Overview
A China Police Clearance Certificate, referred to as the China Police Certificate or Non-Criminal Record Certificate, serves as official proof that an individual has no criminal record during their residence in China. And it’s often required for various legal and immigration purposes.
Who needs the China Police Certificate?
Some individuals may need to obtain proof of no Conviction for following reasons:
- Applying for a visitor, student, or work visa.
- Applying for work permit, student permit, residence permit or permanent residence.
- Applying for residency or citizenship overseas.
Who can apply for the Police certificate
Not all foreigners who have lived in China are eligible to apply for a Chinese criminal record certificate. Applicants who meet all following conditions can apply for a Chinese Police Certificate.
- Reside in China for more than 6 months with residence permit.
- No criminal record in China.
- Provide authentic, legal and complete application materials.
Note: Resident times with short-term visas will not be included in the certificate of clearance.
How to obtain a police certificate in China?
You should apply for a China Police Clearance Certificate at the Public Security Bureau (PSB) of the cities once lived in. Generally speaking, if you have lived in several different cities, you will need to apply for police certificates from different cities. Whereas some cities can issue one police certificate covering all your time in China. Once the police certificate has been obtained from PSB, you should then make an application to the Notary Public Office for a notarial certificate of non-criminal record check.
Procedure of Getting China Clearance Certificate
- STEP 1: Apply non-criminal record certificate at a Public Security Bureau. Normally this step takes about 3-5 business days.
- STEP 2: Take the police certificate to Notary Public Office for a notarial certificate of Clearance Certificate.
Processing time for Non-Criminal Record
China Police Clearance Certificate is normally issued within 2-3 weeks.
Documents required for Non-Criminal Record certificate
1. Current passport and previous passport that contains pages with China visa, Chinese residence permit and China exit & entry stamps.
2. Copy of Temporary Residence Registration.
3. A Power of Attorney (POA) to nominate a representative to apply for China Police Clearance Certificate on your behalf.
4. Scanned copy of work permit or scan copy of original degree/diploma. (Optional)
Important Notes
• The PSB certificate is valid for 3 months. You must complete notarization within this period.
• The original PSB certificate remains with the Notary Office, and you will receive a notarized version.
Please be noted that the original police certificate issued by Public Security Bureau will be retained by Notary Public Office. A notarial certificate of Clearance issued by Notary Public will be provided to you.
1. China Police Clearance Certificate issued by Public Security Bureau.
2. Notarial Certificate of No Criminal Convictions issued by local Notary Public Office.~ Name of documents
SAMPLE OF CERTIFICATE OF CLEARANCE
How to confirm the authenticity of a criminal record?
Individuals can verify the authenticity of the Notarial Police Certificates in the following ways:
- 1.Notarial certificates from some notary public offices bear two-dimensional code allowing you to scan the code to check the authenticity. After scanning the code, you may check the verification result by inputting the verification code.
- 2. You may log in the Notary Public Office website to check the authenticity of the certificate with a specific code.
- 3. You may call the Notary Public Office to check the authenticity of the notarization. Name of applicant, date of birth of applicant, and serial number of the certificate shall be provided for verification.
When the applicant’s China Police notarial certificate needs to be used in countries other than China, the notarial certificate will include not only the Chinese version but also versions in foreign languages. The applicant can select the appropriate language based on their needs, such as English, Thai, Korean, French, etc.
Apostille and Legalization for Non-Criminal Record in China
The Apostille or Legalization may be required for using Chinese documents abroad. It is worth mentioning that China has officially joined to the Hague Convention in November 2023. And the Apostille has entered into force in China. Therefore, if a China Police Certificate is to be used in Hague Convention countries, the applicant needs to get the China Police Certificate apostilled. A Consular legalization certificate is needed for a China police certificate to be used in Non-Hague Convention countries.
How to Apostille the China Police Certificate
Take the China Police Certificate to the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China or authorized Foreign Affairs Offices of local governments for apostille.
How to legalize China Police Certificate
• Take the China Police Certificate to Chinese Foreign Ministry or authorized Foreign Affairs Offices of local governments for authentication.
• Take authenticated China Police Certificate to corresponding Embassy/Consulate in China for legalization.
To find out if your document requires authentication, confirm the requirements by contacting the authority requesting your document or the embassy, high commission, or consulate of the country where your document will be used.
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