On application for teacher registration, renewal of registration, or a special authority to teach, all applicants must provide a national overseas criminal history record check (OCHRC) if they have resided in any country other than Australia for more than 12 continuous months.

If you have resided in any country other than Australia for more than 12 continuous months during the past 10 years when over 18 years of age, you will need to provide original or certified copies of a national overseas criminal history record check from those countries. The check must have been issued within the last 12 months.

Please note: any national overseas criminal history record checks must reflect all names by which you have ever been known.

If you submit your original certificate the Board is unable to return it to you.

Certifying your documents

The documents of a teacher who resides overseas can be certified and linked by an Australian consular or diplomatic officer who holds one of the following positions:

  • Consul-General, Consul, Vice-Consul, Trade Representative, Consular Agent, Ambassador, High Commissioner, Minister, Head of a Mission, Commissioner, Charge d'Affaires, Counsellor, Secretary or Attaché at an Embassy, High Commissioner's office, Legation or similar.
  • Certification by a Notary public is also acceptable.

The Board will only accept a national overseas criminal history record check which has been issued as per the following:

Some countries require an applicant for a criminal history check to provide a letter of support from a requesting organisation or the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). In these circumstances, applicants may request a letter of support from the Teachers Registration Board. Please complete a request form and email it to info@trb.sa.edu.au .

Countries that may require a letter of support include Austria, Bermuda, Curacao, Cyprus, East Timor, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Singapore, United Kingdom, Thailand, Venezuela and Yemen.

If fingerprints are required, applicants should refer to specific instructions provided by the issuing country. In many cases, the instructions may advise applicants to contact their local police service.

** Important note **

Some countries may take several weeks or months to process an application for a criminal history record check and/or require applications to be made in person in that country.  Intending applicants are therefore advised to apply for such checks well in advance of lodging an application for teacher registration. Applicants are further advised to retain evidence of their application for a criminal history record check (e.g. copy of application, fingerprints, registered post receipts, bank drafts, etc.)

To avoid unnecessary personal costs and inconvenience, please ensure you meet all requirements for teacher registration before making an application for a national criminal history check from overseas

If you have any issues in meeting the above requirements please contact the staff of the Registration Unit by email at info@trb.sa.edu.au or by phone on +61 8 8253 9700.