Maybe it's just me being stupid but have I got the right idea that you have to get a police clearance form from each county you have lived in in the UK? Also, I take it that it is the same thing as a "subject access record"? Any help much appreciated! :)
If you speak to the data protection people and tell them WHY you need the check done - they will advise you on what you'll need. When the forms comes through to you, they tick what you need to complete etc.
If you've lived in Engalnd, Scotland, Wales and or Ireland, then ask them the proceedure.
PS: Lots of people talk about frontloading their police checks. I'd quite like to do this if it'll speed things up but how far in advance can you do this? I'm 7 months into my application with no CO. How old can they be before they become invalid? So many questions, so little time :?
When you complete the paperwork - you have to date it - It's £10 per check.
When they come back, they have the date of the application when you sent them - this (I think) can be no older than 12 months when you actually enter Australia - PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know they can be no loner than 12 months old - we have sent for ours, but we're going down a much different route, so things will be much quicker at this end.
It is tempting to frontload the meds and the police checks. However, the down-side of doing so it that these checks are only usually valid for 12 months. When the visa is granted, you are given an Initial Entry Date. Everybody included in the visa MUST travel to Oz before the IED, even if you only stay for long enough to travel straight back out of Oz on the same plane you arrived on. You don't have to make the permanent move by the IED. This business of going to Oz if only for a flying visit is known as validating the visa.
The date given as the IED is usually 12 months from the EARLIER of the meds or the PCCs. However, if anything comes up on the chest x-ray then this period is usually reduced to 6 months, so the timing can get very tight and/or it may be necessary to get the meds done again. In that situation one would probably want to get new police checks as well so that one would get a full six months in which to validate the visa.
Regarding these police checks we have just been asked to get meds and police checks done, was told by our agent to obtain this from our local police station, to get down there and to be told you have to do it online. would appreciate if anyone knows how to obtain this as we have got to get it all done by 29th March. As you say how it can all take 40 days i dont know.
Find the police force for the county that you live in. Look for Freedom of Information, Data Protection and Subject Access in that order.
I rang up Hampshire Police to get my mother's police check rolling. I didn't have a clue how to set about getting it so I just rang the main number. I was put through to someone called Toby in the Data Protection Unit and he was a star. He e-mailed the form straightaway and I had it 10 minutes later. Much easier than schlepping to a cop shop that is only open for 2 hours a day where I live!
