All applicants aged 17 years or over who are working, visiting or studying in New Zealand for longer than two years in total are required to provide a police certificate.
This includes time already spent in New Zealand and is calculated from the date of your very first arrival in NZ.
These certificates need to be less than 6 months old at the time the application is lodged. For further details and a guide on how to apply for a Police certificates, please refer to the information on our website.
Have you submitted a Police Certificate with a previous application?
If police certificates were submitted with a previous application, please refer to the Related Answer "Do I need a further Police Certificate when extending my visa?" for more specific information.
What if I need a New Zealand Police Certificate?
For the purpose of processing a visa application, Immigration New Zealand has the authority with the NZ Police to request the Character Check information.
This request is made on the behalf of the overseas person and/or the New Zealand Citizen/resident who may be supporting an application.
The Character Check results are sent directly to and kept by Immigration NZ.
New Zealand Citizens/residents or overseas persons who need a New Zealand Police Certificate for purposes other than a NZ visa application need to make a request to the Ministry Of Justice for a copy of their Criminal Records.
This answer was last updated on 14 February, 2013.
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