Fingerprinting service returns to Southland
Southlanders no longer need to travel to Dunedin for fingerprinting services.
Unichem SouthCity Pharmacy on Elles Rd started offering the service after NZ Fingerprint Service heard of the demand from immigrants in the region.
Most immigrants need to have their fingerprints taken by a vetted authority to obtain a police clearance certificate when applying for a visa.
NZ Fingerprint Service director Paul Brown, a post shop operator who started the fingerprinting business after Kiwibank stopped providing it, said the fingerprinting business worked closely with police and he was told that Invercargill police were turning away about nine people a week.
The station used to take prints, but stopped doing so when immigration processes changed, leaving Southland immigrants – along with some from Central Otago – with no other choice but to make the trip to Green Island in Dunedin. A trained, vetted person needed to cite their documentation and take fingerprints from both hands.
Brown said the service was approved by the police.
The service was started by Kiwibank which often had locations within post shops, which tended to be a good fit for the service as people often needed to post their forms right away.
When Kiwibank withdrew the service to focus on core banking activities, post shop operators such as Brown saw the value in keeping it going and took it over. “Sometimes you do things less because they’re going to make you rich and more because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
There was a post shop inside the SouthCity pharmacy, which Brown said was suggested as a good option when he approached the postal service for advice.
Pharmacy manager Chenee Garrick said people were travelling from as far as Queenstown for appointments.
“A lot of them are from out of town. They enjoy that they don’t have to travel too far.”
Owner Steve Jo said he didn’t realise until he was approached that the service was needed in the community.
Even if people could get to Dunedin, they sometimes had to wait a long time for appointments, he said.
In August, four of his staff members took up training so they now offered appointments every day between 10am and 4pm.
Those looking for appointments should book online at nzfingerprintingservice.co.nz.