Foreigners living in China can request a criminal record check from the local security bureau in the city in which they have lived for at least 180 days ¹. Certificates of no criminal record may be required for people leaving China, or those who are starting a new position in China and applying for a new visa or residence permit.
Who needs a no-criminal record certificate in China?
A criminal record check is required for foreign residents when they seek to apply for a new work or study visa whilst already living in China. Some people may also need a criminal record check from China when they apply for a certain job position, visa, or other official matters in another country after having left the country ¹.
Who can apply for a no-criminal record certificate in Shanghai?
Foreigners who have a valid residence permit and have lived in Shanghai for at least 180 days can request a criminal record check in the city ¹.
How to get a Certificate of No Criminal Record in Shanghai
There are two steps to obtaining a criminal record certificate in Shanghai ¹:
- Requesting a criminal record check from the PSB: Individuals can request a criminal record check by themselves or authorize another person to do it on their behalf. Companies can also request a criminal record check for their current or prospective employees.
- Notarizing the Certificate of No Criminal Record: After the applicant has received the Certificate, they must apply for notarization at a notary office. The notary office will verify the contents of the Certificate with the PSB.
Timeline for receiving criminal record results from PSB
If the department in question is able to process the request immediately, it should be done on the spot. If immediate processing is not possible, the department should issue an “Acceptance Receipt” to the applicant or the requesting company (or third-party person), and the processing should be completed within three working days ¹.
However, in practice, the processing may take longer than the stipulated time limit and can take up to two weeks. In some cases where the situation is complex, and further investigation and verification are required, the processing time may be longer ¹. The time taken for investigation and verification is not counted towards the processing time.
