Vetting - FAQs

Is my agency already registered with the New Zealand Police Vetting Service?

Please complete the ‘contact us submission form’.

How do I register my agency with the New Zealand Police Vetting Service?

Using your personal RealMe account, follow the steps outlined in 'Register for New Zealand Police vetting'.

I have registered with RealMe and submitted a request to become an approved agency; what happens next?

If your agency is approved to use the New Zealand Police Vetting Service, you will be sent a Police ID and Activation Code via email along with further instructions. This may take up to five working days.

What is an Agency Code and how do I get one?

This is a unique identifier number given to an agency when it is approved to use the New Zealand Police Vetting Service.

Can every user use the same RealMe username and password?

No, each user must have their own RealMe account and this cannot be shared with other individuals under any circumstances.

 

My colleague is getting all the email notifications, how can I get them as well?

We require one primary contact email address, however, you can apply to receive all email notifications as well.  To do this please contact queryme@police.govt.nz. It is not possible to only receive notifications for the requests that you submitted yourself.

What is the batch and reference field?

This is for your internal office use. Please refer to the Vetting User Guide.

How often should I vet my staff?

Police do not determine the interval for re-vetting – it is up to the approved agency to determine this based on their own policy and relevant legislation.

What is the minimum age a person can be vetted?

The New Zealand Police Vetting Service will only accept vetting requests for individuals aged ten years and older.

What role should I list on the Request and Consent form, and submit into the vetting system?

The role that best describes the duties of the person being vetted. For more information refer to the Consent Form User Guide.

Does the applicant have to sign the Request and Consent form?

Yes, the Request and Consent form must be signed physically or electronically.

How long do agencies keep the signed Request and Consent forms for?

Please keep the form until its intended purpose has been completed, i.e. vetting process, employment decision, internal or external audit, as we may request a scanned copy of this form as part of the vetting process. You may keep a Request and Consent form in secure storage for a period no longer than twelve months, unless a longer retention period is required under legislation. 

What forms of identity are acceptable as proof of identity?

The New Zealand Police Vetting Service require the agency to check all details provided for an applicant against at least two forms of identity documents.  At least one form must be photographic ID (e.g. Passport, Firearms Licence).

For further details, including a list of acceptable identity documents, please refer to the Consent Form User Guide.

Can I ask for my vet to be prioritised?

It is not possible for vetting applications to be prioritised. We complete most applications within 20 working days.

What does it mean when a vetting request is ‘Under Review’?

When readily available New Zealand Police held information is insufficient to make a decision on whether it is relevant to the role the applicant is being vetted for, or sufficiently substantiated to justify release to the requesting agency the application will be put ‘Under Review’. This may occur for a number of reasons, for example; it relates to historic information that needs to be corroborated by requesting and reviewing an investigation file, escalating the vetting request through an internal review process because of the sensitivity of the content or a current investigation that the applicant is unaware of and should not be alerted to. Alternately it may be that the detail available is ambiguous and turns out not to be relevant in any way to the applicant or the role they are seeking, so should not be considered in any way for vetting purposes, e.g. allegation of an offence that was proven to be malicious.

The risk of not seeking and appropriately reviewing further detail is that there may be a failure to disclose information that should be released, which puts a child or vulnerable person at risk, or, conversely, that incorrect information about an applicant is prematurely released which breaches their privacy and damages their chance of being engaged by the agency. Therefore, where a vetting result is held back because of this process it should not be taken as negative reflection on an applicant while the review process is being completed. This process may take longer than the service level agreement and cannot be responded to in any detail.

 

How do I check the results?

Login to where you submitted the request and look for the applicant’s name. If there is a vetting result, a ‘Download Result’ button will show on the right-hand side of the screen.

If a request was released with no results then the request status will show as ‘released’ and no ‘Download Result’ button will appear.

What does the wording 'released' mean?

The vetting check is completed. Refer to the Vetting User Guide.

What does 'released with results' mean?

If you receive an email stating that a request has been ‘released with results’ this means that there is a vetting result available for download from the vetting website.

How long does it take to get the results?

We complete most applications within 20 working days.

Can we show the applicant their results?

