Issuing Authority for Guangzhou Police Certificate
Exit-Entry Administration Office of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau is authorized to issue Guangzhou Police Clearance Certificate.
Foreigners who have resided in Guangzhou for a minimum period of 6 months can apply for Guangzhou Non-criminal Record Certificate. Guangzhou Police Certificate can be used for the application of study visa, work visa and immigration to foreign country etc.
In person service is available for foreigners without an appointment. Public Security Bureau does not accept application by email, fax, or mail. Online system for requesting of Guangzhou Certificate of Clearance is not accessible to foreign citizens. Third Party application will need to provide written consent from the applicant.
Applicable Applicants for Guangzhou Police Certificate
Not all applicants are eligible to apply for Guangzhou Non-criminal Record Certificate. The application applies to the following applicants.
- Foreign nationals who lived in Guangzhou over continuous period of 6 months.
- Foreign nationals who held valid Chinese residence permits for work, study, family reunion or personal matters.
- Foreign nationals who can provide authentic, legal and sufficient application documents.
Application Procedures of Guangzhou Police Certificate
STEP 1. Submit required documents to Exit-Entry Administration Office of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau for review.
STEP 2. Exit-Entry Administration Office of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau conducts criminal record check. If applicant has criminal record, the Non-criminal Record Certificate is unobtainable.
STEP 3. Submit Guangzhou Police Clearance Certificate to Notary Public Office.
STEP 4. Notary Public Office issues Notarial Certificate of Non-criminal Record.
Application Documents for Guangzhou Police Certificate
1. Scanned copy of current passport including photo page, visa pages, residence permit pages and pages with exit-entry stamps.
You will be required to bring the copies of passports at the Public Security Bureau. Or you may ask a third party to present in person with your copies of passports to make application where written consent applies.
2. Scanned copy of previous passport including photo page, visa pages, residence permit pages and pages with exit-entry stamps. (If applicable)
3.Scanned copy of the Registration Form(s) of Temporary residence.
The Registration Form of Temporary residence is the form that you filled upon your arrival in China within 24 hours. You need to bring the copies of the Registration Forms of Temporary residence at the Public Security Bureau.
4. Scanned copy of work permit if you worked in Guangzhou; Or scanned copy of study permit if you studied in Guangzhou.
Work permits and degree are optional documents for police certificate application.
5. Scanned copy of authorization letter if applicants need to authorize the third party to apply for Guangzhou Police Certificate.
You must provide a written consent if you need someone other than you to deal with your application on your behalf.
Information which will appear on the Guangzhou Police Certificate to be issued
Guangzhou Police Certificate is issued in hard copy and never sent electronically.
Information included on the Police Certificate issued by Public Security Bureau (See Sample)
- Your full name
- Nationality
- Passport Numbers used in China
- The period of your stay in Guangzhou
- Statement indicates that if you have criminal record.
- Two- dimensional code for verification of authenticity.
Information included on the Police Certificate issued by Notary Public (See Sample)
If you need to use a Guangzhou Police Certificate abroad, you shall make an application to Notary Public Office in China to obtain a notarial certificate of good conduct. 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 Guangzhou
Statement indicates that if you have criminal record.
Processing Time for Guangzhou Police Certificate
Processing Time for Guangzhou Police Certificate is generally 2-3 weeks, excluding international shipping time.
Reasons for failure to Get Guangzhou Police Certificate
- Individuals lived in Guangzhou for less than continuous period of 6 months.
- Individuals never did the residence registration during living in Guangzhou.
- Individuals have criminal background record filed in Guangzhou police database.
Apostille and Legalization for Guangzhou Police Certificate
For some countries, simply obtaining a notarial certificate from the Guangzhou police is not enough, and Legalization or Apostille may also be requierd.
Apostille Procedures of Guangzhou Police Certificate
China has joined the Apostille Convention. For Guangzhou Police Certificate to be used in other Apostille Convention countries, individuals may be requested to get Guangzhou Police Certificate apostilled. The apostille procedures are as follows:
STEP 1. Submit Guangzhou Police Certificate to notary public offices in Guangzhou for notarization.
STEP 2. Submit Notarial Police Certificate to the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affiars of China or authorized Foreign Affairs Offices of the Guangdong Province government for apostille.
