Obtaining a National Police Check in Australia is required in many situations from job applicants undergoing routine checks as well as for people who volunteer to work for various organizations. A National Police Check might also be necessary for adoption purposes or for overseas employment or a visa application.
In all these cases, Australians have two options: applying for an NPC from their local police station or using the services of an accredited online organisation. Many people wonder if it’s the same thing or if an NPC obtained online is just as good as one got from the local police station.
The answer is Yes!
When you use the services of an online organization like Australian National Character Checker you will receive a valid National Police Check document, which can be used anywhere just like the one you get at your local police station.
Use the services of an accredited organization
An organization like Australian National Character Check is accredited by the Australian Federal Government. You can access their website here: australiannationalcharactercheck.com.au
There are in fact several accredited bodies in Australia that can offer the same services.
What does being an accredited body mean?
For the citizen who requires a police check, it is important to know that an accredited organisation has access to the relevant police databases in the country.
The document an individual will receive will list disclosable information about court outcomes and pending charges sourced from the databases of all Australian police agencies.
For the individual going through this process for the first time, it is important to keep in mind that a National Police Check is sometimes referred to as Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, Police Check, National Police History Check, National Criminal History Check, or Police Clearance Certificate. If the future employer asks for any of the above, there’s no need to worry. It’s the exact same thing as a National Police Check.
Online Check or Local Police?
The obvious advantage of using the services of an online organisation is that it is much easier, the process of applying for an NPC only takes a couple of minutes, and verifying the relevant identity papers is very straightforward and highly intuitive.
Going to the local police station takes a lot of time, you will probably have to wait in line and then do another trip to get your documents. You can get a state based police check like a victorian police check at the local police station or you can get a national police check online which is in essence the same type of check but with different formatting. Both checks are equally legitimate.
Using the services of an online organisation like the Australian National Character Check there’s no time wasted, the results are typically ready in 1 to 3 days and are sent by email.
Finally, people wonder about the costs of obtaining a National Police Check. The truth is going to the police station yourself won’t save you much money. There are still various fees to pay, depending on what type of check you need, especially if you need a document regarding work with vulnerable categories. So, no, going the traditional way is not free and you waste more time than when using an online accredited body.
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