A police clearance certificate for Australian migration is a mandatory Character requirement for all visa categories. A police clearance certificate for Australian migration covers both the country of residence and every country lived in. This article explains it in detail.
What is a police clearance certificate for Australian migration
A police clearance certificate for Australian migration is a document confirming a candidate’s criminal record status, issued by a competent authority. This requirement is part of the Character requirement under Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958.
All Australian migration candidates over 16 years old must present a police clearance certificate from every country they have lived in for at least 12 months within the past 10 years.
Police clearance certificate requirements for Vietnamese applicants
A police clearance certificate for Australian migration for Vietnamese applicants must be: Judicial Record Card No. 2 (issued by the Department of Justice or the National Center for Judicial Records), containing full details of criminal record status. Card No. 1 is not sufficient as it lacks criminal record content.
Judicial Record Card No. 2 must be notarized-translated into English before submission. It is usually valid for 12 months from the date of issue for Australian visa purposes. The issuance fee is about 200,000 VND, and processing takes 10–15 working days.
Other countries
If a candidate has lived in a third country (other than Vietnam and Australia) for at least 12 months within the past 10 years, a police clearance certificate from that country is required. For example, a Vietnamese person who studied in the US for 2 years must provide an FBI Criminal Background Check.
Children aged 16 and over must also have their own police clearance certificate. A criminal record does not automatically result in refusal, but it must be fully declared; concealing information can lead to refusal or cancellation. Regulations may be updated.
You should refer to official Home Affairs website and Home Affairs – Skilled visas to check current conditions.
Summary
A police clearance certificate for Australian migration follows Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958, mandatory for candidates 16+ from every country they have lived in for 12+ months within the past 10 years. For Vietnamese applicants: Judicial Record Card No. 2 (Department of Justice/National Center for Judicial Records), NOT Card No. 1. It must be notarized-translated into English, valid for 12 months. Fee ~200,000 VND, 10–15 days. A criminal record must be fully declared; concealment leads to refusal/cancellation.
