Character evidence for subclass 790: police certificates, military records and what not to lodge early (2026)

Do not arrange police certificates for a Subclass 790 Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) application until the Department asks you to; when it does ask, the certificate must cover every country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16, excluding the country you are claiming protection from. This follows the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ official “Safe Haven Enterprise visa (Subclass 790)” page, current as at August 2026.

Should you obtain police certificates before lodging Subclass 790?

No. The Department’s online guidance for this visa says: “Do not arrange for police certificates until we ask you.” The trigger is the Department’s request after you lodge online, not your own advance step. At lodgement your tasks are different: complete the form truthfully, cover education, work, travel, relationship and address history without gaps, and attach documents you already hold. Do not sign blank pages or documents, even if someone completing the form asks you to; you remain responsible for the claims in the form.

Which countries require a police certificate for Subclass 790?

The stated rule has three moving parts: the age start point, the residence period, and the protection-country exclusion.

Situation	Police certificate required?	Timing
The country you are claiming protection from	No	Not requested by this rule
Another country where you lived 12 months or more in the past 10 years after turning 16	Yes, when asked	After the Department request and before any set date
A country you lived in for less than 12 months	Not covered by this requirement	No certificate needed under the stated rule

Counting starts only after you turned 16, and it looks back over the last 10 years. In a clearly hypothetical example, assume you turned 16 more than ten years ago, lived in Country A for two years inside that window, and are claiming protection from Country B. The rule does not require a police certificate for Country B; it does require one for Country A once the Department asks, if the 12-month threshold is met. If your residence in another country was under 12 months, this stated requirement does not apply to that country.

What military or service records count as character evidence?

• Provide military service records or discharge papers if you or any other person included in the application served in the armed forces of any country.
• This is listed as a character document, separate from the police-certificate rule.
• The Department sets out a general character requirement in its own character guidance, which police certificates do not replace.

Because the service history may affect an included family member, check every person named in the application, not only the main applicant.

What happens after the Department requests character documents?

The Department sends an acknowledgement letter after you lodge. Check ImmiAccount for status updates and any request for more information. If it asks for more information, you have to respond by a set date. After that date, it can decide your application using the information it already has. So once the request for police certificates arrives, attach them in ImmiAccount before the deadline. Keep your authorised recipient details current by Form 956A, or your agent appointment by Form 956, so the request reaches the right person. Use technical help for ImmiAccount only if online lodgement itself fails.

How character evidence fits the other Subclass 790 requirements

Character evidence sits alongside identity, health, security and Australian Values Statement requirements, not inside the health stream. The health requirement has its own later step: after lodgement you receive a HAP ID and instructions to arrange health examinations through Bupa Medical Visa Services. A HAP ID or health request does not itself start the police-certificate clock; only a Department request starts it. Because each protection claim is different and settings can change, treat this article as general information only, not advice about your own case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a police certificate from the country I am claiming protection from for Subclass 790?

No. The stated rule expressly excludes the country from which you are claiming protection. You explain the claimed harm from that country through your protection claims and supporting evidence instead. The police-certificate requirement targets other countries where you meet the residence rule.

How does the 10-year and 16-year-old counting work?

Counting begins only after you turned 16 and then looks back over the past 10 years. If you lived in a country for 12 months or more inside that window, the stated certificate requirement covers that country. Periods shorter than 12 months are not covered by this requirement.

What if I already obtained police certificates before the Department asked?

The Department’s guidance asks applicants not to arrange them until asked, but it does not say that holding them already will count against you. Keep any documents safely and provide them once the Department makes its request. Do not interpret the absence of a request as a decision on your application.

Does my spouse’s military service trigger character documents?

Yes, if your spouse is another person included in the application and served in the armed forces of any country. The rule covers you or any other included family member who served. Provide military service records or discharge papers where that service history exists.

How will I know the Department has requested police certificates?

After you lodge online, ImmiAccount is the channel for status updates and requests. If you appointed an authorised recipient or an agent, make sure those Forms 956A/956 channels are current. The Department will set a response date if it asks for more information, so respond before that date.

Is a police certificate the whole character test for Subclass 790?

No. Police certificates and military records are the character documents described for this visa, but you must still meet the general character requirement in Department guidance. Identity, health, security and Australian Values Statement requirements remain separate.

References

Department of Home Affairs — Safe Haven Enterprise visa (Subclass 790)