Police clearance

Who actually needs a certificate

The requirement is route- and role-specific. For the Skilled Worker route, you only need to provide a criminal record certificate if you are applying from outside the UK and your job falls within certain sectors. Which jobs are caught is determined by the occupation (SOC) code attached to your role by your sponsor, not by a job title alone, so two people with similar-sounding jobs can be treated differently.

The sectors that trigger the requirement are health, education, therapy and social services. GOV.UK gives these examples of the kinds of roles affected:

• Education — for example teachers, teaching assistants, childminders, education advisers and school inspectors
• Healthcare — for example nurses, doctors, paramedics, pharmacists, dentists and dental nurses, ophthalmic opticians, and related managers
• Therapy — for example psychologists, speech and language therapists, and counsellors
• Social services — for example social workers, probation officers, welfare and housing officers, and related managers

Partners and other applicants

Where the requirement applies, it is not limited to the main worker. An adult partner applying as a dependant of a Skilled Worker in one of these roles must also provide a criminal record certificate, whether they apply at the same time or separately. The requirement has also historically applied to some other categories of entry-clearance applicant and their partners; because these rules change, always check the current guidance for the exact route you are using rather than assuming.

Which countries you need certificates from

If you do need to provide certificates, you generally need one for each country (other than the UK) where you have lived for 12 months or more — whether continuously or added up in total — in the relevant period, while you were aged 18 or over.

GOV.UK explains the period in terms of your age. If you are under 28, you need a certificate from any country you have stayed in for 12 months or more in total since you turned 18. If you are 28 or over, you need a certificate from any country you have stayed in for 12 months or more over the last 10 years.

• The UK itself is excluded — you do not obtain a UK certificate for this requirement.
• The 12-month threshold can be met continuously or through several shorter stays that add up.
• Only time spent aged 18 or over counts.

How recent the certificate must be

For the country where you currently live, GOV.UK states the certificate must be issued no earlier than 6 months before the date of your application. Because obtaining certificates from some countries can take time, it is sensible to start the process early once you know your role requires them.

In-country applications and refusals

The requirement is aimed at applications made from outside the UK (entry clearance). Applications to extend a stay from within the UK have generally been exempt from providing these certificates, though the precise position depends on your route, so confirm against the current rules.

This is a mandatory document where it applies. GOV.UK is explicit that if you do not provide a required certificate, or a satisfactory explanation for why you cannot, your application will be refused. If a certificate genuinely cannot be obtained from a particular country, you should explain why as part of your application rather than simply leaving it out.

How to get one

Each country issues criminal record certificates through its own police force or government authority, and the process, name of the document, cost and processing time differ from country to country. GOV.UK publishes country-by-country guidance (grouped alphabetically) explaining how to apply in each place. Check that guidance for every country you are required to cover, as the steps can vary significantly.