Police Clearance Certificate (Skck) To Show Good Conduct In Indonesia
A Police Clearance Certificate (also known as SKCK) is a certificate which is issued by the national police of Indonesia. The certificate is available to expatriates or local Indonesians who require a confirmation of their criminal status. Applicants are not required to reside in Indonesia, the certificate is also available to applications who are no longer residing in Indonesia.
The Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK) is a proof of a person’s criminal record in Indonesia. In case a person has no criminal record and has never been accused for any criminal actions in Indonesia, the police clearance certificate is issued by the national police.
The vast majority of applicants require a Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK) for immigration purposes. Foreign governments often require a proof of police clearance before approving or issuing any residency permit.
Application Procedure
The application procedure consists out of 2 steps:
- The application first needs to obtain a recommendation at the local police office; and
- Based on the recommendation the national police will then issue the Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK);
In case the applicant resides at the moment of application in Indonesia, the fingerprints of the applicants must be taken at the local police office. Our firm typically accompanies clients during this procedure to ensure smooth and fast processing.
In case the applicant resides outside Indonesia the applicant does not need to travel to Indonesia, as personal attendance is not required by the local and national police office. In such case, the fingerprints can be taken at a fingerprint agency, local foreign police office, or notary public, depending on the country of residence. The fingerprints can either be taken on the official form from the Indonesian police or the form provided by the fingerprint authority in the country abroad. Once the fingerprints are taken, the original fingerprint form must then be shipped to Indonesia, so that our firm can process the application at the local and national police office.
Who Qualifies for the Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK)
The Indonesian police has set restrictions to people who can apply for a Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK). The following people qualify:
- All Indonesian citizens; and
- Foreigners who currently reside in Indonesia and posses a work permit and stay permit (ITAS) or who have left Indonesia but previously held a work permit and stay permit (ITAS). Their applications letters must be signed by the (previous) employer who is or was the sponsor of their work permit and stay permit. Foreigners who are currently staying or have stayed in Indonesia using a visa exemption or visit visa (social visa, business visa or visa on arrival) cannot apply for a Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK). This often leads to problems for clients, as they are unable to meet the requirements of foreign immigration authorities. Our firm can assist clients to prepare alternative documentation which is usually accepted by foreign governments in lieu of the police certificate.
Main Reasons of Rejection
The main reasons of rejection of the Police Clearance Certificate application are:
- The applicant is unable to take fingerprints at an agency abroad, or the quality of the fingerprints is not good enough. Without a quality record of the fingerprints of the application the police is unable to confirm the criminal record of the applicant in their database. Hence, they are unable to issue a Police Clearance Certificate.
- The applicant is unable to fulfill the document requirements. This is often the case in case when foreigners resided in Indonesia using a visit visa, where the police requires at minimum the records of a work permit and stay permit (ITAS). Another reason is that the application or the company no longer hold copies of all requested documents due to various reasons.
- The current or former employer of the foreigner is not willing to sign the application letter which are required for the application. The main reasons companies are not willing to sign the application letters are: 1) the employer is afraid that it will be exposed to any legal risks when they sign the letters, 2) the employer and foreigner have ended the employment relationship on bad terms, or 3) the employer has terminated its operations in Indonesia. It should be noted that Indonesian nationals can sign the application letters by themselves, hence no signature from the employers is required for their applications.
Before our firm initiates the application, our lawyers and consultants will scrutinize all documents provided by the client to ensure the application is accepted. In case the applicant is unable to obtain a police clearance certificate, our team will discuss with the client the alternative options available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My Employer is not willing to sign and issue the required application letters, what can I do now?
In certain cases it is possible to use a third party to sponsor the police clearance application. It may also be possible for the foreigner to sign the sponsor letters, in case for instance the company ceased to exist. Our consular team will provide a tailored advice after careful analyzing client’s case.
Q: What is the validity of the police clearance certificate?
The certificate is valid for a period of 6 months. Applications can always apply for a new certificate after the previous one is expired. The application of a new certificate does not require the finger prints of the applicant anymore as these are already recorded by the police during the first application.
Q: Am I required to legalize the police clearance certificate at the embassy of my country?
Most countries do not require the certificate to be legalized. However some countries do require such legalization. Therefore please confirm with the authority requesting the police clearance whether or not they require such legalization.
