When it is required to get a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) from South Africa while living in India, it may appear like a quite tedious process. To a certain extent, it always remains a challenging task; nevertheless, if organized properly and with minimum stress, the steps will be easily done. This blog will therefore present an overview of the general procedures to be followed in the process of acquiring PCC, the advantages of using a private authorized agency.
What is a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)?
A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is a legal certificate that is issued from the issuing police department of the country. This affirms that the applicant has no criminal record or includes no criminality during his/her stay in that country. A PCC is mostly called for occasions like immigration, employment or studying in another country.
Guidelines in Applying for PCC from South Africa While in India
Although the process may vary slightly based on individual circumstances, the following are the general steps to obtain a police clearance certificate from South Africa:
Prepare Required Documents
You will need the following documents:
- Application form of PCC which is fully filled.
- Official copies of your passport consisting of the page containing the personal information and the visas and/or entry/exit stamps mentioning South Africa.
- Original clear fingerprints rolled taken from the official fingerprint form.
- An initial letter, explaining the rationale of the PCC request.
Fingerprinting
It should be noted that use of fingerprints is an important stage of an application. You must fingerprint yourselves at a place that is accredited to do so. This can preferably be done at nearby police stations or professional fingerprinting service centers across the country of India.
How to Apply at the South African Police Service (SAPS)
After having compiled all these documents having obtained a fingerprints clearance at the SAPS you need to submit your application. This step may mean posting your application to the SAPS Criminal Records and Crime Scene Management division in Pretoria, South Africa.
Pay the Application Fee
The application fee should also be paid according to the SAPS recommended means which include making bank transfers among others.
Track and Receive Your PCC
The time taken to process PCC after submission also differs between a few weeks to two months at most. SAPS provides contact details where one can monitor the progress of their applications. After going through the process, the PCC will be forwarded to the given address in your application.
Difficulties Encountered in the PCC Application
Applying for a Police Clearance Certificate South Africa in India can present several challenges, including:
Document Authentication: The fact that documents need to be according to the South African standard can sometimes be a challenge.
Fingerprinting Issues: Failure to fill in the fingerprint forms fully or providing wrong information may result in a rejection or postponement of a case.
Communication Gaps: Sourcing from SAPS in India is relatively slow, due to the long time needed to coordinate with the organization.
Postal Delays: International mailing introduces an extra dimension of risks and time consumption.
Why Should One Choose a Private Authorized Agency?
In order to avoid the difficulties of filling PCC applications, most people prefer to approach a private authorized agency. Here’s why:
Expert Guidance
The professional agencies have a lot of experience that they can offer in processing the PCC application. They check whether your documents are correct, comprehensive and fulfill the South African standard to help minimize inaccuracies.
Organized Methods of Fingerprinting
Many times official’s agencies are capable of providing efficient fingerprinting services. Their trained personnel guarantee that your fingerprints are taken and are in the right format.
Hassle-Free Communication
Such agencies assist you in handling your communication with the South African authorities for convenience.
Time-Saving
As professionals, private agencies are capable of putting a fast and efficient application process into place. It reduces the worry of forwarding and backward motion that is characteristic of applications with complications.
Convenience
Some of the functions include arrangement of documents and delivery services hence leaving you with other important responsibilities.
Error-Free Process
Professional agencies minimize mistakes, which are usually associated with self-handled applications. This leads to reducing time that is spent on a particular step than before and is consequently followed by enhanced flow of the process.
Customer Support
A lot of agencies can offer the client constant monitoring, informational support during the whole process, which is also very helpful.
Conclusion
Thus applying for a PCC from South Africa while you are in India should not be stressful. Despite this, the whole process of working may be quickened with forming a list of documents to have, as well as knowledge of the steps to make. However, if you desire to be relieved from all these stresses, you can hire those agencies of attorneys who are private and possess authorized agency. With their help you can avoid time-consuming searches, be less worrisome and have the guarantee of correct applications.
Through the appropriate selection of strategy, the PCC will be in your hands soon, which is important for further personal or career development.
