Police to stop issuing character certificates

SINGAPORE - The Certificate of No-Criminal Conviction (CNCC) is required by some countries when processing citizenship or permanent residency applications and by some employers and universities.

Previously, CNCCs were issued to Singapore citizens, PRs and foreigners above 16-years-old who had resided in the Republic for more than six months, although this service was not part of the police's core function.

From Oct 18, the Singapore Police Force will stop issuing certificates to non-Singapore citizens to indicate a person has no criminal record during his stay here.

Instead, permanent residents (PRs) and foreigners will have to swear before a lawyer or a Commissioner of Oath a statutory declaration, if they wish to migrate elsewhere.

Explaining the change in policy, the police said, on their website, they were "not obligated to issue CNCC" but had done so as a form of international cooperation since other countries did something similar. MORE