Partner visa police checks: the rule people get wrong

Police clearances sound simple and catch people out constantly.

The actual requirement

You generally need a police clearance from every country you've spent 12 months or more in, in total, over the last 10 years (since you turned 16) — not just where you live now.

The key word is cumulative: several shorter stays in the same country that add up to 12 months can trigger the requirement, even if no single stay was that long.

They expire

Police certificates are generally valid for about 12 months. That creates a timing problem people don't expect:

• Get them too early and they can lapse before a decision is made.
• If a certificate expires and you've since returned to that country, you may need a fresh one with a new issue date.

What to do

Map out every country you've lived in for 12+ months in the last decade, note how each clearance is obtained (some take weeks), and time them so they're still valid when your application is being decided.

Takeaway: It's every country you've lived in for 12+ months cumulatively — and the clock is ticking the day each certificate is issued.

General information only — not migration or legal advice. Always check current requirements at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. ProofOfUs is a self-help organising tool, not a registered migration agent.