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:
If you have lived for 12 months or more in any country other than New Zealand within the last 10 years, you’ll need a national police clearance (police vet) certificate from that country covering the entire time you lived there.
Australia
Visit the Australian Federal Police webpage about national Police checks. Request a National Police Check and ensure you check Code Number 21 in Section 8.
Canada
Visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police webpage about criminal record checks. If possible, please request a Vulnerable Sector check.
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.
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.
UK
Visit the International Child Protection Certificate website and apply for an International Child Protection Certificate. Note: We may accept standard or enhanced disclosures issued through Disclosure Scotland if this has been issued for teaching employment. However, the disclosure must cover the entire period of time you were living in the UK.
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: applications@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 need to contact the Teaching Council and request the statutory declaration form.
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.