maintaining and enhancing teaching standards
Overseas Criminal Record Check
Who needs this?
If you have spent 3 months or more in a non UK country over the last 10 years, we will require an overseas police check. This only applies if you have remained in the country for 3 months or more in one single period. An overseas police check is also required for applicants who were born and have lived overseas until adulthood.
What do I need and where do I get it from?
Applicants should obtain an official statement confirming they do not have criminal record proceedings pending. This can be obtained from police or judicial authorities, government departments or their Home Embassy in the country or countries concerned. The police check should cover the entire country, not simply one state or province (e.g. FBI clearance for USA and RCMP clearance for Canada).
It can be easier to obtain clearance whilst you are still in the country concerned. Please note, however, that we can only accept clearance for up to six months from the date of issue and that if you apply for registration more than six months after your clearance has been issued you will be asked by the GTCS to obtain up to date clearance documentation.
The exception to this rule is where an applicant has relocated to the UK before this six month period has expired and not been resident in the country concerned since (i.e. has not lived in that country for a period of more than three months since relocating to the UK).
You may find the following website helpful: www.canadavisa.com
Additional advice for EAR candidates
Important:
You are required to submit your overseas Police clearance with your application form. If you fail to do this you will be given a maximum of 56 days in which to submit this documentation. If you do not submit your documentation within 56 days your application will be closed and destroyed. You will then need to submit a new application form and pay the £60 non-refundable assessment fee again.
It is therefore strongly recommended that, if you are considering submitting your application before you have obtained your overseas Police clearance, you first check with the Police or judicial authorities in the country concerned how long it normally takes for Police clearance documentation to be issued. Authorities in some countries (e.g. USA and Canada) may take several months to issue documentation and we cannot give extensions to allow for this.
- Registration
- Information for Students
- Teachers Qualified Outside Scotland
- Further Education
- Lapsed Registration
- Returning to Teaching
- Registration Fee
- Disclosure Scotland
Overseas Criminal Record Check- Proof of Registration
- Cancelling Registration and Retiring
- Scottish Local Authorities
- Temporary Service Provision
- Curriculum for Excellence
- PVG Scheme
GTC Scotland, Clerwood House, 96 Clermiston Road, Edinburgh EH12 6UT | 0131 314 6000 | gtcs@gtcs.org.uk