Urgent: Getting China Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)

[rbp0418]

Hi,
Anyone here who have been required by INZ case officer to get China Police Clearance? I badly need an advice on how it is done and what documents are needed.

I am not a Chinese citizen but I worked in Shanghai for 2 years from August 2005 to August 2007 (yes, that's within 10 years prior today). I currently live in New Zealand with work visa and applying for residence visa under skilled migrant category. My case officer has given me 30 days to comply with the required clearance or at least provide proof that I made an attempt to apply for the clearance and show the written correspondence between me an Shanghai police.

Also, can anyone here advice if they have tried http://www.visainchina.com/nocriminal.htm ? Is this legit and how many days do they usually complete the process? Aside from that, can you suggest other service providers who can help me?

I tried to look at the website of relevant Chinese government but I could not find the procedure and guidelines of applying for it because mostly in mandarin (google translator does not work). Can anyone who knows mandarin help me search from these website about the procedure and guidelines for obtaining police clearance:
http://www.sh-notary.gov.cn/
http://www.mps.gov.cn/
http://www.police.sh.cn/

I really need help or advice on this matter urgently due to the time I need to respond to my case officer. Thank you very much.

[JandM]

Did you hold a Foreigner's Residence Permit when you worked in Shanghai? As otherwise, it appears you will not be able to get a police certificate. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...ce-certificate And see the further comments on that page.

[rbp0418]

Hi JandM, thank you for your quick response.
I held PRC Alient Employment Permit (similar to NZ work visa) and not a Foreigner's Residence Permit. It only allowed me to work there for a certain period, renewable every year.

I saw the page that you gave. That's why I submitted Statutory Declaration, signed by JP from NZ stating that I am not a Chinese citizen, I'm not a holder of a valid foreign residence permit today and I live outside China, which makes me qualify not to submit a China Police Clearance.

However, my case officer wants me to show proof that I attempted to apply for a China Police Clearance and written communication from China Police. I doubt if China Police will reply to my email (I found their email address at their website). I tried to call the Shanghai Police station but they don't speak english. I don't know anyone in Shanghai who can represent me. I'm stuck. Can you give me an advice what to do next to comply with my case officer?

If I get the service of visachina.com, would that mean it will end up that Shanghai Police will not issue any certificate for me? Anyone tried this service provider?

Thanks again.

[JandM]

I haven't heard of that business before. I can't see how they would have any better luck than you (or anyone else). If the Chinese government won't supply the certificate when you haven't had a Foreigner's Residence Permit, they won't, no matter who sent in the application.

In your place, I would write to the Chinese police, both email and snailmail, and send the snailmail registered. Then you can show proof of having tried, whether or not you get any reply.

I think the CO is really trying to cover him/herself here, to tick the boxes, particularly when the INZ website itself clearly shows that they KNOW China doesn't play ball on this point. Jump through the hoop as much as you can, but I think you've got a good case even if you don't get any reply.

[rbp0418]

Hi again, that snailmail is really a great idea. Thanks for enlightening me. That will make my communication and attempt traceable with paper trails I will get from a registered snail mail.

One more question though, is it a good idea to have my documents sighted and signed first by the JP from New Zealand before I send the snail mail? As additional proof that I really send these document?

I hope that would be acceptable even if I am not represented by anyone located in Shanghai because I am the applicant directly sending the application, am I correct?

I just need to be sure about the email address and the postal address of the Shanghai Police Station. Is it also needed to send the documents to Shanghai Notary Public Office? Anyone here knows this? I'm sorry, I could not read mandarin from their website. I'm ashamed of myself being someone who lived there for 2 years and did not learn mandarin.

[JandM]

It says in that INZ page that it is the local Public Security Bureau who could issue a certificate. I found the address for this on a page of the UK government's website.

Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau
Address: No.1500 Minshenglu, Pudong New District, Shanghai
Tel: (+86) 21 28951900
Office hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm.

Yes, you could have an JP witness your letter - it is one more thing to show that you are trying.

There is no need to be represented by anybody.

Good luck.

Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau
Address: No.1500 Minshenglu, Pudong New District, Shanghai
Tel: (+86) 21 28951900
Office hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm.

