The no criminal record also be called police clearance certificate in China.

Applicants who have worked or are currently working, studying, or living in China may be required to provide no criminal record while living in China to their employer or government agencies in the destination country when they apply for documents such as visas and residence permits, apply for jobs, or engage in related activities.

Responsible authority for no criminal record

Chinese no criminal record certificate is a certificate issued by the Ministry of Public Security of China to prove that the applicant has no criminal facts. Only court documents are the final documentation of a criminal record.

After the applicant applies for a no criminal certificate, the Public Security Administration will first conduct a criminal background check on the applicant. After confirming that the applicant has no criminal record while living in China, a Chinese no criminal certificate will be issued.

Sometimes, the Chinese criminal record certificate also needs to be translated and notarized by a notary public. It depends on the requirements of the agency requesting the criminal record certificate from you.

Documents required for application

  • Completed China Police Clearance Certificate Application Form
  • Passport
  • Visa
  • Chinese residence permit and proof of residence during stay in China
  • Work permit or graduation certificate or degree certificate
  • If the applicant is unable to submit documents in person in China, a Power of Attorney (PoA) is also required

The specific document requirements will according to the actual application practice. We recommend that you consult the relevant departments or professional agency in advance.

Application steps

Apply for foreigner citizen:

Foreigners who have lived in China continuously for more than six months can apply for a Chinese criminal record certificate.

Foreign applicants who are still living in China can apply for certificates at the Immigration and Entry Administration of the Public Security Administration of their city.

The specific application process may vary from city to city. You can consult your local office or professional agency.

If you already live in another country, or the Public Security Administration requires you to designate a Chinese client to apply for a no criminal record certificate on your behalf. The principal needs to bring his or her valid identity document in China, power of attorney signed by the applicant and other relevant documents mentioned above.

Apply for Chinese citizen:

Applicants who live in China can apply for a no criminal certificate from the Public Security Administration or notary office where their household registration is located. Chinese citizens who apply for inquiry at their place of residence must submit their valid identity certificate and inquiry application form; those who apply for inquiry at their place of residence must submit their valid identity certificate, residence permit and inquiry application form.

If the applicant lives abroad, you can designate an immediate family member to apply for a criminal record certificate on your behalf. The principal needs to bring the original ID card and household register, power of attorney signed by the applicant and other relevant documents mentioned above.

Special aspects for applying for a Chinese no criminal record certificate

The Ministry of Public Security of China has established a criminal information inquiry platform. For personal inquiries, if the applicant is not found to have a criminal record, a "Certificate of No Criminal Record" will be issued; if the applicant is found to have a criminal record, a "Notice of Not Issuing a Certificate of No Criminal Record" will be issued.

If an individual applies for inquiry more than three times within a year, he or she needs to submit relevant materials proving that it is used for reasonable purposes.

Impossible to obtain a Chinese criminal record certificate

  • The applicant has lived in China continuously for less than six months:

    • When foreigners come to China with a visa, their single stay period is less than six months. Even if the applicant has visited China many times and the cumulative time each time exceeds six months, the applicant cannot apply if the single time is less than six months.

  • The applicant did not apply for a residence permit as required when stay in China:

    • The bureaucratic steps of documents may be complicated, but for your convenience, please go through the relevant procedures with local residence requirements.

In addition to the above two common reasons, if you are unable to obtain a Chinese criminal record certificate due to special reasons, you can contact the immigration or employment authorities of your country for solutions. In some cases, you can obtain a statement from the Chinese government department stating that a criminal certificate cannot be obtained, and then apply to the bureaucracy of your country for exemption from submitting a no criminal record.

Electronic criminal records

China’s “National Criminal Records Information System” was put into trial operation on December 18, 2020. After the information system is officially completed, online processing can be implemented. In addition, the Ministry of Public Security has also published an application named “One-stop Public Security Network”.

However, these two platforms are currently only available to Chinese citizen. We recommend that you consult professional agency in advance.

Apostille on no criminal record

Schmidt & Schmidt covers the full spectrum of legalization services for Chinese documents.

We can assist you with procure, notarize and apostille your police certificate.