Overseas police checks for Australian visas: how to get yours from France, Brazil, Spain, Italy and more

Ask anyone who's been through a partner visa or skilled migration application what surprised them most, and the police check comes up constantly. Not because it's hard to pass, but because it's hard to obtain. Every country issues it differently, calls it something different, and takes a different amount of time. And once you have it, there's one more step people discover late: if it's not in English, Home Affairs won't accept it without a certified translation.

This guide covers who needs one, how to request it from the countries we translate for most, and how to avoid the timing traps that delay applications by months.

Who needs an overseas police check?

The rule is simpler than most people expect. You need a police certificate from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, including your home country, and even if those 12 months were spread across several stays. The certificate must cover the period from when you turned 16.

In practice, this applies to:

• Partner visas (820/801, 309/100, 300): both the applicant and, in some cases, the sponsor
• Skilled visas (189, 190, 491, 482, 494): required at visa stage, sometimes earlier
• Student visas (subclass 500): when requested by Home Affairs
• Working Holiday visas (417/462): not always requested upfront, but Home Affairs can ask for one, and you'll need it later if you transition to another visa
• Citizenship applications: same country rules apply

One trap worth knowing: Home Affairs generally wants certificates no more than 12 months old at the time of your application. Request them too early and they expire before you lodge; too late and you're waiting on a foreign bureaucracy while your application sits incomplete. Research the process for each country as soon as you start preparing, then request at the right moment.

How to get your police check, country by country

Each country below is one we translate daily. Procedures change, so always confirm the exact document Home Affairs wants for your country using their police certificates tool before ordering.

🇫🇷 France: Bulletin n°3 du casier judiciaire

The French police check is the bulletin n°3, issued by the Casier Judiciaire National in Nantes. Request it online via the official casier judiciaire portal. It's free, and if you were born in France it usually arrives by email within a few days. Born outside France or requesting by post? Allow up to two weeks. The document arrives in French only, so a NAATI certified translation is required before you submit it.

The same bulletin n°3 process covers French citizens applying from Belgium, Switzerland or anywhere else. It's tied to your French record, not your current address. (Belgium issues its own extrait de casier judiciaire via your commune if you've lived there.)

🇧🇷 Brazil: Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais

Brazil's federal police check, the Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais, is issued online by the Polícia Federal, free and usually instant. Enter your CPF and details, download the PDF, done. Note that Home Affairs may also want state-level certificates (antecedentes estaduais) depending on where you lived, so check the requirement for your situation. Everything is issued in Portuguese and needs a NAATI translation.

🇪🇸 Spain: Certificado de Antecedentes Penales

Spain's certificate comes from the Ministerio de Justicia. You can request it online with a digital certificate or Cl@ve, in person at a Gerencia Territorial, or by post. There's a small administrative fee, and online requests are typically processed within days. If you're already in Australia without Spanish digital ID, the postal route or authorising someone in Spain to collect it are your options, so build in extra time.

🇮🇹 Italy: Certificato Penale del Casellario Giudiziale

Italy issues the certificato penale through the Procura della Repubblica at any tribunale. You can apply in person, through a delegate in Italy, or via some consulates. Expect stamp duty (marca da bollo) and a short processing window in person. For applicants already in Australia, delegating a family member in Italy is usually the fastest path.

🇵🇱 Poland: Zaświadczenie o niekaralności (KRK)

Poland's certificate comes from the Krajowy Rejestr Karny. It can be requested online with a trusted profile (profil zaufany) or qualified signature, in person at a KRK information point, or by post, for a small fee. Online requests return an electronic document quickly, but note Home Affairs requirements around electronic versus paper documents, and get the paper version if in doubt.

🇨🇴 Colombia: Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales

Colombia makes this easy: the certificado de antecedentes is generated online through the Policía Nacional's website, free, using your cédula number. It's issued in Spanish and, like all the above, needs a NAATI certified translation for your Australian application.

Country not listed? We translate police checks from 50+ countries. Contact us and we'll confirm yours.

Does my police check need a NAATI translation?

If it's not in English: yes, always. Home Affairs requires that documents in other languages be accompanied by a certified English translation, and for applications lodged in Australia that means a NAATI-credentialed translator. A translation done by a friend, your consulate's unofficial version, or Google Translate will trigger a Request for Further Information (RFI), adding weeks or months to an already long process.

A proper NAATI certified translation of your police check includes every stamp, seal, reference number and annotation on the original, plus the translator's certification and NAATI stamp. Here's exactly what it should look like.

Timing: how to sequence it so nothing expires

1. Map your countries first. List everywhere you've lived 12+ months since turning 16, within the last 10 years.
2. Check turnaround for each. Online systems (France, Brazil, Colombia) take days. In-person or postal routes (Italy, Spain from abroad) can take weeks.
3. Request when your application is nearly ready. Certificates are valid for 12 months from issue, and you want maximum runway while your visa processes. Katsaros
4. Order the translation as soon as the certificate arrives. Ours are delivered in 24–48 hours, so the translation is never your bottleneck.
5. Keep both documents together. Home Affairs wants the original-language certificate and the certified translation uploaded with your application.

Get your police check translated in 24–48 hours

Once your certificate arrives, upload it to EzyTranslate and a NAATI certified translator will return your official translation within 24–48 hours, from AU$69, accepted by the Department of Home Affairs and covered by our 100% Acceptance Guarantee.

Applying for a partner, skilled or working holiday visa? Your police check is probably one of several documents you'll need translated. Our visa packages bundle them and save you up to 23%.

FAQ

How long is a police check valid for an Australian visa?
12 months from the date of issue. If your certificate expires while your visa is processing, Home Affairs may request a new one. Katsaros

Do I need a police check from a country I only visited?
No. The requirement applies to countries where you've lived for a cumulative 12 months or more within the last 10 years. Holidays and short trips don't count.

Can I submit my police check without a translation and add it later?
You can technically upload documents after lodging, but submitting an untranslated certificate invites an RFI. Lodge with the certificate and the NAATI translation together. It's the difference between a decision-ready application and one that stalls.

My police check is electronic (a PDF with no wet signature). Will Home Affairs accept it?
Generally yes, if it's the official document issued by the authority. Brazil's and Colombia's certificates are natively digital. When a country offers both electronic and paper versions (like Poland), check Home Affairs' guidance for that country.

Do I need an apostille on my police check for an Australian visa?
Usually no. Home Affairs doesn't require apostilles for visa applications, just the certificate and its certified translation. Apostilles are typically only needed if another authority (not Home Affairs) requests one.