Legalization Procedures of Guangzhou Police Certificate
For Guangzhou Police Certificate to be used in Thailand, Malaysia etc., individuals may be requested to get Guangzhou Police Certificate legalized by corresponding Embassy/Consulate in China. The legalization procedures are as follows:
STEP 1. Submit Guangzhou Police Certificate to notary public offices in Guangzhou 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.
FAQ on Guangzhou Police Certificate
Q1: I’m seeking a job in London currently. Since I lived in Guangzhou for half a year, I need to run my background check during living in Guangzhou. I called Exit-Entry Administration Office of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau to confirm the required documents list. I can provide all documents in addition to the residence registration form. Is it possible to obtain Guangzhou Non-criminal Record Certificate?
A1: It depends on the reasons that you cannot provide the residence registration forms.
If you never did the residence registration during living in Guangzhou, your residence information cannot be searched. In this case, you cannot obtain Guangzhou Police Certificate.
If you ever did residence registration during living in Guangzhou but lost the registration form, you could contact local police station to retrieve the residence registration record. If the residence registration record is over 6 months, you are possible to get Guangzhou Police Certificate.
Q2: I lived in Guangzhou with M visa in 2012. Am I eligible to apply for Guangzhou Police Certificate?
A2: No. You are not eligible to apply for Guangzhou Police Certificate if you lived in Guangzhou with short-term visa. Applicants who have Chinese residence permit are eligible to apply for Guangzhou Police Certificate. Generally, Chinese residence permit is issued to foreigners who lived in China with long-term visa such as work visa and student visa.
Q3: I reside outside China. How can I obtain a Guangzhou police certificate?
A3: You may authorize third party to apply for Guangzhou Police Certificate on behalf of you. The third party should have specific authorization and get authorization notarized and legalized by Chinese Embassy/Consulate in the country you live currently.
Q4: Will intercity convictions appear on my police certificate?
A4: Guangzhou Exit-entry Administration Bureau of Public Security Bureau collects information from all police jurisdictions in China. Guangzhou Police Certificate shows that you have no criminal record during your period of residence in China.
Q5: What if I have lived in multiple different cities in China?
A5: You need to apply for police certificate from each city where you have spent living for six months or more in a row.
Hello. I did the residence registration when I lived in GZ but I lost this document. Am I eligible to apply for Guangzhou Non-criminal Record Certificate?
Hi Olga,
If you ever did the residence registration during your stay in Guangzhou, we may retrieve the residence registration form for you at local police station. If your residence period in Guangzhou is more than 6 months, you are eligible to apply for Guangzhou Police Certificate.
I had been living in Shantou with a working visa for a year. Can I apply for my non-criminal record in Shanghai?
Hi,
You may apply for Police Certificate in Shanghai which will cover the entire period of your stay in China as long as you ever resided in Shanghai for at least 6 continuous months with residence permit.
Am.now coming to Guangzhou can i get a police report when i arrive in Guangzhou?
Hi Samuel, please let us know the purpose for the request of Guangzhou Police Certificate. We will need more details to check your eligibility for a China Police Certificate.
Hi
This is Sabina Parajuli, currently studying in china. I am currently staying in China and my other two friends have already gone back to Nepal. We all want to make a no-criminal certificate. How much should I pay for this? And my two other friends are back in Nepal. I want to make for them as well. I also want to know how long does a police report valid. Now I have no specific purpose to make a police report but I heard I might need it in the future. How can I do it? Please guide me.
Thank you.
Regards,
Sabina Parajuli
Hi Sabina,
We can help you apply for China Police Certificate. Some countries require Police Certificate to be issued within six months or one year. It depends.
Please let us know which country your document will be used in, as each country has different requirements. Please check email for more details.
Hi. I had different stays on M visa (1 month each) from 2006 to 2017 in Guangzhou.
Then a residence permit on S2 (3 months ) in 2018
Later on a residence permit family visa S2 since 2018 till present.
Please would a Police Form be issued in Guangzhou for M /S1/S2 visa stays? Thank you.
Hi Agu,
Only the time you resided in Guangzhou with long term residence permit (S1) can be covered. Long term visa is issued to applicants the intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days. S1 (Family Reunion Visa) is long term visa. M (Business Visa) and S2 are short term visas.