Garda Vetting – Frequently Asked Questions

National Vetting Bureau does not offer any fast-track or priority processing.

Early Childhood Ireland also doesn’t have the ability to speed things up, so we always recommend applying as early as possible.

If you are an Early Years and/or School Age Care setting member of Early Childhood Ireland, you can avail of our Vetting service free of charge. 

Full details on how to apply are available https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/garda-vetting/. 

Using the Garda Vetting tracker is the quickest way to check the status of your vetting applications.  It is very simple and easy to use. Allowing you 24-hour access to your application’s history, giving you real-time, detailed progress updates of your vetting application. All you need to do to track your application is to go to the An Garda Síochána website https://vetting.garda.ie/Track  and

• Enter the application ID number (from the email received from Early Childhood Ireland)
• The date of birth of your applicant

You can find all the information to access the Garda vetting tracker page in the confirmation email sent to you by Early Childhood Ireland after you submit each of your vetting applications.  

You may not be aware of some of the terminology used when reading the status history, so we have detailed each step of the application on the Garda vetting tracker.

____________________________________________________________________________________    

Please see the following breakdown of each application step on the Garda Vetting tracker.           

Applicants can access the Garda Vetting tracker on https://vetting.garda.ie/Track. Simply enter your application ID and your date of birth to retrieve the latest status.

Additional steps you may see occasionally on the status history

No, the Vetting results will be emailed as a PDF to the email address registered with Early Childhood Ireland. If you wish to change this email address, please contact our office. You will require an up-to-date version of Adobe to open the PDF.

Click here to download Adobe Reader: https://get.adobe.com/reader/

Parents who go on outings with the preschool service do not require Garda Vetting as they should only have access to their own children.

The processing time has changed with the introduction of additional checks as a result of ECRIS (European Criminal Records Information System).

The Garda Vetting Bureau’s processing time is 8-10 working days (from when the applicant receives the link).

However, effective from 7 July 2025, if an applicant has lived outside of the Republic of Ireland / Northern Ireland in an EU country and/or the UK, their Garda Vetting application must satisfy the ECRIS terms and as a result the application process will now take longer.

• Up to 10 additional working days for EU countries

• Up to 20 additional working days for the UK

These timeframes are in addition to the standard 8 to 10 working days, meaning the total processing time may be significantly longer in these cases.

A Garda Vetting disclosure is valid for 3 years.

A regulatory notice from Tusla, sets the requirement for settings to have a Garda Vetting disclosure dated within the previous three years for all staff.

You can view the Publication of Regulatory Notice of Garda Vetting on Tulsa’s website: https://www.tusla.ie/uploads/content/EYI-RN12.3_Renewal_of_Garda_Vetting_.pdf

Early Childhood Ireland already provide a re-vetting service.

It is important for you to remember to:

1. Submit your applications in advance of the expiration date of the current Garda Vetting disclosure
2. Ensure to leave sufficient time for applications to be processed by the National Vetting Bureau

The Re-Vetting process is the same process as a new online application on our https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/garda-vetting/apply-for-garda-vetting/

Please watch the short tutorial below on how to submit your vetting applications, this video also provides guidance on how to avoid issues or delays with your Garda Vetting applications: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLwgutJXUr8

The Garda National Vetting Bureau are only accepting Vetting applications for the board of directors and certain ancillary staff who are considered to have necessary and regular contact with children.

If members of the board of management or ancillary staff have regular and necessary contact with children, and are refused Vetting, they should not be allowed to carry out their duties when children are present.

Services who can demonstrate and evidence that they have followed the steps above, will not be found on their inspection reports as either compliant or non-compliant when they apply for registration or in a context of on-going inspection. The following statement will be made on their inspection report. “The registered provider has evidenced that they made reasonable efforts to meet Vetting requirements within existing state legislation for their boards of directors and certain ancillary staff. Appropriate risk management measures are found to have been implemented.”

The compliance unit in the Garda National Vetting Bureau is established to ensure that statutory, voluntary and community organisations are adhering to their statutory obligations.

One of these obligations is to only vet those who carry out relevant work.

While many roles in Early Years and School Age Care settings do carry out relevant work it is important that before an application is submitted you assess how or if the role of the applicant meets the criteria of relevant work or activities as defined in the Act.

Relevant work consists of any work or activity carried out by a person in which a necessary and regular part consists mainly of the person having access to, or contact with, children or vulnerable persons.

Only applicants, who are engaged in relevant work, can have an application submitted to the Vetting bureau for processing.

Evidence of unsuccessful applications for Vetting must be kept on file for examination by the Tusla Inspectorate.

