This is a guide for people who are not citizens of China about how to apply for a Certificate of No Criminal Record in Guangzhou, China. Certificate of No Criminal Record is also known as a police certificate/check/clearance in other countries.
On March 1, 2019, the Provisions of Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department Regarding the Application for and the Handling of Certificates of No Criminal Record came into effect. In 2022, China’s Ministry of Public Security issued the Provisions on the Handling of Criminal Record Checks by Public Security Organs. Both rules are currently effective.
Foreign nationals may need to obtain a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China for a variety of reasons including immigration, employment, etc. Typically, a Certificate of No Criminal Record is not acceptable for these purposes until it is notarized by a local notary office in China. For use in some countries, it also needs to be apostilled by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or authenticated by the embassy representing the country where the certificate is to be used. This Guide covers the two primary steps, namely “STEP 1: Application for Certificate of No Criminal Record” and “STEP 2: Notarization of Certificate of No Criminal Record”.
STEP 1: Application for a Certificate of No Criminal Record
WHERE TO APPLY?
A foreign national may apply for a Certificate of No Criminal Record with the Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau (PSB). The contact information is shown below.
| Address | Jiefang Nanlu 155 Hao, Yuexiu Qu, Guangzhou (In Chinese, 广州市越秀区解放南路155号) |
| Telephone | +86 020-12367 |
| Office Hours | 8:30-12:00 and 14:00-17:30, Monday to Friday, closed during holidays. |
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE?
- Have had residence permits issued from Guangzhou evidenced by your Temporary Residence Registration Form(s).
- Have lived in Guangzhou for 180 days or longer.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS?
- Passport(s).
- Temporary Residence Registration Form(s)
- Power of attorney, if a third-party is appointed to handle the application.
PROCESSING TIME?
The processing time for most cases is 3 business days.
SAMPLE CHINA CERTIFICATE OF NO CRIMINAL RECORD
The Provisions on the Handling of Criminal Record Check by Public Security Organs provides a basic model Certificate of No Criminal Record. The model contains a QR code which is used for verification and a statement regarding no criminal record. Local police in different cities issue the certificates with slight variations in the layout. Click here to view a sample Certificate of No Criminal Record.
STEP 2: Notarization of the Certificate of No Criminal Record
WHERE TO APPLY?
There are many notary offices in Guangzhou that can notarize a Certificate of No Criminal Record for use abroad. Guangzhou Notary Public Office is one of the most experienced.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS?
- Certificate of No Criminal Record
- Passport(s).
- If another person is appointed to file the notary application, you also need to provide a power of attorney and a picture of you holding the signed power of attorney.
PROCESSING TIME?
1 to 2 weeks.
SAMPLE NOTARIAL CERTIFICATE OF NO CRIMINAL RECORD
All notary offices across China issue Notarial Certificates of No Criminal Record in the same format. Please take a look at our article, What a Certificate of No Criminal Record Should Look Like.
Conclusion
The Guangdong rules about the issuance of Certificate of No Criminal Record are not inclusive in nature. And local authorities are given discretionary powers in practice. If you have an issue that is not covered here, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are committed to providing high-quality services for obtaining Certificates of No Criminal Record in Guangzhou. If you are interested in hiring us, please fill in a quote request form. Click the below button to get started.
Hi, thank you for this! I’d like to ask about obtaining the police clearance for when I am not in China? How to have my copy of passport and Powe of attorney authenticated? Thank you!
Hi Andrea. Please take a look at our article, Guide to Applying for China Consular Authentication.
Inquiry Regarding the Issuance of a Criminal Record Certificate from China
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inquire about the possibility of obtaining a criminal record certificate from China. I am Korean and applying for the Australian visa.
Over the past ten years, I have operated a wholesale clothing business in Korea, which required me to travel to China more than 80 times. My visits were mainly to the Guangzhou clothing market and partner factories. On each trip, I stayed for one to two weeks using tourist visas, typically visiting once a month.
Since I have not stayed in China for six consecutive months, a Korean agency informed me that only individuals with such continuous stays are eligible for the certificate. I would appreciate clarification on whether it is still possible to issue the certificate based on my frequent short-term visits.
If the certificate cannot be issued, I kindly request a written explanation specifying the reason.
Thank you.
Hi Seok Choi, thanks for your question. Under the current rules in Guangzhou, only foreign nationals who have lived in China for 180 days on China residence permits can apply for a Certificate of No Criminal Record. You are ineligible for the application because you used tourist visas, not China residence permits. The information given by Korean agency is not accurate. A foreign national who lived in China intermittently for 180 days can also apply for a Certificate of No Criminal Record if during the period he or she held China residence permits.
We do not write explanation letters unless we have made an actual attempt to apply on behalf of a paid client. If you are interested in hiring us to write a written explanation, please get started by filling in a quote request form. You can also feel free to cite what I am writing here if you are going to write an explanation letter yourself.