This Guide is about how foreign nationals obtain a Certificate of No Criminal Record in Chongqing, China. The certificate is also known as a police certificate/check/clearance in other countries.
The procedures of Chongqing for getting a Certificate of No Criminal Record are similar to those of Beijing. An applicant or a third-party representative may apply for a police certificate with the district office of exit and entry administration of Chongqing Public Security Bureau (PSB) which has jurisdiction over the applicant’s residence in Chongqing.
The current Chongqing procedures had not been in place until March 2018. Prior to that, the procedures were the same as those of Suzhou where an applicant first needs to get a notary’s letter and then applies to the relevant police station, instead of exit and entry administration. The change of the procedures, according to local authorities, was authorized by an internal rule issued in March 2018 titled “Adjustment to the Entity for Issuing Certificates of No Criminal Record for Foreigners”.
STEP 1: Application for Certificate of No Criminal Record
Where to apply?
A foreign national who has lived in Chongqing may apply to the local exit and entry administration of Chongqing PSB that has jurisdiction over the applicant’s residence in Chongqing. If you have lived in multiple districts, go to the exit and entry administration in the district of your last residence. China’s National Immigration Administration (NIC) publishes the contact information of exit and entry administration offices in every city of China. Click the link to visit NIC’s official website and select “Chongqing” to find the office in your district.
Who are eligible?
No written rules are available to the public regarding the requirements for getting a Certificate of No Criminal Record in Chongqing. Our on-the-ground experience shows that typically a foreign national should meet the following requirements to be eligible for the application.
- Have had residence permits issued from Chongqing.
- Have lived in Chongqing for 6 months or longer.
Processing Time?
On the spot.
Required documents?
- Passports
- Power of attorney, if a third-party is appointed to handle the application.
- Application Statement regarding your personal information, the purpose of the application and the period of residence in Chongqing sought to be covered by the certificate.
Sample Certificate of No Criminal Record Issued by Local Police in Chongqing, China
STEP 2: Notarization of Certificate of No Criminal Record
Most foreign nationals need a Certificate of No Criminal Record for purposes of immigration and employment in other countries. A Certificate of No Criminal Record issued by local Chinese police is typically not acceptable for these purposes. To be used outside of China, the certificate needs to be notarized by a local Chinese notary office. (In some cases, it also needs to be authenticated/legalized by the embassy or consulate of the receiving country in China. For more information about that process, please check our authentication guide.) Please note that most notary offices will keep the original Certificate of No Criminal Record on file, meaning applicants will no longer possess the original certificate once the notary application is filed. When the notarization is done, you will be issued a new document called Notarial Certificate of No Criminal Record with English translation or other language translation as ordered by you.
Where to apply?
There are multiple notary offices in Chongqing that are licensed to issue Notarial Certificate of No Criminal Record. Chongqing Notary Public Office is the major notary office in Chongqing.
Processing Time?
3 to 5 working days.
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
At ZhaoZhao, we are committed to providing foreign nationals with high-quality services for obtaining Certificates of No Criminal Record or preparing statements explaining why a certificate is unobtainable. If you are interested in using our service, please fill in a quote request form. Click the below button to get started.