No, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) does not send your digital certificate directly to the Department of Home Affairs.

In 2026, the responsibility of providing the police check rests entirely on you as the applicant. Even though you select Code 33 (Immigration/Citizenship) during the application—which tells the AFP the purpose of the check—the system does not automatically “link” or push that PDF to your visa file.

1. The “Code 33” Misconception

Many students are confused by the wording in the AFP application: “Code 33 – Immigration/Citizenship – for supply to the Department of Home Affairs.”

• What it means: This code ensures the AFP includes all necessary information required by federal law for a visa assessment (including spent convictions and specific offense types).
• What it DOES NOT mean: It does not mean the AFP will “supply” it on your behalf. “For supply to” indicates that you are the one supplying it to the Department after receiving it from the AFP.

2. Step-by-Step: How to Supply the AFP Check

To meet the character requirement for your 485, 190, or 820 visa in 2026, you must follow this two-step process:

Step 1: Lodge with the Receipt

When you first submit your visa application on ImmiAccount, you likely won’t have the final certificate yet.

• Action: Upload your AFP Payment Receipt or Reference Number. This counts as “evidence that you have applied,” which is a mandatory requirement for a valid 485 lodgement.

Step 2: Upload the Final PDF

Once the AFP finalizes your check (usually within 48 hours to 10 days), they will email you a secure digital PDF.

• Action: Log back into your ImmiAccount, navigate to your pending visa application, go to ‘Attach Documents,’ and upload the actual certificate under the ‘Character, Evidence of’ category.

3. Why This Error Leads to Refusals

In 2026, with the 485 visa fee now $4,600, the Department has become stricter about “Incomplete Applications.”

• The Trap: If you assume the AFP sent the certificate and you never upload the final PDF, the Case Officer may look at your file, see only a receipt, and conclude that you failed to provide the required character evidence.
• The Consequence: They may issue a Request for Further Information (RFI), which slows down your grant, or in some cases, refuse the visa if the police check was not obtained within the required timeframe.

4. 2026 AFP Delivery Methods

5. Summary: The “Decision-Ready” Checklist

To ensure your 2026 application is “Decision-Ready”:

1. Apply for the AFP check before or on the day you lodge your visa.
2. Use Code 33 only.
3. As soon as the email from the AFP arrives, manually upload the PDF to ImmiAccount.
4. Check that the status of the document in ImmiAccount says “Received” (not just “Recommended”).