Fingerprints for a police clearance: where to have them taken and why sets get returned
Police clearance fingerprints
The short answer
Fingerprints for a South African police clearance certificate are taken on the South African Police Service (SAPS) form 91(a), at a police station in South Africa or, if you live abroad, at the South African embassy or high commission in the country you are in. SAPS judges the prints against its own standard, and a set that does not meet it is the single most common reason an application is returned.
MGA Experiences confirms exactly what SAPS requires before you go, makes the arrangements for applicants abroad, and reviews the set before it is submitted, so it is accepted the first time.
Where to have fingerprints taken for a police clearance
In South Africa
Any police station
Fingerprints are taken by a police official on the SAPS 91(a) form. You attend in person with your identity document. This is the one part of the process that has to be you, and it is the only outing an MGA Experiences application asks of you.
Outside South Africa
The South African embassy or high commission
Applicants abroad can have their fingerprints taken at the South African embassy or high commission in the country they live in, a government institution. Contact MGA Experiences first: we advise you on what is needed and make the arrangements. The set still has to meet SAPS standards.
Applying from overseas adds courier time and its own pitfalls; see police clearance from abroad for the full picture.
Why fingerprint sets get returned by SAPS
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Smudged, faint or over-inked prints
Too much ink fills the ridges; too little leaves gaps. Either way the print cannot be read against the record, and the set is returned.
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Incomplete rolls
Each finger must be rolled from one edge of the nail to the other. A partial roll, or a finger that slipped, is treated as missing.
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Prints on the wrong form
SAPS requires the 91(a) form. A set taken on a foreign police form, a private provider’s own card or a photocopy is not accepted.
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No official stamp or signature
The official taking the prints must complete, sign and stamp the form. A set without the station or embassy details is returned as unverifiable.
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Details that do not match the identity document
The names and identity number on the form must match the certified copy of your ID or passport exactly. A married name on one and a maiden name on the other is enough to stall the file.
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Folded, damaged or scanned forms
The original form must arrive flat and undamaged. Scans and photographs of the form are not accepted in place of the original.
How to get the set right the first time
Prepare your hands
Clean, dry hands with no lotion. Very dry skin prints faintly; a little moisture from breathing on the fingertips helps. If you work with your hands, tell the official, because worn ridges may need extra care.
Take two sets if you can
Ask for a second full set. If one is marginal, the other is submitted. It costs a few extra minutes at the station and saves weeks if the first set fails.
Check the form before you leave
Every box completed, every finger present, the official’s name, signature, stamp and date filled in, and your details spelt exactly as on your identity document. Do not fold it.
What MGA Experiences does with your fingerprints
We confirm the SAPS requirements with you before you attend, including the form, the identity documents to take and, for overseas applicants, the arrangements at the South African embassy or high commission. When the set comes back to us, we review it against SAPS requirements before it is submitted, to reduce the risk of rejection. If a set is marginal, we tell you before it goes in, not weeks later. We can also arrange collection and delivery of your documents, locally and internationally. MGA Experiences is known for quick turnaround times through our managed submission channel.
Planning rule
Have your fingerprints taken once, correctly, at the point in the process we agree with you. A set taken too early can be paired with an application that is not ready; a set taken carelessly is the delay everyone regrets. See how long a police clearance takes for the rest of the timeline.
Fingerprints for a police clearance: common questions
Which form are police clearance fingerprints taken on?
The SAPS 91(a) form. Sets on any other form, card or photocopy are not accepted.
Can I submit digital or scanned fingerprints?
No. SAPS requires the original ink set on the 91(a) form. Scans and photographs are not accepted in place of the original.
What happens if SAPS returns my fingerprints?
The application starts again with a new set, and the weeks already spent in the queue are lost. That is why we review every set before it is submitted.
I live overseas. Where do I get fingerprints taken for a South African police clearance?
At the South African embassy or high commission in the country you live in, on the SAPS 91(a) form. Contact MGA Experiences first; we advise you on what is needed and make the arrangements. See our police clearance from abroad page.
Get your fingerprints and your application right the first time
Tell us where you are and what the certificate is for, and MGA Experiences will confirm exactly what to take with you, review the set before submission and manage the application from there. We will come back with a quote and a realistic timeline.
No obligation. We will tell you if you do not need us.
