What Happens If I Cannot Provide The Required Documents Due To Special Circumstances?
The application process for an individual applying for a National police check includes the submission of certain identity documents. There are 4 identity documents in total which the applicant must submit. The requirements for these documents are coordinated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), and remain the same across all providers of police checks in Australia. Therefore, the rules are strict, and applicants must follow the requirements carefully to successfully receive police clearance.
There are times when an individual may be unable to provide the required documents due to special circumstances. Special circumstances are rare, and whether or not provisions will be made in these circumstances will be determined by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
What Happens If I Cannot Provide The Required Documents Due To Special Circumstances?
If you are applying for a police check online, you must provide 4 documents to verify your identity. These 4 documents are the minimum requirement of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. It is expected that the majority of people will be able to provide or access these documents.
It’s important to check before beginning the process that you have all of the necessary documents. The application can be completed within 5 minutes if you prepare yourself first.
In some instances, you might find that you do not have each of the required documents. In most cases, you will need to contact the relevant agencies to obtain the document, or have an existing document renewed. In rare cases, the accredited body will provide alternative methods of progressing with your application following an assessment of your circumstances.
What Classifies As A Special Circumstance?
When applying for your National police check, a special circumstance can be defined by many events. Special circumstances are rare, and would typically include cases of hardship or an incapacity.
An individual may be eligible for special provisions if they have any of the following circumstances:
- A person with an unregistered birth
- A person who is homeless
- A person who is undocumented in Australia
- A person living in a remote area
- A transgender person
- A person who has experienced a disaster
- A person without access to documents as a result of their upbringing
- A person who lives outside of society
- A young person who does not yet have the relevant identity documents
Am I Eligible For Special Circumstances?
To find out if you are eligible for special provisions as a result of having special circumstances, you should contact Crime Check Australia or the relevant NPC provider to discuss your situation.
Your claims will need to be reviewed and confirmed before any alternative options are made available to you.
It’s important to note that special circumstances are rare. If you have lost a document, are unable to locate a document, or your document has expired, you will need to obtain the documents in order to continue with your NPC application. These are not valid reasons to claim special circumstances.
What Should I Do If I Have A Special Circumstance?
If you’re applying for a police check and you believe that you are eligible for special provisions due to your circumstances, you should get in touch to discuss your situation in detail and receive advice on what to do next.
There may be a way to get around the problem, or alternative options may be made available to you.
Who Should I Report My Issue To?
You should report any issues you are having with your police check application to Crime Check Australia, unless you are using a different provider of an Australian police check.
What Provisions Are In Place For People With Special Circumstances?
There are some special provisions in place for those who are unable to provide documents due to a range of special circumstances. The provisions include alternative documents which will be accepted in place of the initial required identity documents.
If for whatever reason you cannot provide the alternative documents, we may still be able to assist you. Contact us if you are experiencing problems with your documents.
What Are Minimum Proof Of Identity Documents?
The minimum proof of identity documents are 4 documents which fall under the following categories:
- Commencement document, also known as a Commencement of Identity Document
- Primary document, also known as a Primary Use in the Community Document
- Secondary document, also known as a Secondary Use in the Community Document
What Alternative Documents Can Be Used?
Most people are able to provide the minimum proof of identity documents required for a police check, even if they have to source new documents to continue, and even if it causes a delay in their application. In rare cases when a person cannot provide the right documents, their situation will be reviewed by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to determine if the circumstances they claim are legitimate.
If they are considered to be true, there are some alternative documents which may be accepted instead. The documents must include the individual’s name, date of birth and a photograph.
In situations where a commencement document cannot be provided, the person can provide 1 primary document and 3 secondary documents.
In situations where a primary document cannot be provided, the applicant can provide 1 commencement document and 3 secondary documents.
What If I Cannot Provide Alternative Documents?
In the rare case that you are still unable to provide the requested documents, including alternative ones, you can get in touch with Crime Check Australia or another accredited body to discuss further options, if there are any.
What Happens If I Don’t Have The Right Documents In General?
There are several reasons why an individual may not have the correct documents for a National police check. In most cases, this is likely due to having expired documents, missing documents or documents in different names.
For these situations, it is generally down to the applicant to source the relevant documentation before applying for a police check online.
You will have to apply for new documents if you are missing or cannot locate any that you require for the check. Expired documents will need to be updated and renewed by the relevant companies.
What If My Documents Are In Different Names?
If your documents are in different names, you will need to provide evidence to prove that the names on the documents are in fact you, and not multiple people. For example, a name change for marital purposes can be confirmed by providing a marriage certificate. If you have had your name legally changed yourself, a change of name certificate will be needed to confirm your claims.
Can Expired Documents Be Renewed?
With the exception of a passport that expired less than 2 years ago, any other expired documents you own will need to be renewed by contacting the relevant government agency and paying the fee. Fees vary between documents and across states and territories in Australia.
You should check your identity documents every so often to ensure they have not reached the expiry date. Expired documents will not be accepted as part of your National police check.
What If I Don’t Have Time To Obtain New Documents?
Unfortunately, without the right documents when applying for your National Criminal History Check you will not be able to continue with your application. As police checks are subject to delays, and there is no way of foreseeing how long the process will take, it is best to give yourself enough time to prepare for your police check.
Preparation includes checking expiry dates on documents, locating documents and having them ready to go as you fill out your application form.
It is recommended that you apply for your National police check up to ten weeks before your certificate is needed for whatever purpose. Providing details of an inaccurate document will interrupt your check and cause delays while the correct document is acquired.
Those who are unable to provide the required documents should seek assistance immediately. You should inform your potential employer of any delays which might result from your special circumstances as your start date may need to be pushed back.
Why Do I Have To Provide These Documents?
Any person who applies for a police check online must provide the documents listed in the requirements set out by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC). All documents must be valid, in date, and accurate at the time of submission.
Providing the correct documents helps to verify and confirm your identity. It establishes that you are who you say you are, while also preventing incidents of identity fraud and protecting your information.
The documents are crucial to the system of national police checking, ensuring that individuals are screened correctly before accepting roles of employment, visa applications, and certain licensing and registry purposes. Safety is the priority of all parties involved.
What If I Am Overseas?
If you want to apply for a National police check and you are currently living overseas, or plan to move overseas, you can still apply in the same way that you would in Australia.
The process is the same, and you must include your address history for the last 5 years including your overseas address.
Please note, applying for a police check while overseas does not warrant any special assistance, as being overseas does not qualify as a special circumstance.
What Happens After I Have Submitted My Application With The Alternative Documents?
After you have submitted the police check online either with the right documents, or alternative documents after liaising with the accredited body, your application will be reviewed to ensure the information provided is accurate.
If the accredited body is happy with your information, they will request your consent for a police check submitted to the National police checking Service, where your details will be screened on the databases of all police agencies in Australia. The screening searches for a match to Persons of Interest (POI). This is known as a background check or criminal record check.
When a match is determined, if there is one, your criminal history information will be reviewed and vetted by Police History Information Records (PHI). From here, it will be decided which information, if any, is disclosed on your check.
You will receive the results via a National police check, a certified document containing Disclosable Court Outcomes and pending charges. If you don’t have any, or they have not been released, you will receive a result of No Disclosable Court Outcomes.
How Do I Contact Crime Check Australia To Discuss My Circumstances?
For any queries regarding your application for a police check, you can contact Crime Check Australia any time via email or by completing the online contact form. The customer service team is available to contact via phone Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm AEST.
Email: info@crimecheckaustralia.com.au
Phone: (03) 8400 4453
Contact us as soon as possible with any issues.