Yes, the applicant is entitled to see and request a copy of their own results and the New Zealand Police Vetting Service encourage the agency to discuss the results with the applicant.

Can I print a copy of this result? Can we file the results?

Yes, you may print vetting results as long as they are kept in secure storage and are securely destroyed within twelve months following receipt of the result, unless a longer retention period is required under legislation.

How long do the results stay on the website?

Vetting results will remain available to download on the website for two months after the vetting request is completed.

My results have disappeared from the website how do I get them back?

They are not recoverable. You will need to submit a new vetting request with the applicant's consent.

How long is a vetting result valid for?

The New Zealand Police Vetting Service can only guarantee a vetting result as accurate at the time it is released to an approved agency.  It is an approved agency’s business decision as to how often they require New Zealand Police vetting.

What do I do if I (as the agency) believe that the results are not correct?

Email the name of your agency, application ID, full name of the person vetted, date of birth, the date the vetting check was submitted, and a description of the issue to qa.vetting@police.govt.nz.

What does the applicant do if they believe that the results are not correct?

The applicant needs to email the name of the agency, their full name, date of birth, the date the vetting check was submitted, and a description of the issue to qa.vetting@police.govt.nz.

What information may be disclosed in a vetting result?

Any information that is held by New Zealand Police, including any interaction with New Zealand Police in any context or any information received by New Zealand Police may be disclosed if deemed relevant. This is not limited to conviction information. For more information please see the Consent Form User Guide.

 

Can I get myself Police vetted?

No, the New Zealand Police Vetting Service is only available to approved agencies. If you require a copy of your criminal conviction history please contact the Ministry of Justice.

How do I request information under the Official Information Act or Privacy Act?

If you are an agency requesting information about a third party please complete the form for a request under the Official Information Act. If you are an individual wanting information about yourself please complete the form for a request under the Privacy Act.

How do I get a 'New Zealand Police clearance certificate'?

There is no such thing as a New Zealand Police clearance certificate.  If you want a copy of your criminal conviction history you may contact the Ministry of Justice.

 

What internet browsers are supported for use of the Police Vetting Website?

Internet Explorer version 9 or later, or Google Chrome version 22 or later. Please ensure cookies and Javascript are also enabled.

If you are experiencing access errors as an Internet Explorer 11 user you need to add www.police.govt.nz to the IE11 Compatibility View list. Please see the Microsoft website for instructions on how to do this.

What do I do if I get a first time registration page when I login with RealMe?

If you have not received a Police ID and activation code or have previously been able to access the vetting website please contact queryme@police.govt.nz.

Is there a User Guide for the system?

Yes, this is supplied when an agency is registered to use the New Zealand Police Vetting Service and is available on the website once logged in via RealMe. Refer to the Vetting User Guide for further information.

 

What is the difference between Police vetting and Ministry of Justice criminal record check?

Police provide a vetting service for approved agencies that provide care to children, older people and vulnerable members of society in New Zealand. Agencies wanting to be approved as users of the New Zealand Police Vetting Service should refer to New Zealand Police Vetting Service registration.

A Police vetting result may include any information held by New Zealand Police whereas a Ministry of Justice criminal record check will only contain conviction history.

I am a contractor who does work in many different schools – can I apply to become an approved agency?

No, a contractor agency does not meet New Zealand Police Vetting Service criteria to become an approved agency.  Under the Education and Training Act 2020 it is the responsibility of the school to vet any persons who will be on school grounds during business hours. Please refer to the Ministry of Education for further information.

Can I share my vetting result with multiple agencies?

No, vetting results should not be shared with multiple agencies because the New Zealand Police Vetting Service cannot guarantee the integrity of the information if it is passed on in an insecure manner.  Information released in a vetting result may also vary depending on the purpose of the vetting request.

Is my organisation required to submit vetting requests under the Children's Act 2014?

The New Zealand Police Vetting Service cannot provide any legal advice.  Please see the Children's Act 2014 or Oranga Tamariki–Ministry for Children.

How do I know if a request should be core or non-core children’s worker?

The New Zealand Police Vetting Service cannot provide any legal advice.  Please see the Children's Act 2014 or Oranga Tamariki–Ministry for Children.