How a certificate of good conduct can be obtained
Apr 23, 2003
Jacqueline flew to the United Kingdom with the ambition of acquiring higher education and to do some work to sustain herself and send money home.
Crime Watch by John Kamya
Jacqueline flew to the United Kingdom with the ambition of acquiring higher education and to do some work to sustain herself and send money home.
However, before admission in a London University, the admission office asked her for a certificate of good conduct.
It was the first time she had ever heard of that document. Because she did not have it, she gave up the study thing and hoped to concentrate on looking for a job. However, whenever she went for a job interview, she was asked for the same certificate. Because she did not know what to do, Jacqueline had to fly back to Kampala to get this certificate!
It is increasingly becoming a general practice for countries abroad to demand a certificate of good conduct from any foreigner before dealing with them in any way. Some countries refer to it as a certificate of good citizenship, while others call it a criminal record certificate.
A few years ago, some countries demanded this kind of document only when one was seeking immigration or citizenship status. However, after the September 11 terrorist incident, most countries demand for this document for most kinds of visits, even short ones.
What then is this certificate of good conduct? It is a document issued by your country’s Police indicating whether you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence.
Before one sets to undertake any studies, seek employment, immigration status or do business in another country, that country will want to establish whether the person they are dealing with is not a criminal.
“Unfortunately for now, it has become almost mandatory to have this document if going to another country. It is not easy to go to EU countries or the US without it. Now even some African countries such as Morocco, Ethiopia and South Africa are insisting on it,†Remarked a senior Interpol official who preferred anonymity.
The official said that most local employers in Uganda today require new employees to have this certificate before taking up new jobs. However, the practice has showed that in some foreign missions, not every body is asked to produce the certificate of good conduct.
Two visa applicants may submmit their application papers and one asked to produce the certificate while the other is not. However, on the US Embassy website, it is indicated as one of the requirement for getting a visa.
It is not very difficult to acquire a certificate of good conduct. All one has to do is to make a formal application to the Director of Criminal Investigations Department; attention Interpol. The application should state the purpose for which one wants the certificate, stating which country one is going to in case of going abroad. This should be accompanied with photocopies of identification papers or travel documents, especially those pages of the passport that contain some information about the applicant.
This will depend on the series of passport books one possesses, for example, page 1-6 and 61-63 on the ‘B’ series passports, plus any previous visa information that may be relevant. Two passport photos of the applicant are also required. There is a fee of sh12,000 to be paid.
However, with the new regulations on appropriation in aid, modalities are being worked out to determine in which office this fee will be paid. The applicant is also required to submit his or her fingerprints to Interpol. These may be obtained from the applicant at any Police station or at the CID headquarters.
It is these finger prints that will be submitted to Police Headquarters Identification Bureau where they will be cross-checked with the criminal records: “We classify the fingerprints into the appropriate group, search, and write to Interpol of the results,†says Rukiya Nabirye, acting Chief of the Identification Bureau. If there is a criminal record found, the details are indicated accordingly.
However, even when one is already out of the country, he or she can acquire this certificate without necessarily coming back to Uganda. All you have to do is to go to the nearest police station in the new country and have your fingerprints taken.
Together with the application and the other details spelt out, the papers will be sent to Kampala for the process and the certificate will be mailed to you. The Ugandan embassies abroad can also do the processing for you.
Next time you travel, avoid any possible inconveniences by obtaining the certificate of good conduct in time.
Jacqueline flew to the United Kingdom with the ambition of acquiring higher education and to do some work to sustain herself and send money home.
However, before admission in a London University, the admission office asked her for a certificate of good conduct.
It was the first time she had ever heard of that document. Because she did not have it, she gave up the study thing and hoped to concentrate on looking for a job. However, whenever she went for a job interview, she was asked for the same certificate. Because she did not know what to do, Jacqueline had to fly back to Kampala to get this certificate!
It is increasingly becoming a general practice for countries abroad to demand a certificate of good conduct from any foreigner before dealing with them in any way. Some countries refer to it as a certificate of good citizenship, while others call it a criminal record certificate.
A few years ago, some countries demanded this kind of document only when one was seeking immigration or citizenship status. However, after the September 11 terrorist incident, most countries demand for this document for most kinds of visits, even short ones.
What then is this certificate of good conduct? It is a document issued by your country’s Police indicating whether you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence.
Before one sets to undertake any studies, seek employment, immigration status or do business in another country, that country will want to establish whether the person they are dealing with is not a criminal.
“Unfortunately for now, it has become almost mandatory to have this document if going to another country. It is not easy to go to EU countries or the US without it. Now even some African countries such as Morocco, Ethiopia and South Africa are insisting on it,†Remarked a senior Interpol official who preferred anonymity.
The official said that most local employers in Uganda today require new employees to have this certificate before taking up new jobs. However, the practice has showed that in some foreign missions, not every body is asked to produce the certificate of good conduct.
Two visa applicants may submmit their application papers and one asked to produce the certificate while the other is not. However, on the US Embassy website, it is indicated as one of the requirement for getting a visa.
It is not very difficult to acquire a certificate of good conduct. All one has to do is to make a formal application to the Director of Criminal Investigations Department; attention Interpol. The application should state the purpose for which one wants the certificate, stating which country one is going to in case of going abroad. This should be accompanied with photocopies of identification papers or travel documents, especially those pages of the passport that contain some information about the applicant.
This will depend on the series of passport books one possesses, for example, page 1-6 and 61-63 on the ‘B’ series passports, plus any previous visa information that may be relevant. Two passport photos of the applicant are also required. There is a fee of sh12,000 to be paid.
However, with the new regulations on appropriation in aid, modalities are being worked out to determine in which office this fee will be paid. The applicant is also required to submit his or her fingerprints to Interpol. These may be obtained from the applicant at any Police station or at the CID headquarters.
It is these finger prints that will be submitted to Police Headquarters Identification Bureau where they will be cross-checked with the criminal records: “We classify the fingerprints into the appropriate group, search, and write to Interpol of the results,†says Rukiya Nabirye, acting Chief of the Identification Bureau. If there is a criminal record found, the details are indicated accordingly.
However, even when one is already out of the country, he or she can acquire this certificate without necessarily coming back to Uganda. All you have to do is to go to the nearest police station in the new country and have your fingerprints taken.
Together with the application and the other details spelt out, the papers will be sent to Kampala for the process and the certificate will be mailed to you. The Ugandan embassies abroad can also do the processing for you.
Next time you travel, avoid any possible inconveniences by obtaining the certificate of good conduct in time.