You may have heard of National Police Checks or been asked to apply for this type of check in a previous job.

There are two major differences between an AFP Police Check and a National Police Check: where the information comes from; what ID is needed; and the security of the checking process.

• AFP Police Checks are provided by the Australian Federal Police.
• The checks detail all of an applicant’s disclosable court outcomes and pending charges.
• This information is taken from the databases of all Australian police jurisdictions.
• 100 points of ID are required.
• National Police Checks are provided by the Australian Crime Intelligence Commission (ACIC): Australia’s national crime intelligence agency.
• The ACIC coordinates checks from a “Persons of Interest” database.
• The checks detail all of an applicant’s disclosable court outcomes and pending charges.
• This information is taken from the databases of all Australian police jurisdictions.
• Applicants need to provide a four ID documents (with a photo ID included).

AFP Police Checks use a specific secure platform for processing and are printed on a special type of heat-sensitive paper with design elements that cannot be forged or replicated. National Police Checks unfortunately can be copied and tampered with.

For these reasons AFP checks are seen as more reliable than National Police Checks, and are used solely by the Department of Home Affairs for migration purposes.

Why should I get use Rapid Screening to get my AFP Police Check?

At Rapid Screening we take all our pre-employment screening services seriously. We use your information responsibly and utilise the same secure online technology as the AFP themselves, which also means we turn police checks around rapidly.

You can trust Rapid Screening to deliver a safe, confidential and responsive service for AFP Police Checks, and all your other pre-employment verification requirements.

Rapid Screening do not provide fingerprint checks. Some employers still require fingerprint checks where there is a legal or regulatory requirement, for example in the security industry. While the Australian Federal Police no longer provide fingerprint checks, your local police station may provide this service.

Rapid Screening offers the security of obtaining your AFP Police Check through a safe online platform, and the convenience of receiving your original paper certificate through secure Australia Post mail. A certified AFP Police Check costs $62.90 (GST inclusive), which includes postage costs.

Rapid Screening accepts the following payment methods: Visa, Mastercard and Amex. Payment is made at submission.

Your AFP Police Check will remain valid for twelve months from its issue date.

Within that twelve months, if you move to work with another employer that requires an AFP Police Check, you may be required to obtain a new check.

Otherwise, after the twelve-month period you will need your check renewed. Rapid Screening will be pleased to assist you with this process.

Your hard copy (secure paper) AFP Police Check certificate will be sent to you via Australia Post mail. It will be sent to the postal address that you supply to Rapid Screening.

Rapid Screening would love to be able to help. But our secure platform and streamlined processing system is already working as hard as it can!

When you think about the large number of applications processed by the AFP and its vetting agencies, it’s comforting that 75-80% of applications are processed within 5 business days.

Rapid Screening recommends that individuals allow for 10-25 business days’ processing time in case further or manual checks are necessary. However, it is important to factor in police check turnaround times when you are applying for any job that may require these.

Rapid Screening uses technology that aims for a quick response.

• After you submit your AFP Police Check application, your check will be processed and finalised within 10-25 business days. However, most of the time checks are processed earlier, within 5 business days.
• Your hard copy (secure paper) certificate will be mailed to you on the same day it is finalised.
• You will receive it within normal mail delivery times. Postal delivery may take longer if you live in a regional or remote area.
• Please be reassured that these timeframes are normal and there is no cause for concern.

It is important to factor in turnaround times if you need your AFP Police Check to be submitted before you start a new job. For people with disclosable outcomes, there will be longer turnaround times as more investigation is required by vetting agencies. If you have any concerns throughout the process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Rapid Screening.

To apply for an AFP Police Check, you need to supply 100 points of identification. Different types of identification documents, like passports and Medicare cards, have different “points” (number values up to 100) assigned to them by government agencies.

For an AFP Police Check, you need to submit ID documents that add up to 100 points. This consists of:

• At least ONE primary document: e.g. a passport or full birth certificate (both worth 70 points) or Australian driver’s licence or Government employee ID Card (each worth 40 points)
• Secondary documents that bring your total identification to 100 points (e.g. Centrelink card, Medicare card, bank statement. Points for these documents range from 20 – 40, depending on the type of document).

The Australian Federal Police list options for the full 100 points of AFP Police Check identification on its website, and clearly specifies the amount of points that counts towards each ID document.

If you don’t have the full 100 points of identification or can’t locate the right documents, please contact Rapid Screening to discuss your options.

Step 1: Fill Out The Online AFP Police Check Application Form

• Before you complete the AFP Police Check online application form, have all the information you need in front of you. Preview the form first to see what the information you need, such as your residential history for the past ten years (street names and suburbs); and any previous names you have been known by.
• Scan the identification documents you will use to verify your identity, so that you can upload them along with your application form (e.g. passport, Medicare care – see FAQs above). You can use a scanner or a mobile scanning app for this step. Make sure the ID documents add up to 100 points.

Step 2: Attach Your Identification Documents to the Application

• After scanning your ID documents, upload them onto the application by following the onscreen prompts.

Step 3: Click Submit

• Take the time to go over your application or ask a friend or family member to review it. Errors or incomplete fields will delay processing.
• Once you have clicked “Submit” on your application, you will receive a record of your submission. Please keep this for tracking purposes.

Applying for a AFP Police Check with Rapid Screening is simple. [Apply Now]. Our online process is straightforward and takes only five minutes of your time.

Follow these steps for a safe, uncomplicated AFP Police Check application process. If you have any questions, contact the Rapid Screening team for friendly support and advice.

If an employer or potential employer asks you to apply for an AFP Police Check, it may be a condition of your employment to provide one.

Employers need to manage risk in their workplace. There is legislation protecting the rights of people with criminal convictions to fair procedure in the workplace. People requiring AFP checks include those working in:

• Roles where they support vulnerable people (e.g. in aged care, childcare)
• Commonwealth government positions that may involve access to secure and confidential information
• Fields requiring occupation-related licensing or registration (e.g. registered nurses)
• Volunteer workers in positions of trust.

An AFP Police Check is also required for visa, migration and overseas employment purposes.

The purpose of an AFP Police Check is not to go on a “witch-hunt”. It is to give employers information so they can assess whether people have serious criminal offences in their past that may prevent them from discharging their employment ethically and responsibly.

Employers use their judgement in evaluating the information provided in a police check, along with other material gathered during the employment verification process.

The AFP Police Check includes:

• All of an individual’s disclosable court outcomes obtained from all state, territory and national Australian police jurisdictions.
• All pending charges.

A disclosable court outcome is simply a record of a conviction or other outcome made in a criminal court. Provisions such as spent convictions and non-disclosure legislation may be applied by the police agencies that vet the information.

Pending charges are criminal charges that have not yet resulted in an appearance in court.

Your AFP check will result in either

• No Disclosable Court Outcomes: there is no police history information held by jurisdictions, or that can be released by a jurisdiction.
• Disclosable Court Outcomes: the individual has police history information, which will be identified on the AFP Police Check Certificate.
• This may include court convictions; findings of guilt without a conviction; court appearances (including those resulting in a good behaviour bond or other court order); criminal charges; pending charges that have not gone to court yet; and/ or traffic history.

The AFP Police Check is the highest level of police check available in Australia. It gives a comprehensive overview of an applicant’s criminal history, including previous convictions and pending charges.

The AFP Police Check provides employers information that helps them assess the risks of hiring people, particularly if they work with vulnerable groups like children, or in regulated industries like banking.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs will Only accept an AFP Police Check for migration purposes, including migration related to employment.