Garda Vetting is not required for such visitors who are sharing their skills/expertise with the children in the preschool service. These visitors are under the supervision of the staff and should not have unsupervised access to the children.

You have been asked for Garda Vetting because you will be working with children, or you will be carrying out work in which a necessary and/or regular part consists of you having access to, or contact with, children or vulnerable persons.

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 provide a statutory basis for the Vetting of persons carrying out relevant work with children or vulnerable persons. The Act also creates offences and penalties for persons who fail to comply with its provisions.

The Act stipulates that a relevant organisation shall not permit any person to undertake relevant work or activities on behalf of the organisation, unless the organisation receives a Vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau in respect of that person.

An employer may choose to withdraw the offer of a position if a candidate declines to comply with this process.

Garda Vetting is only given for a specific employment so when a person is changing employment, they must apply for Garda Vetting as it is non-transferrable.

There is no fee associated.

Your information will be dealt with by the designated staff personnel in Early Childhood Ireland and by the relevant personnel in the Garda National Vetting Bureau.

Early Childhood Ireland is a registered body with designated staff personnel, trained by the Garda National Vetting Bureau and who have been Garda vetted themselves.

Early Childhood Ireland is working in the interest of safe environments and practices for children and adults and is committed to the highest standards of security and confidentiality.

Information will only be given to authorised personnel.

A disclosure is a completed Garda Vetting application. Some people are alarmed when they hear the word ‘disclosure’ but it is simply the terminology used by the National Garda Vetting Bureau, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there is anything to disclose.

‘A Vetting disclosure shall include particulars of the criminal record (if any) relating to the person, and a statement of the specified information (if any) relating to the person or a statement that there is no criminal record or specified information, in relation to the person.’ http://bit.ly/GardaVettingBureauFAQs

The Garda Vetting disclosure that is sent regarding an applicant, is in both Irish and English.

Garda Vetting is required for students under the age of 18*

*Students under the age of 16 cannot be Garda Vetted

The Early Years and School Age Care setting will need to the following documents:

1. Parent Guardian Consent Form

• The parent/guardian must complete this form
• The parent/guardian must sign and date their consent

2. Under18s Vetting- Invitation Form

• Please ensure this form is completed fully and is legible
• The parent/guardian must supply their own email address and phone number on the Vetting Invitation NVB1 Form [not the child’s email address and phone number]

3. Two Written references

Prior to the decision by the registered provider to facilitate transition year student placements, at least two references from reputable persons must be sought in writing.

• All references are to be from someone who has firsthand knowledge and experience of the student
• One reference can be from the school that the student attends
• The second reference can be from the previous employment or work experience or from any independent person in the community.
• All references must be confirmed and checked by the Early Years and School Age Care service

An important point with regard to transition year students:

• Transition year students must not be left unsupervised with any child in an Early Years and School Age Care service
• Transition year students must be accompanied by a suitable qualified staff member at all times
• Transition year students cannot supervise children in an Early Years and School Age Care service
• Transition year students cannot be regarded as staff or considered as part of the adult/child ratio. They cannot be treated as staff: they are supernumerary

Yes, if you have international students (aged over 16 years) coming to your Early Years and/or School Age Care setting in Ireland, they will need to be vetted by the Irish National Vetting Bureau through you – the registered provider, using the usual procedure with Early Childhood Ireland. You will need to allow time to have their Vetting organised before they can come into your setting i.e. start the process at least 1 month to 8 weeks beforehand.

The international students will also need to send you a copy of their Police Clearance Certification for all international addresses that they have lived at for longer than 6 months (once they were over the age of 18 years) before they start their placement in your service. 

Applications for International students can be submitted using Early Childhood Ireland’s online Garda Vetting process.

International Students are required to have Garda Vetting and a Police Clearance Certificate from each country the applicant has resided in.

• Garda Vetting – Garda Vetting processed by the National Vetting Bureau covers addresses in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland only. It is a legal requirement for all people working with children and vulnerable adults Under the Childcare Regulations 2016 and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016
• Police Clearance Certificate –If you are taking an international student on placement or hiring an Irish employee who has lived outside of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for more than 6 consecutive months, they must obtain a police certificate from those countries that confirms they have no criminal convictions

• Under 18 students –  Parents or guardians of 16-18 year olds are required to complete the https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Parent-Guardian-Consent-Form.pdf. The parent or guardian must supply their own email address and phone number on the Under 18s Vetting Invitation Form and not the child’s email address
• Timeframe – Allow up to 8-12 weeks for the Garda Vetting and Police Clearance to be completed PRIOR to the person commencing employment in the Early Years and School Aged Care setting

