Criminal history checks

Australian criminal history check

When you apply for registration or permission to teach, the QCT requests an Australian criminal history check from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) or a Blue Card verification from the relevant agency if you hold a current Queensland Blue Card.

The fee for the criminal history check or Blue Card verification is included in your general application fee. If the blue card agency advise us further screening is required you will need to pay a QPS fee before we can continue to process your application.

Overseas criminal history check

If you have lived overseas for twelve months or longer during the past ten years you will need to provide a national police record check from the relevant country/ies.

The check/s must:

• cover the whole time you lived in the country
• be issued by the national police service of the country
• include screening for working with vulnerable persons. 

As it often takes some time to receive an overseas check you should apply early. 

If you have applied for an overseas check but have not received it by the time you apply to the QCT, you should supply us with:

• evidence of your application, and
• a statutory declaration that states:
  • whether or not you have been charged or convicted of any criminal offence in the country
  • the date you applied for the police record check
  • that you will post a certified copy to the QCT when you receive the check.

A statutory declaration form will be attached to the email you receive on submission of your online application.  Statutory declaration forms are also available on our website.

Procedures and costs for obtaining checks vary between countries. Contact the local embassy for the relevant country for more details. You can also find information on the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.