# Post-Brexit Requirements for ACRO / DBS certificate for temporary residence permit.



## 1765040

Hi all, 

I have been offered an incredible job in Germany. I am a UK citizen, currently teaching at a university in Asia. 

Thanks to Brexit, apparently it is now a requirement to get a police record check before seeking temp residence permit in Germany, just the same as any other non-EU worker.

My questions are:

1) I have a basic DBS certificate already. Is that sufficient or do I need the other ACRO report?


2) My ACRO report will show "No Live Trace". Will this be an issue when applying for residency? I have read that Germany is tough on this kind of thing.

3) Also, I notice on the requirements for the Skilled Worker with University fast track visa/residence application (which is a result of the Skilled Immigration Act), that this fast track recruit does not request either an ACRO or a DBS report.

Does this mean that the fast track method simply doesn't ask for it?

Many thanks!


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## *Sunshine*

The criminal record check is not an important document in the work permit process in Germany; it is important that you have an employment offer with a high enough salary and formal qualifications.


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## 1765040

*Sunshine* said:


> The criminal record check is not an important document in the work permit process in Germany; it is important that you have an employment offer with a high enough salary and formal qualifications.



Nice, but as mentioned, I'm not talking about the work permit (which explicitly does NOT require a criminal record check).

I'm enquiring about the residence permits, which according to several official German government sites, _do_ require a record check for non-EU citizens.


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## *Sunshine*

In Germany all resident permits indicate whether or not the foreigner is allowed to work. They don't issue two separate permits.


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## 1765040

Literally every single official source says I need some form of ACRO check for a residence permit.

Have you actually gone through this process as a non-EU citizen or are you just guessing?


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## Nononymous

PeterKane said:


> Literally every single official source says I need some form of ACRO check for a residence permit.
> 
> Have you actually gone through this process as a non-EU citizen or are you just guessing?


I'm Canadian, we've had several residence permits of various kinds over the years, with and without permission to work, and we've never had to do the police record check. (I will go upstairs and look in the last binder full off stuff we brought to the Ausländerbehörde, and if there's a record check in there I will humbly apologize.)

I suspect it may vary by country of origin. Canada is one of the "privileged" countries where you simply show up then have 90 days to sort out your status from within the country.


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## 1765040

Nononymous said:


> I suspect it may vary by country of origin. Canada is one of the "privileged" countries where you simply show up then have 90 days to sort out your status from within the country.



That's what I'm thinking. America is too, and about 6 other countries.

One thing for sure...after this nonsense with Brexit, UK citizens will not be on any kind of privileged list. 

When I lived in Germany in 2012-2014 I didn't need any such thing as an EU citizen. I just turned up, went to work, and my institute sorted it out.

But pretty much every source I read now says that I need one as a non-EU / non-privileged person.

Except the site that discusses the fast track graduate visa, which explicitly does not say it, hence why I am now curious about this fast track (which would also get my qualifications recognized quicker also) 

I need to be absolutely sure here. I'm currently living in Manila, and I don't want to get rid of my apartment and fly to Germany only to be turned back because something ambiguous wasn't clarified 100% on my end first. I'm a stickler for detail, of only to avoid having to deal with bureaucrats for any amount of time 

Thanks for your reply.


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## Nononymous

You can always call or write to the Ausländerbehörde in the city where you intend to live. Given the degree of local autonomy and bureaucratic leeway on these matters, I'd be inclined to get my information from the people who will be making the decision.

Given that Brexit is still relatively fresh, the rules for UK citizens may still be in a WTF phase.


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## 1765040

they definitely are. it was hard to get info from Spanish companies as the Brexit transition was closing due to every port of entry basically just making up the rules as they went along.

I doubt things have changed that much in the EU on this matter in the last 3 months.

thanks again.


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## Nononymous

PeterKane said:


> they definitely are. it was hard to get info from Spanish companies as the Brexit transition was closing due to every port of entry basically just making up the rules as they went along.
> 
> I doubt things have changed that much in the EU on this matter in the last 3 months.
> 
> thanks again.