Please be aware that Early Childhood Ireland will not deal directly with:

• Students
• Colleges
• Course Co-ordinators

Important:

Please keep the following in mind when placing a student in your setting:

• Students cannot be regarded as staff or considered as part of the adult/child ratio. They cannot be treated as staff: they are supernumerary
• Students must not be left unsupervised with any child in an Early Years and School Age Care setting
• Students must be accompanied by a suitable qualified staff member at all times
• Students cannot supervise children in an Early Years and School Age Care setting
• Students from another country or students who has lived outside of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for more than 6 consecutive months, are required to have Garda Vetting and a Police Clearance Certificate from each country the students have resided in

Under the Childcare Regulations 2016 and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 all childcare staff need to be Garda vetted prior to commencing employment and ‘in so far as is practicable, where a person has lived in a state other than the State for a period of longer than 6 consecutive months, Vetting information in respect of the person obtained from the police authorities in that state’.

Garda Vetting processed by the National Vetting Bureau covers addresses in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland only.

If you employ someone from another country or hire an Irish employee who has lived outside of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for 6 consecutive months or more, they need to get a Police Clearance Certificate and Garda Vetting. This is a legal requirement for all people working with children and vulnerable adults Under the Childcare Regulations 2016 and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016.

• A Police Clearance Certificate is required for each country the applicant has resided in
• Clearance must be dated after the date the applicant left the country/countries
• Garda Vetting and Police Clearance must be completed PRIOR to the person commencing employment in the childcare service

International students

Students from overseas are required to have Garda Vetting from Ireland and a Police Clearance Certificate from each country the applicant has resided in

The following websites may be of assistance to you:

United Kingdom:

Please note that if you need Police clearance from the UK you will need an International Child Protection Certificate NOT a Police Certificate. You can apply for the International Child Protection Certificate on the link below:

https://www.acro.police.uk/s/acro-services/icp-certificates

Australia:

This website will provide you with information on obtaining a national police clearance certificate for Australia.

http://www.afp.gov.au/

New Zealand:

This website will provide you with information on obtaining police clearance in New Zealand.

https://www.justice.govt.nz/criminal-records/

Spain:

Organisation or Body: Ministry of Justice Madrid
Website: https://sede.mjusticia.gob.es/es/tramites/certificado-antecedentes 

Complete a Model 790 Application available on the website

Central Office of Citizen Services, Ministry of Justice
Plaza de Jacinto Benavente, 3
28012, Madrid

Poland:

Organisation or Body: The Ministry of Justice
Website: https://www.gov.pl/web/sprawiedliwosc

United States of America:

Please note that valid Security/Overseas Clearance from the USA must be obtained from the FBI only.

FBI Clearance is valid for all of the United States and convictions/remarks occurring anywhere in the United States would be noted.

Organisation or Body: FBI background check

Website: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

Full details on the website or apply to:

FBI, Criminal Justice Information Services Division
Attention: SCU, Mod D-2
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306
USA

Ukraine:

Organisation or Body: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
Website: https://mvs.gov.ua/

Other Countries:

For other countries not listed above you may find it helpful to contact the relevant embassies who could provide you with information on seeking Police Clearance.

Note: Any costs incurred in this process will be borne by the applicant.

The GNVB number is part of the process to confirm good governance and compliance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016 to ensure that only persons conducting relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable adults are legally vetted under the Act. 

Each Early Years and School Age Care setting will need its own unique GNVB Affiliate Registration Number, even if you have been processing Garda Vetting applications through us in the past.

1. Please email the Garda Vetting bureau at [email protected] requesting a GNVB Affiliate Registration Number and giving the following information:

• Early Childhood Ireland Membership Number / Garda Vetting User Number
• Name and address of your early learning or school age setting
• Main contact person
• The nature of your business e.g. Eary Year setting and/or School Age Care setting
  

*Multiple Settings – All settings must be registered with the vetting bureau. This process can be completed for each individual membership, alternatively you can register all your settings under one membership i.e., head office (setting) / Garda Vetting User Number. Please email the Garda National Vetting Bureau with the details of your head office along with the details above for all your settings. The Garda Vetting Bureau will then post you an application form which you fill in and return to them.

2. Once you have completed and sent them back the form, they will then issue you with your GNVB Affiliate Registration Number. This could take up to 3 weeks.

3. When you receive your GNVB Affiliate Registration Number please email us with the front and back pages of the GNVB letter to [email protected].

