Many South Africans are well aware of the fact that it can take months to obtain a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate. However, more often than not, applicants do not have the luxury of time to wait that long for a clearance certificate. In this post, we look at the fastest way to obtain a police clearance from SAPS.
Applying for a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate
Any individual can apply for a SAPS365, which is another name for a Police Clearance Certificate. These certificates can be issued to anyone that visited South Africa, not just South African citizens.
Whenever a person applies for a police clearance, their credentials are checked against the details contained in the Criminal Records Database at the Criminal Records Centre (CRC) in Pretoria. The CRC is also the only issuing authority of Police Clearance Certificates in South Africa. Officials at the CRC compare your personal details and fingerprints against their records to determine whether or not you have an existing criminal record.
If you need a SAPS365 certificate, you must first complete the application form and have a full set of ink fingerprints taken to submit along with your application to the CRC. Although many people think that a police station is the only option when it comes to having their fingerprints taken, this is not accurate. You can have your fingerprints taken anywhere as long as there is a commissioner of oaths present to stamp and sign your fingerprint form for authenticity purposes.
Keep in mind that fingerprints are only accepted by the CRC in ink form. Digital scans are not acceptable as the CRC digitizes fingerprints on their system with each new Police Clearance Application they receive.
Obtaining an expedited Police Clearance Certificate (the fastest way to obtain a police clearance)
Apostil.co.za can assist you with obtaining an expedited police clearance certificate. Since we are registered as a courier with the CRC, we deal directly with SAPS, cutting out other intermediaries. We apply for and collect your documents directly from the source. This is why we offer one of the fastest ways to obtain a police clearance certificate.
When you apply for a police clearance in person, the processing time may be up to three months. This timeline is applicable if you apply from within South Africa. PCC applications can take anywhere between three and six months for individuals applying from outside of the country. In most cases, applications done at local Police Stations are not sent to the CRC right away. This is because the station’s application bag must fill up before it can be sent to the CRC.
When you apply through our expedited application process, it takes anywhere between 5 and 7 working days to obtain your PCC. In some cases, the timeframe can be reduced even more to merely three working days. This is what is referred to as an extreme urgent police clearance. It is essential to keep in mind, however, that delays are always possible due to loadshedding or issues such as Covid. Naturally, in the event that you do have a criminal record, the timeline can increase by up to a month.
Need help obtaining a Police Clearance in the fastest time possible?
We can help you get an expedited Police Clearance Certificate from SAPS in as little as 7 working days. Anyone that wants to apply for a South African Police Clearance Certificate must submit the following:
- A complete set of ink fingerprints submitted on the SAPS 91(a) Form
- A completed expedited SAPS Police Clearance Certificate Application Form
- Clear copies of their South African ID or Passport
- Clear copies of their marriage certificate if they are married
- Written confirmation of why you need the process to be expedited
Aside from police clearances, we also offer a full range of document assistance services. To learn more visit our pricing page or if you have any other queries, please get in touch with us.