Criminal Record Certificate in China: One important document often overlooked when changing jobs or applying for visas is your Chinese criminal record. Many expats get background checks from their home countries for a Chinese work visa but forget a local certificate may also be needed if they’ve lived and worked in China.
This guide explains how to apply for your Criminal Record Certificate in Chengdu, and outlines the steps if you’ve already left the country.
Obtaining a Criminal Record Certificate in Chengdu
Foreigners holding Work (Z), Student (X), or Journalist (J1) visas are eligible to apply. If you hold a different visa type, you can still apply, though the process may vary slightly.
To get started, go to your local Public Notary Office. (Note: This is not the same as the Public Security Bureau.)
Required Documents:
- Passport (with valid Chinese visa)
- Passport copy
- Passport photos
- Residence Permit
- Work Permit
- Employment contract
- Letter from your school or employer confirming employment
- Application fee
After submitting these documents and the payment, your certificate will typically be ready within one month.
This process is available to both Chinese citizens and foreigners. However, since most of the process is in Chinese, bringing a Chinese-speaking friend can be very helpful.
Chengdu-Specific Process
In Chengdu, foreigners must apply through a local notary office authorized to issue foreign-related notarisations. The notary will coordinate with the Division of Exit and Entry Administration of the Chengdu PSB to check your record. Applicants cannot apply directly to the PSB.
The Chengdu Notary Public Office is the city’s largest and most commonly used. Use the search function on www.chengdu-expat.com to find other options.
Other Cities in China
Shanghai: The local notary public manages applications for Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.
Chongqing: Applicants must first visit the nearest police station, followed by the local notary public. This applies to Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan.
Guangzhou & Shenzhen: The notary public handles the entire process.
Beijing: Shuang Xiong is a recommended service provider. They complete the process in around six working days and issue both Mandarin and English copies.
Obtaining a Criminal Record Certificate from Outside China
Most cities and locations will allow you to appoint a representative to apply on your behalf. For this, you need a friend or contact in China that is willing to go to the PSB on your behalf. Then, the required documents and process is identical to the process above with addition of the following. When your representative applies on your behalf, they also need to bring with them the following:
- His or her Chinese ID card
- A signed authorisation letter from you. You can print this out and sign it in pen then scan the letter and email/ send them the letter to print out in China
As with all regulations and jurisdictions these will change slightly according to location and time of applying. The above is a guide to show you the general process and should point you in the direction of getting your no criminal conviction certificate from China.
The rest of the process and documents remain the same.
Translating the Certificate into Another Language
You can have the certificate translated at the Public Notary Office. To do this, you need to provide the following:
Your original Chinese criminal record certificate
Your passport (containing visa and residence permit)
With these documents, your certificate will be translated.