Another reason to call up the office you will be dealing with. Possibly find the name of the Beamter who will handle your case with and have flowers sent to them ahead of time. (Okay not, that's bribery, but you get the idea.)


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## *Sunshine*

PeterKane said:


> Literally every single official source says I need some form of ACRO check for a residence permit.
> 
> Have you actually gone through this process as a non-EU citizen or are you just guessing?


If you don't want to believe anyone who answers why are you even asking?

Although it was a long time ago, I distinctly remember being annoyed that the official who processed my initial German permit was not interested in seeing the document that I had to drive an extra 50 km to obtain. 

Germany does criminal record checks for permanent residence permits and citizenship applications, but not initial temporary permits.

If you are going to be teaching children, you should look at the licensing requirements. German school boards are much more diligent with criminal record checks than the immigration offices. Working at a public institution also usually requires a police certificate. 



Nononymous said:


> Another reason to call up the office you will be dealing with. Possibly find the name of the Beamter who will handle your case with and have flowers sent to them ahead of time. (Okay not, that's bribery, but you get the idea.)


Why call? Nothing in a phone call will later be legally binding. Furthermore, in large offices applicants don't have a personal contact.


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## ALKB

PeterKane said:


> But pretty much every source I read now says that I need one as a non-EU / non-privileged person.


Do you have a link to the information that worries you?

Are you going to apply for a BlueCard?

Neither the entry visa nor the BlueCard application asks for a criminal records check.

I did a quick check and I can't find a requirement for a records check in any of the residence permit applications (haven't checked every single one) only at the point of a settlement application you will have to provide this. Depending on what kind of residence permit you will have, settlement is still a few years away.


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## 1765040

*Sunshine* said:


> If you don't want to believe anyone who answers why are you even asking?


Because so far nobody has given anything like a convincing answer and they are applying old information to a very new problem. Or aren't British so aren't speaking from a position of experience.


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## 1765040

I should just swallow any random BS "just because"? lol


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## 1765040

*Sunshine* said:


> If you are going to be teaching children, you should look at the licensing requirements. German school boards are much more diligent with criminal record checks than the immigration offices. Working at a public institution also usually requires a police certificate.


I teach post-grad. But i'm not planning on teaching in Germany. 

I'm moving to Germany to escape teaching.


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## 1765040

ALKB said:


> Do you have a link to the information that worries you?
> 
> Are you going to apply for a BlueCard?
> 
> Neither the entry visa nor the BlueCard application asks for a criminal records check.
> 
> I did a quick check and I can't find a requirement for a records check in any of the residence permit applications (haven't checked every single one) only at the point of a settlement application you will have to provide this. Depending on what kind of residence permit you will have, settlement is still a few years away.


Eventually I hope to apply for a blue card. 

I don't have a specific link. Just reading a whole bunch of noise.


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## Bevdeforges

PeterKane said:


> Because so far nobody has given anything like a convincing answer and they are applying old information to a very new problem. Or aren't British so aren't speaking from a position of experience.


I suspect one reason why you're not getting "convincing" answers is that full-on Brexit only started on January 1st and thanks to Covid, there hasn't been anything resembling "free movement" for Brits or anyone coming from outside the EU, so the exact requirements may very well be pretty fluid just yet. You might have better luck asking your would-be employer to check into the precise requirements at this point.


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## Nononymous

Hence my radically innovative suggestion of asking the relevant authorities rather than random strangers on the internet...


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## ALKB

PeterKane said:


> Because so far nobody has given anything like a convincing answer and they are applying old information to a very new problem. Or aren't British so aren't speaking from a position of experience.


There are no super strict special requirements for British people on top of the requirements for other third country nationals.

If Australians, Americans, Indians, etc. can apply for a BlueCard without a criminal records check, then British nationals can do the same.

Who is telling you to provide a criminal records check?


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## 1765040

ALKB said:


> There are no super strict special requirements for British people on top of the requirements for other third country nationals.


Good to know. Thanks. I just don't want to turn up with the wrong certificates and end up having to deal with that during the pandemic on top of everything else.

Would you mind deleting this thread? My question is answered. 

Many thanks all!


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## Bevdeforges

I'll close the thread. But someone else might actually benefit from the information.


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