a solicitor, Justice of the Peace or notary public.