If you are looking to study or get a job abroad, chances are that you will be asked to produce a certificate of good conduct, among other documents.
A certificate of good conduct is a document issued by a person’s home country police indicating if a person has been convicted of a criminal offence or not.
In Uganda, a certificate of good conduct is a document that is issued by International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and international Relations. Just like Ugandan citizens, refugees are required to go through a certain process in order to acquire the certificate.
Below are the steps refugees in Uganda need to follow to obtain a certificate of good conduct;
Requirements for Refugees
To apply for the certificate, refugees must meet the following requirements:
- Essential Documents: A valid refugee ID, family attestation, and mandate or form C.
- Request Letter: Draft a letter explaining why you need the certificate of good conduct, addressed to the Director of Interpol and International Relations, Uganda.
- LC1 Recommendation Letter: Obtain a recommendation letter from the chairman of your village.
- Stamp from DISO: Ensure your Request Letter and LC1 Recommendation Letter are stamped by the District Internal Security Officer (DISO).
- Passport Photos: Provide two passport-size photos (American standard 2x2 inches/51x51mm).
The Process
Once you have all the necessary documents, you are expected to go through the following process.
Step 1: Document Submission
- Make color copies of all documents.
- Submit them to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Refugee Department.
Step 2: OPM Application
- In Kampala, OPM receives applications for Certificates of Good Conduct every Wednesday.
- The OPM will give you a request form to fill out with your full name, registration number, and the service you are requesting, which is, Interpol letter.
- OPM refugee Department office is located at Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road in Kampala.
Step 3: Submission to OPM
- Submit the request form and other documents to OPM.
- Then OPM will inform you when to appear at the Interpol office for further processing of your application.
Step 4: Fingerprinting at Interpol
- Criminal background checks: Fingerprinting is used to conduct criminal background checks, Interpol, uses fingerprints to determine if an individual has a criminal record in the police, fingerprint is normal process that is done by everyone who wants to get a certificate of good conduct.
- The Interpol office is located at Plot 12 Mabua Road, Kololo Kampala and is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Step 5: Verification and payment
- When you arrive at the Interpol office, check the OPM list at the Interpol entrance to ensure your name has been submitted from OPM to Interpol office.
- Obtain a payment from inside the Interpol office and fill it with your personal details.
- Pay the certificate fee of UGX79,450, including bank charges, through a bank agent within the Interpol office.
Step 6: Fingerprint appointment
- Interpol will schedule for you an appointment for fingerprinting, usually after 7 working days.
- On this day, you will need to go with two passport-size photos and copies of all your documents. Make sure the passport photos are {American Standard}.
Step 7: Fingerprinting
- Attend your fingerprinting appointment as scheduled.
- Make sure you reach the office early enough because the process might take long because of the queues of people waiting to do the fingerprinting.
Step 8: Certificate collection
Interpol will notify you of an appointment to collect your certificates, typically after 7 working days. You'll receive two certificates:
- Certificate of good conduct and
- Police clearance certificate.
Additional Information:
- The Certificate of good conduct is valid for 6 months from the date of issuance. Upon expiration, the process for acquiring the new one remains as explained above.
- Only the Interpol Office Headquarters in the country offers this service; there are no agents or partners.
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