CHINA: Certificate of No Criminal Record requirement for Z Visas

November 15, 2013


From the 15th of November, Z Visa workers in Hangzhou will be required to submit a Certificate of No Criminal Record for a foreigner (外国人无犯罪记录证明) when applying for an Employment License or Permit.

As per Article 7(3) of the Rules for the Administration of Employment of Foreigners in China (1996) it is a mandated condition for the Employment License for Foreigners that Z visa workers apply “with no criminal record” but it does not stipulate that a certificate is required to be submitted as proof. Nevertheless, Public Security Bureaus in municipalities, such as Beijing, Qingdao, and now Hangzhou have all recently declared that a Certificate of No Criminal Record will have to be submitted in conjunction with an Employment Licence or Permit.

In order to apply for such a certificate, Z Visa workers in China will have to apply to their respective local Public Security Bureau. If applying from abroad, any such certificate will have to be authenticated by a Chinese Embassy or Consulate. As would be expected, such a process will likely increase the preparation time necessary for Z Visa workers” to compile their requisite personal and company documents.

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