4. Once you have emailed us with your GNVB Affiliate Registration Number you can then proceed to our Garda Vetting page.

No, it is the accepted practice that colleges, as the relevant organisation, apply for the Garda Vetting disclosure prior to placement. Prior to any placement the college must allow the ELC or SAC setting consideration of the Vetting disclosures received by the college from the National Vetting Bureau in accordance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2021 (No. 47 of 2012).

Those registered with Early Childhood Ireland for vetting can apply for Vetting for students through their service. The student must be over 16 years of age:

There is a special Under 18s Vetting Invitation form for applicants aged 16 to 18 years and a Parent/Guardian Consent form must also be filled out.

If a student has either lived or worked abroad, they must have a police Vetting certificate. This specific information will allow the person carrying on an Early Years and/or School Age Care setting to make informed decisions with regard to any placement. 

You do not need to register for e-Vetting of Early Childhood Ireland you are automatically registered to avail of the service. You must have a Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) Affiliate Registration Number however, so that you are registered on the National Vetting portal.

A link will be emailed to the applicant, when they open this link they will then fill in the other information required by the National Vetting Bureau to complete the Vetting process.

You can download all forms and useful resources from here

Step 1

The Owner/Manager asks the applicant to complete the Vetting Invitation Form. Please ensure that the applicant signs, dates and ticks the consent box. There is a special Under 18s Vetting Invitation Form and a Parent Guardian Consent Form. The owner/manager obtains two forms of identification from the applicant– photo identification and proof of address. Acceptable Identification is listed here. 

NB: The NVB1 Form and copies of the identification should be kept in the employee’s personnel file along with their Vetting disclosure, once it has been completed. This is an important step as the National Vetting Bureau may carry out an audit and request that copies of these documents be forwarded to them.

Step 2

Log onto our website with your ECI membership number and password. Click https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/garda-vetting/apply-for-garda-vetting/ which will open up a new window that mirrors the NVB1 form. Fill out the form using the information from the applicant’s NVB1 form. Please ensure you tick the consent boxes based on the information given in the applicant’s NVB1 form:

• Consent from the applicant who has signed the form and date consent was given

• Proof of identity supplied by photo identification and proof of address

Points to remember when filling in the online application:

• Do not enter any extra spaces or special characters such as symbols, hyphens, apostrophes or full stops, especially around the email address, as the system is very sensitive. Hyphens and dots are permitted in the email address
• Only the current address of the applicant should be entered, and Eircode’s should only be entered in the correct Eircode box. This address can be an international address if that is where the applicant currently resides
• Ensure the city and county are entered for each applicant
• Postcodes must be entered for Northern Ireland addresses or the application will not be accepted
• Ensure spelling is correct, as this spelling will be on the completed Garda Vetting Disclosure
• If there is no middle name, leave the box blank, do not write n/a

When you have finished entering the applicant’s information please click on the ‘I’m not a robot’ reCAPTCHA and then submit.

You should then see a ‘Thank you for submitting a Garda Vetting application’ screen. You will also receive an email notification with a reference number for the Garda Vetting application.

If you think you have made a mistake when inputting the form please let us know by emailing us at [email protected] and we will cancel the Garda Vetting application.

You will then need re-enter the applicants details correctly into the https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/garda-vetting/garda-vetting-application/.

Duplication on the National Vetting Bureau system could result in applications being delayed or rejected.

What happens next?

Early Childhood Ireland reviews the completed Online Vetting Application and submits it to the National Vetting Bureau (NVB). The NVB processes the application and forwards a Vetting disclosure (completed Garda Vetting) to Early Childhood Ireland. Early Childhood Ireland reviews the Vetting disclosure and provides a pdf copy of the disclosure to the Owner/Manager of the service via email.

We have developed guidance to support you to deal with negative disclosures on our https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Guidelines-on-Developing-a-Garda-Vetting-Policy.pdf section.

For further information, please visit our https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/garda-vetting/garda-vetting-faq/

We have developed a short video to take you through the new Garda Vetting process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLwgutJXUr8

Garda Vetting is a legal requirement for all people working with children and vulnerable adults, under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016. The Garda Vetting process must be completed before an employee commences work in an Early Years and Care or School Age Care setting.

Before applying for Garda Vetting

Members of Early Childhood Ireland can avail of Garda Vetting.  Each setting must:

• Have Service Provider or Organisation membership of Early Childhood Ireland
• Have a Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) Affiliate Registration Number

Each applicant must:

• Be over 16 years old. If 16-18 years old, they must have submitted signed Parent Guardian Consent Form along with Under 18s Vetting Invitation Form. The parent or guardian must supply their own email address and phone number on the form (not the child’s email address). This form must be completed by the parent/guardian and sent along with the identification form and the Vetting Invitation.

