Police Clearance Certificates — Sorted.
Need a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate for emigration, a foreign work permit, or studying abroad? We collect your fingerprints, lodge the application at the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria, and courier the certificate back to you — in as little as 5 working days.
What Is a Police Clearance Certificate?
A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is an official record of your convictions, issued by the Criminal Record Centre of the South African Police Services (SAPS).
This document verifies your current criminal status for immigration, visa or foreign employment purposes, proving you're of sound character and not deemed undesirable under the law of the host country. For a full walkthrough, read our guide to getting a police clearance certificate in South Africa.
At One Visa World, we facilitate the expedited PCC service for South Africans whether you're locally based or living abroad, with most certificates completed within seven working days. A PCC is often just one part of a larger application, see our full visa services in South Africa.
When You'll Need a PCC
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Emigrating OverseasRequired by most receiving countries
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Permanent Foreign ResidencyStandard requirement for residency visas
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Foreign Work PermitsFor Saudi, UAE, UK, USA & beyond
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Certain Visa ApplicationsCountry and visa-type specific
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Studying AbroadRequired by many universities globally
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Regulated OccupationsHealthcare, legal, finance & security roles
Fingerprints to Certificate In 4 Simple Steps.
South African Police Clearance Certificates are processed exclusively at the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria. Here's exactly how we get yours sorted — from collection to courier — in as little as 5 working days.
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01
Submit Documents
Send us your full set of fingerprints, completed fingerprint form, and a clear copy of your ID or passport.
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02
Lodge at SAPS Pretoria
We lodge your application at the Criminal Record Centre. Your fingerprints and ID number are loaded onto the SAPS system.
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03
SAPS Verification
SAPS uses your fingerprints and ID number to verify whether you have any criminal record on file.
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04
Certificate Couriered
Once issued, we collect your PCC and courier it directly to your door — anywhere in South Africa or abroad.
What We'll Need From You
- A full set of fingerprints
- Completed fingerprint form including your full name, surname, date of birth, place of birth and ID number
- Good quality copy of your ID or passport
- Client form
- Application for Police Clearance (one per applicant)
- Fingerprint Form SAPS (when necessary)
How Long Does It Take?
- We collect, deliver & expedite Police Clearance Certificates
- Progress reports on request — unlimited feedback
- Express turnaround available at additional cost
Police Clearance (PCC) FAQs
What is a PCC?
A PCC, or Police Clearance Certificate, is an official document issued by the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirming whether or not you have a criminal record in South Africa. It is produced by the SAPS Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria, based on your fingerprints, and is commonly required for work visas, permanent residence, emigration, overseas employment and adoption.
How long does a police clearance certificate take in South Africa?
SAPS lists a target of around 15 working days, but in practice a PCC usually takes 6 to 8 weeks, and can take 3 to 6 months when the Criminal Record Centre is dealing with a backlog. Applying early matters if you have a fixed visa or travel deadline. As part of our service, we prepare, submit and follow up on your application to help avoid the delays and rejections that catch out DIY applicants.
How long is a PCC valid for?
A South African police clearance certificate is generally treated as valid for 6 months from the date of issue. This is a convention applied by embassies and employers rather than a fixed SAPS rule, so always check the specific requirement of the organisation asking for it. Some embassies want a certificate issued within the last 3 months.
Can I get a police clearance certificate online instantly?
No. A genuine SAPS police clearance certificate always requires your fingerprints and a search of the Criminal Record Centre database, so it cannot be generated instantly online. Be cautious of any site offering an "instant online PCC". You can start your application online with us, but the certificate itself is issued by SAPS after the record check is complete.
Start Your Visa Application Today.
Here's exactly what you'll need to get started — and how long each type of visa typically takes to process through One Visa World.
What You'll Need
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Valid SA Passport Valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank pages.
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Recent Passport Photo Plus a completed application form (we'll provide the right one).
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Travel Itinerary Flights and hotel bookings — or a company invitation for business travel.
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Supporting Documents Proof of funds and employment letter where applicable.
Specific countries may require additional documents — our consultants will guide you.
Processing Times
Standard processing for tourism and leisure visas. Most South African travellers receive their approved visa within 2 to 5 business days.
Express transit visa turnaround for short stopovers. Ideal for travellers with tight connections through visa-required destinations.
Business and commercial visas processed in 3 to 7 business days — with corporate accounts and group submissions available for regular travellers.
Work and employment visas including document preparation, attestations, and embassy submission. Our team handles the entire end-to-end process.
Ready to begin? Our experts are standing by.
Let's Get Your Visa Sorted.
Tell us where you're going and we'll handle the rest. Our team responds within one business hour during office hours — or chat with us right now on WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp +27 68 421 1803 · Reply in minutes
- Rivonia, Johannesburg +27 11 568 0834
- Cape Town +27 21 427 9028
- Email Us reception@onevisaworld.com
Not limited to specific countries — we assist with visas for all destinations worldwide.