[rbp0418]

Hi JandM, just for further clarification,

Is "Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau" under or part of the "Shanghai Public Security Bureau"?

I found the home page of "Shanghai Public Security Bureau" from this link: "http://www.police.sh.cn/" and the address found at the bottom of the page is:
"No. 128 Wuning Road, Post Code: 200042"

I tried to search the internet, in:
http://ipc.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/accann/t716829.htm
and
https://www.wikiprocedure.com/index....ce_Certificate

I found that "Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau"
has this website: http://www.police.sh.cn/shpolice/

However, "http://www.police.sh.cn/shpolice/" is not existing anymore. I'm getting "HTTP Status 404 - /shpolice/" page.
The reason I need this clarified is to be sure what postal address I should use to send my documents.

Is it just OK to send my documents to the address indicated at the bottom of "http://www.police.sh.cn/" which is:
"No. 128 Wuning Road, Post Code: 200042" ?

and not to: "No.1500 Minshenglu Pudong New District, Shanghai"

Or is there anyone here who can help me dig into "http://www.police.sh.cn" to find webpage showing the working postal address of:
"Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau"?

Or should I send my documents to the two postal address? (but I would incur two postal expenses)


Thanks again

[flytomanu]

According to the policies in China, only you and your relatives can apply the no clearance certificate. If your relatives help you apply it, they have to provide evidences to prove the relationship with you. As a result, I am not sure how the company can get the certificate.

[JandM]

According to the policies in China, only you and your relatives can apply the no clearance certificate. If your relatives help you apply it, they have to provide evidences to prove the relationship with you. As a result, I am not sure how the company can get the certificate.

You are okay if YOU are sending the application. I agree about the company - I would think they make it sound easy, so people pay them, but then oh, dear, it might turn out to be too difficult to get the certificate...

About your other post, that address I gave you came from the UK government link here https://www.gov.uk/government/public...tails-in-china, by clicking on the link. This is the UK government telling people where to apply to get just the same kind of certificate as you are being asked for by the NZ government. So the UK government think this is the right address. I don't know, but they might.

I think you are overthinking this. You have VERY LITTLE TIME. You need to get your letter or letters out there, simply to get the proof that you have tried. Either address, or both, are plausible as sensible places to send your application - that is, the CO can't think you haven't tried properly and have just put something stupid like 'Police Certificate Office, High Street, China' - !

All this is about is ticking a box. You and I know, from reading INZ's own website, that you are not going to get any helpful answer from China (or maybe, any answer at all), and probably, so does the CO, but s/he wants it on file that s/he has followed the fine points of procedure.

Get that letter - or two letters, if you want to - written, attested, and GONE. Then, when the 30 days are nearly up, you can quite reasonably tell the CO (and prove it) 'I wrote asking about a certificate, and there has been no reply.' I would also quote heavily from that INZ website page where it plainly says that they KNOW only people with a Foreigner's Residence Permit are going to get the certificate, and the Statutory Declaration (which you have already sent) will be accepted as a substitute. This will get YOUR reasonable attitude on record on your file, in case of the need to push further for acceptance, later.

[rbp0418]

Hi JandM,

Thank you again for that very informative and motivating feedback. Before I send a registered mail containing my application for China PCC, I would like to call the Shanghai Public Security Bureau to confirm the steps and document needed (or to just ask if they do or do not issue PCC for foreigners like me who have been out of China and currently no valid foreign residence permit). I am yet to meet a registered Mandarin interpreter who will help me "do the talking" and then the intepreter can certify whatever result of that call and I will make it as part of my effort to apply for PCC.

However, I must use the right contact number of Shanghai Public Security Bureau. I plan to try first the number which came from the link that you gave, which is:

Division of Exit and Entry Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau
Address: No.1500 Minshenglu, Pudong New District, Shanghai
Tel: (+86) 21 28951900

If it does not work, I'll try the Telephone: 62310110 that is found at the footnote of the website of Shanghai Public Security Bureau: http://www.police.sh.cn/shga/index.html

After I have the results sighted and signed by a JP, I will then send my application for PCC via a registered mail. I plan to make all of these to happen within this week.

Again, thank you for all the help and advice.