• Have completed the Vetting Invitation Form in full
• Have completed the Proof of Identity process (see our https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/garda-vetting/garda-vetting-frequently-asked-questions/)

You must ensure that the applicant fully completes the NVB1 form, including ticking the consent box the form must be signed and dated. This information must then be correctly typed into our online Garda Vetting form.

Please print out the Vetting Invitation Form:

• Ask the applicant to complete, ensuring Section 2 is completed in full
• The signature, date and consent box must be completed with a ballpoint pen
• The consent box must be ticked to ensure that the applicant has given their consent for Vetting
• The date of consent written on the NVB1 form must be the date entered into our online Garda Vetting form, not the date the application is submitted.

There is a separate Vetting Invitation Form for Under 18s and a Parent / Guardian Consent Form. The consent box must be ticked on this form.

Remember to store the applicant’s NVB1 form and copy of their photo identification and proof of address securely in line with data protection. Add the completed Garda Vetting when it comes through. These documents must be available for future Garda Vetting audits by the National Vetting Bureau.

Take your time inputting applicants’ information as any errors will delay the Garda Vetting process

1. Email address / Date of birth – If these details are incorrect the applicant will not be able to access the link sent by the National Vetting Bureau (NVB)
2. Name – If misspelled it cannot be changed once the applicant completes the NVB link and will not be the correct name on the disclosure (completed Garda vetting)
3. Addresses:

• If misspelled these cannot be changed once the applicant completes the NVB link and will not be the correct name on the disclosure (completed Garda vetting)
• Ensure there is a street name, town or city and county, the county is required even when the Eircode is present

4. Addresses Overseas – Ensure the country is included if the applicant is from overseas
5. NVB Link – Follow up with the applicant to ensure they have received the NVB link and that it has not gone to junk mail
6. NVB Link – If the applicant cannot log in to the link sent by the NVB, then the date of birth and/or email address may be incorrect. Please call us on 014057102, we will cancel your application and request the application to be resubmitted

**It is important to contact Early Childhood Ireland prior to any resubmissions, duplicates in the system will impact on your applications**

How to check if your Garda Vetting application was successfully submitted:

• Did you see a ‘Thank you for submitting a Garda Vetting application’ screen when you finished submitting an application on the Early Childhood Ireland online vetting platform?
• Did you receive an email notification with a reference number for the Garda Vetting application? This will be sent within an hour of submitting your application if during business hours. If you input a Garda Vetting application at night, you will receive an email notification the following morning

You can find out more about the new Garda Vetting procedure by visiting the gov.ie website. 

The European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS), was established in 2012, to improve the secure exchange of criminal records across all EU member states. Each country has a designated Central Authority for Criminal Records; in Ireland, this is the National Vetting Bureau.

As part of EU Directive 2011/93, EU countries are now required to carry out enhanced police checks for sexual offences when processing vetting applications.

These changes are being rolled out across the EU.

As of 7 July 2025, all Garda Vetting applications going forward must satisfy the terms of this Directive.

The processing time will change with this Directive. Currently, the Garda Vetting Bureau’s processing time is 8-10 working days (from when the applicant receives the link).

Effective from Monday, 7 July 2025, if an applicant has lived outside of the Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland in an EU country and/or the UK, their Garda Vetting application must satisfy the ECRIS terms and as a result the application process will now take longer.

• Up to 10 additional working days for EU countries

• Up to 20 additional working days for the UK

These timeframes are in addition to the standard 8 to 10 working days, meaning the total processing time may be significantly longer in these cases.

This change is effective from Monday, 7 July 2025, so it is important to plan ahead for any new Garda Vetting applications and Garda Vetting renewals.

• Existing Garda Vetting remains valid if it is dated within the last 3 years. These changes will apply to all:
  • New Garda Vetting applications submitted from 7 July 2025 onward
  • Re-vetting applications for individuals approaching their three-year renewal date

• Garda Vetting applications that were submitted before 7 July 2025, and where the applicant completed the link before 7 July 2025, are currently being processed and will not be impacted by these changes

• The Garda National Vetting Bureau does not offer an expedited service

• Early Childhood Ireland cannot prioritise or fast-track applications

• Where applicants have lived in the EU or UK, allow for additional processing time as outlined

The enhanced police checks are for sexual offences only and therefore these changes do not replace the existing requirement for Police Clearance Certificates.

It is important to note that if an applicant has lived outside of the Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland for six+ consecutive months, they must still provide a Police Clearance Certificate from each country they lived in during that time in addition to Garda Vetting.