# Singapore Police Clearance - Beware!



## timmy (Feb 21, 2011)

Hi there,

My partner and I (I'm Australian, she's Chinese) recently have just finished going through all the pre and post stages of collecting and submitting all the required documents applying for our 309 subclass visa and now awaiting the outcome (Now the long wait!). Due to some headaches with obtaining our Singapore Police Clearance I thought I'd share on here our experience to hopefully help somebody(s) through their path to getting their visa, hopefully, quicker.

Firstly, since October 2010 the Singapore Police Force doesn't just give out Police Certificate of Clearances willy-nilly to foreigners. You have to go through a 2 step process which is:

1. Appeal Approval (which involves sending the appeal application with an accompanied valid reason for getting the Certificate of Clearance, ie, Letter from Immigration);

2. Certificate of Clearance Application.

It's impossible to front load your Police Checks if you need one from Singapore as to obtain one you must have a valid reason for it. I suggest you go onto their website - http://www.spf.gov.sg/ - and contact them about getting a 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Application' BEFORE applying for the actual Certificate of Clearance. I can't find this form on their website so it would be best to contact them via phone or email.

Reason being is I sent just the 'Certificate of Clearance Application Form' for the Singapore Police Force to tell me I had to fill out the 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Application' first, THEN send the 'Certificate of Clearance Application Form' which then prompted them to close our first application and send it back in the mail (fingerprints, passport sized photo's, etc). After having sent the appeal application and getting the green light, we had to then AGAIN resubmit a fresh Certificate of Clearance application which cost us all up an extra 1 month in delays - due to postage and handling times, etc.

The usual processing times they told me and my partner was 10 working days for each form - 20 working days total excluding postage and handling times. All up it took us just over 2 months to have our Singapore Certificate of Clearance sent to the Embassy/Consulate.

Thought I'd give a heads up and hope the people who need this can benefit from it to save some time so they can be with their loved ones faster!

All the best and good luck with everyone's visa applications!


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## Coredig (May 31, 2010)

Hi Timmy 

Your info is very valuable and thanks a million for your kindness to share the info.

I'm a bit unclear in statement 1 ) appeal approval ( pls explain) 

I understand that I need to request a letter from caseofficer and fill the coc form can get the clearence . 

Thanks in advance 

Best regards


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## timmy (Feb 21, 2011)

Dear Coredig,

Firstly, I should say I can't say 100% this is the same procedure and protocol with everyone else though with our case my partner is Chinese. It does say on their website that you only have to apply for the 'Certificate for Clearance' but nothing about the 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Approval' part, which I thought was strange (that's why I'm posting on here). It may vary or maybe there is no need for the 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Approval' form - my best advice is to contact the Singapore Police Force just to be sure.

How I see the procedure from my eyes is after you have got your letter from your case officer you'll need to contact the Singapore Police Force to obtain a 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Approval Form'. You fill this form out and send in the mail with the letter to the Singapore Police Force. After they contact you back (email with us) they'll send to you the form for the 'Certificate of Clearance'. You fill that form out and send all the relevant documents needed (passport sized photo's, passport copy, fingerprints, etc) in the post mail then wait for them to reply after it's completed for them to send to the Embassy/Consulate.

As I said, I can't say this for everyone - this was just our personal experience.

Hope this answers your question.


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## Coredig (May 31, 2010)

timmy said:


> Dear Coredig,
> 
> Firstly, I should say I can't say 100% this is the same procedure and protocol with everyone else though with our case my partner is Chinese. It does say on their website that you only have to apply for the 'Certificate for Clearance' but nothing about the 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Approval' part, which I thought was strange (that's why I'm posting on here). It may vary or maybe there is no need for the 'Certificate of Clearance Appeal Approval' form - my best advice is to contact the Singapore Police Force just to be sure.
> 
> ...


Thanks Timmy , i will sort out it and Post in this thread later to make everyone useful...Once again thank u a lot..Have a very good time.


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## cdlr71 (May 4, 2011)

Hi! I almost had the same experience with the SPF. They approved my appeal a day after I sent them my appeal letter and the letter from my case officer. On July 2, I went to SPF Cantonment and applied for my COC and was told to contact them a week after July 26 to get the courier details. I gave them a call yesterday and alas, they still havent couriered my COC to the Australian Embassy in Manila . It was only after I called that they posted it out.


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## financepil (Aug 3, 2011)

cdlr71 said:


> Hi! I almost had the same experience with the SPF. They approved my appeal a day after I sent them my appeal letter and the letter from my case officer. On July 2, I went to SPF Cantonment and applied for my COC and was told to contact them a week after July 26 to get the courier details. I gave them a call yesterday and alas, they still havent couriered my COC to the Australian Embassy in Manila . It was only after I called that they posted it out.


So if we are applying for coc in Singapore we don't get to see what is there decision on our Clarence or we do get a copy from Singapore police force??


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## cdlr71 (May 4, 2011)

financepil said:


> So if we are applying for coc in Singapore we don't get to see what is there decision on our Clarence or we do get a copy from Singapore police force??


Unfortunately not. Why? Did you commit a crime? Just kidding


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## financepil (Aug 3, 2011)

I dont thing it comes under crime!! 
I was arrested for fighting lol


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