Police Certificate

2025/10/2

⚠️IMPORTANT NOTICE⚠️ Introducing Online Appointment System for Police Certificate and Other Services

You must make an online appointment in advance for
consular services. 

Please click here for details. 


An online appointment is NOT required
to collect the fingerprinting form or to pick up your Police Certificate

How to Apply

Please obtain a "Fingerprint Form" from the Consulate office in advance and have your fingerprints collected at the NZ Fingerprinting Service or the NZ Police (if you live in areas other than Auckland)

⚠️An online appointment is NOT required to collect the fingerprinting form⚠️ 
 

Description Police Certificates from the Japanese National Police Agency are issued only when requested by certain authorities as required by law.  The police certificates are written in Japanese, English, French, German and Spanish.
Who can apply If you reside within our area of jurisdiction (Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty regions or Ruapehu District), you can apply at the Consulate-General of Japan in Auckland.
 
If you reside outside of these areas, please contact either the Embassy of Japan in Wellington, or Consular Office of Japan in Christchurch.  Should you still wish to apply in Auckland for some special reason, please contact us to make an arrangement in advance.  In some cases we may not be able to process your application.  Please note that you will be asked to have your fingerprints taken at NZ Post or local police.

*Applications should be made in person (we cannot accept applications by another person on the applicant's behalf)
 
How to apply
STEP 1
Collect the original designated fingerprint form 
 
OPTION 1: Collect the form from our office
Please come in anytime between 09:00-12:00 or 13:00-15:30  (Monday to Friday)  *No appointment required* 
Please check the list of office holidays before your visit

OPTION 2: Receive the form by post
You can send us a self-addressed postage paid A4 size envelope.
Please make sure to include a note indicating that the envelope is for the police certificate application.

POSTAL ADDRESS
Consulate-General of Japan in Auckand
Att: Police Certificate
PO Box 3959 Auckland 1140


STEP 2
Have your fingerprints taken at one of the designated offices listed below 

Auckland Area
New Zealand Fingerprinting Service 
NZ Post Dominion Road
NZ Post & Paper Plus Sunnynook

Other Area
New Zealand Fingerprinting Service (Whangarei, Hamilton, Tauranga) 
Local Police Station 


STEP 3
Submit your application 
Once you have fingerprints taken, visit the office and bring all the required documents after making an appointment  here 
Required
Documentation 
  1. Application Form 
  2. Valid passport (Original passport must be presented)
  3. Fingerprint Form
  4. *Documents verifying the reason for applying for the police certificate                                                

If the reason is any of the following, you can skip this #4* documentaiton             

  • In order to apply for any type of New Zealand visa 
  • In order to apply for a New Zealand Firearms Licence
  • For the purpose of teacher's registration in New Zealand
  • For the purpose of nurse's resistration in New Zealand
  • For the purpose of midwife's registration in New Zealand
  • For P Endorsement (Driver License)  

For any other purposes- please contact us  or leave the section blank
Processing time Approximately 2 months to 3 months
Please allow plenty of leeway as we do not provide express service
How to Collect your Police Certificate
No appointment is required
to collect your Police Certificate
  • We will send you email notification once it arrives from Japan
  • If you would like your Police Certificate to be posted to you, please provide a self-addressed, pre-paid courier envelope (recommended to purchase a tracked postage option) and complete and sign the “Release of Liability/Pledge”
  • Please let us know if you are unable to come yourself or if you wish to receive your Police Certificate at another Japanese Embassy/Consulate or at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Fee Free  (Fingerprinting at the NZ Fingerprinting Service will incur some cost)
Notes
  1. The National Police Agency in Japan deal with a large number of applications from around the world and applications usually take around 2 to 3 months to be processed
  2. We are unable to answer any questions about its progress once it is in Japan
  3. Depending on the reason / purpose of your application, additional documents may be required
 

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