Garda Vetting Form

xxpopopxx

Hi guys, I'm interested in doing some volunteer work over the Christmas holidays with SVP and I understand that to be able to become a volunteer you need to fill in a garda vetting form.

However my problem is that ever since I was young I have moved around countless of times that even my parents probably can't remember each place we've lived in and for how long. Even before we moved to Ireland we had several addresses. And then when we moved to Ireland we must have lived in about 5 different places. On the form it says fill in where you lived from when you were born, so does this mean even the addresses before we moved to Ireland? Do I have to put down every single address that we have lived in and the dates ? I really want to volunteer but I'm afraid I can't because I will have trouble filling in the garda vetting form because I can't remember all addresses and dates of the places we have lived in. Any advice please?

DoozerT6

OP, I would fill it in to the best of your ability. Sit down with your parents and a sheet of paper and a pen, and brainstorm. Would your grandparents have old address books they could rummage through to try to dig up as many old addresses as possible? They would surely have wanted addresses for your parents whenever ye moved....I was in a similar situation the last time I had to fill in a garda vetting form, I have lived in around 20 places, in Ireland and abroad and I had trouble remembering all the addresses. My parents old address book came in handy there although I was still winging it in places. Pop into your local garda station and check with someone there how much any gaps in the timeline might affect you.

saintchrisburg

xxpopopxx wrote: »

Hi guys, I'm interested in doing some volunteer work over the Christmas holidays with SVP and I understand that to be able to become a volunteer you need to fill in a garda vetting form.

However my problem is that ever since I was young I have moved around countless of times that even my parents probably can't remember each place we've lived in and for how long. Even before we moved to Ireland we had several addresses. And then when we moved to Ireland we must have lived in about 5 different places. On the form it says fill in where you lived from when you were born, so does this mean even the addresses before we moved to Ireland? Do I have to put down every single address that we have lived in and the dates ? I really want to volunteer but I'm afraid I can't because I will have trouble filling in the garda vetting form because I can't remember all addresses and dates of the places we have lived in. Any advice please?

I'm in the same exact boat as you xxpopopxx except I'm volunteering with Foroige. I've lived in at least 30 different places in five countries on three continents, and there's absolutely no way I can remember or find all the addresses I've lived at (and some places I never even knew what the official address was). I'm thinking to give a call and ask, although my guess is that it isn't that serious of a deal, as long as you're able to provide some accurate addresses and nothing fishy pops up in any national security databases anywhere...

Boardnashea

And when you do get it done make sure you keep a copy of the info. A new form will be needed if you want to volunteer again with another organisation.

The Bishop Basher

Boardnashea wrote: »

And when you do get it done make sure you keep a copy of the info. A new form will be needed if you want to volunteer again with another organisation.

They are planning on changing the system and giving you a number which will have pre clearance but for now you have to apply everytime.

I've been vetted numerous times over the last number of years and I don't think I've ever given exactly the same details on each form as I don't remember and just do my best from memory.

It's never been a problem.

Best of luck OP and fair play for helping out. You'll be lucky enough to get clearance by Christmas but not impossible by any means.

Deise Musashi

I had the same problem as I lived in England until I was four and had no idea what the address was.
Filled in the bits I knew from four years old on, and had the form returned to me as being incomplete.
I eventually got the address from my Grandmother and resent the form.

Still waiting on clearance months later, at least I only volunteer with one group, some people I know do youth club/scouts/first aid and have to apply separately for each group.

xstevex

Hi Popop,

I volunteer with the SVP myself and got Garda vetted recently enough, well about 5/6 months ago.

I have moved around a lot in my adult life between flats, house shares and different countries. A number of these places the Garda would have no idea I lived in them, ie a couple of months here and there to the point I cant remember a lot of them.

When filling in the form I inserted 4 addresses, my family home growing up and three places since stretching the dates to fill in any gaps where I was elsewhere,

There was no problem with this at all. My understanding is they are looking for a form with no time gaps. They will then perform a background check. If you have not been convicted of a serious crime you will be fine.

Another thing, these things can take 12 weeks, mine did. If they send it back incomplete and you have re apply your looking at 4/5/6 months.

Hope this helps.

S