Foreigners living in Beijing can apply for a Beijing Police Certificate/Certificate of Non-criminal Record for visa applications, immigration, employment or other official purposes.
Issuing Authority for Beijing Police Certificate
To obtain a Beijing Criminal Record Certificate, foreign nationals must submit their application in person at the Beijing Exit-Entry Administration Bureau. The applications online, by email, fax, or mail are not available. If another person submits the application, in addition to submitting the written consent from the applicant. Once issued, the certificate must be submitted to a notary public for notarization.
Applicable Applicants for Beijing Police Certificate
Foreigners who have resided in Beijing for six cumulative months or more and hold a valid residence permit (for work, study, family reunion or personal matters) can apply for a Beijing Police Certificate after submitting complete and compliant documents.
Application Procedures of Beijing Police Certificate
STEP 1. Submit required documents to Exit-Entry Administration Office of Beijing Exit-Entry Administration Bureau for review. You can submit the documents to the Beijing Exit-Entry Administration Bureau in person or appoint others to request on your behalf.
After the review is approved, the Exit and Entry Administration of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau will issue a police certificate.
STEP 2. Submit Beijing of China Police Clearance Certificate to Notary Public Office in Beijing. The notary office will then issue Beijing Notarial Certificate of Non-criminal Record.
Documents Required for Beijing Police Certificate
1. Original current and previous passports.
If you can’t to go in person, you may authorize a third party to present the original passport on your behalf.
2. Scanned copy of The Registration Form(s) of Temporary Residence.
Foreigners must fill out the Registration Form of Temporary Residence at the local police station within 24 hours of arriving in China.
3. Scanned copy of work permit or scan copy of original degree/diploma.
Work permits, and degree are optional documents for police certificate application.
4. Signed letter of authority for third party application if need someone to submit the application.
Information which will appear on the Beijing Police Certificate to be issued
Beijing Police Certificate is issued exclusively as an official hard copy document and cannot be obtained in digital format to applicants. There is a two- dimensional code on the left bottom of the certificate issued by Public Security Bureau for which you may check the authenticity of the police certificate by scanning the two- dimensional code.
Information included on the Police Certificate issued by Public Security Bureau
- Your full name
- Nationality
- Passport Numbers used in China
- The period of your stay in Beijing
- Statement indicates that if you have criminal record.
- Two- dimensional code for verification of authenticity.
Please complete the notarization procedures within three months because the non-criminal record issued by the Beijing Exit and Entry Administration is valid for three months from the issue date.
Information included on the Police Certificate issued by Notary Public
If you need to use a Beijing Police Certificate abroad, you shall make an application to Notary Public Office in China to obtain a notarial police certificate with translation . The notarial certificate of clearance will include following information:
- Your full name
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Current Passport Number
- The period of your stay in Beijing
- Statement indicates that if you have criminal record.
Processing Time for Beijing Police Certificate
Processing time for Beijing Police Certificate is 2-3 weeks excluding mailing time.
Reasons for failure to Get Beijing Police Certificate
Individuals lived in Beijing for less than continuous period of 6 months.
Individuals are in Beijing on short-term visas, like tourist (L) or business (M) visas.
Individuals never did residence registration during living in Beijing.
Individuals have criminal background record filed in Beijing police database
Apostille and Legalization for Beijing Police Certificate
For some countries, simply obtaining a notarial certificate from the Beijing police is not enough, and Legalization or Apostille may also be required. China has officially acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention and the Apostille has been effective in China on November 7, 2023.
Apostille Procedures of Beijing Police Certificate
If a Beijing Police Certificate needs to be used in other Hague Convention countries, the certificate may need to be apostilled. The apostille procedures are as follows:
STEP 1. Submit Beijing Police Certificate issued by Exit-Entry Administration Bureau to notary public offices for notarization.
STEP 2. Submit Notarial Police Certificate to Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China for apostille.
Legalization Procedures of Beijing Police Certificate
If a Beijing Police Certificate needs to be used in Non-Hague Convention countries, the certificate may need legalization. The legalization procedures are as follows:
STEP 1. Submit Beijing Police Certificate issued by Exit-Entry Administration Bureau to notary public office for notarization.
STEP 2. Submit Notarial Police Certificate to Chinese Foreign Ministry for authentication.
STEP 3. Submit authenticated Police Certificate to corresponding Embassy/Consulate in China for legalization.
Does Beijing Police Certificate cover the whole China?
A Beijing Police Certificate issued by the Beijing Exit-Entry Administration Bureau only verifies that an applicant has no criminal record in Beijing. This is because China does not have a dedicated government agency to issue nationwide criminal record checks. Under certain circumstances, a Beijing Police Certificate can also cover all China.
FAQ on Beijing Police Certificate
Q1: I was asked to submit Beijing Police Certificate by USA government for work visa. Now I am living outside China, can I apply for Beijing Non-criminal Record Certificate by using online tool?
A1: No. Online application service is unavailable for Beijing Police Certificate. If you are living abroad currently, your relatives or friends may request issuance of the police certificate on behalf of you. Relatives and friends should have specific written authorization.
Q2: I am living in Pakistan, and I authorize my Chinese friend to apply for Beijing Police Certificate for visa application. According to the regulation in Pakistan, “sending one’s passport from one’s country to another by mail or any other means is also a criminal offense punishable by law.” Will my application be accepted if I cannot provide my original passport?
A2: According to current policy on applying for Beijing police certificate, applicants living abroad must provide his/her original passport for the application. If you cannot provide the original passport, your application will be rejected.
Q3: I need to apply for Beijing of China Police Clearance Certificate for Australian permanent residence. Can I get a Beijing Non-criminal Record Certificate if my residence registration form is lost?
A3: It depends. The residence registration record can be retrieved in police system if you ever did residence registration during living in Beijing. If the residence registration form filed in police system is over 6 months, you are eligible to apply for Beijing of China Police Clearance Certificate.
Q4: I lived in Beijing as a temporary student from 2012 to 2013. I currently apply to Canadian citizenship and need to provide Beijing Police Certificate to Canadian government. How can I get Beijing Police Certificate accompanied with English copy?
A4: You should apply for Beijing Police Certificate at Exit-Entry Administration Office of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau. Once the police certificate has been obtained, you should then make an application to the Notary Public Office for a certificate based on the PSB document. Beijing Police Certificate notarized is issued in two languages, Chinese and English.
Hello, I am writing on behalf of my clients. They received requests from IRCC Canada to obtain a Police Certificate/ Beijing Non-Criminal Record Certificate for permanent residence in Canada. Currently they are living in Canada. Husband worked with Russian Embassy in China (Beijing) and had a diplomatic passports which was withdrawal automatically as soon as the contract was expired. No any copies of passport were allowed. Both (husband and wife) were in Beijing from November 2009 till November 2012. Both are able to present the original current passports only.
Would you please provide me with the processing time in terms of their case (original passports in Canada; consent form to be issued, etc.), the list of necessary documents and the price. Thank you!
The documents required including both previous original passport and current passport, and a Power of Attorney to nominate a representative to request police clearance certificate on your behalf.
How much is your company charging to obtain a police clearance on behalf of a foreigner currently in South Korea? I have read all the steps and required documents and I would like to find out the price please.
To apply Beijing Police Clearance Certificate, the original passports are required. Which country will your Beijing Police Clearance Certificate to be used for? and for what purpose? The price is based on the service type you need.(Translation and Notarization，Apostille，or Legalization by foreign Consulate in China)