Do you have to get a police check from overseas? If so you may need to have fingerprints taken. Until recently the Australian Police would do this for you but now they have ceased this service.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection recently sent this message to Migration Agents about police checks and fingerprints.
“The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is aware the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has ceased providing fingerprinting services to the public. In Western Australia the Police have also withdrawn from providing fingerprinting services. While the Department understands that not all foreign embassies or consulates in Australia are able to provide this service to their citizens, the Department still requires a police clearance certificate if requested. The Department does not provide fingerprinting services on behalf of other countries for overseas police clearances or foreign passports. The need to have fingerprints taken for police clearances, or for foreign passports, is a matter for the issuing country.
The Department will continue to engage with the AFP, state and territory police, and consulates and embassies to seek a solution for those affected”.
What does this mean to you? It means you must still provide the overseas police check and if that country requires fingerprints you must still get them. This may not be easy and you should seek advice about this promptly to avoid delays in your visa.
We do whatever we can for clients to help them, it is part of our service. You still need to get the police check but we can guide you. Always seek help from a professional migration agent.