This guide explains how foreigners can apply for a Police Clearance Certificate in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
Even if you no longer live in China, Asomerit can assist you with the remote application process, including document review, criminal record check application, notarization, Apostille, consular legalization, and international delivery.
Section 1: Eligibility Requirements
Under the relevant requirements for applying for a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China, foreign applicants generally need to meet the following basic conditions before applying for a Police Clearance Certificate in Hangzhou.
Requirement 1: You held a residence permit during your stay in Hangzhou
You generally need to have held a valid Chinese residence permit during the relevant period of your stay in this city. This may include a work-type residence permit, private affairs residence permit, or study residence permit.
Please note that a residence permit is different from a Chinese visa. If you only held a Chinese visa and did not obtain a residence permit, you may not be eligible to apply for a Police Clearance Certificate for foreigners in China, even if you stayed for more than 180 days.
Requirement 2: You should have accumulated more than 180 days of residence in Hangzhou.
When reviewing your application, the Exit-Entry Administration Department in Hangzhou may check your entry and exit records to verify your actual period of stay. Even if you previously held a multi-year residence permit, your application may still be rejected if your actual stay was less than 180 days.
Section 2: Application Process and Documents
Step 1: Apply for the Criminal Record Check with the Hangzhou Exit-Entry Administration Department
The first step is to submit an application to the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau to check whether you have any criminal record during your stay.
If no criminal record is found, the authority will issue a Certificate of No Criminal Record confirming that you had no criminal record during your period of residence.
Required Documents for Applying for the PPC
You will generally need to provide:
- Scanned copies of all passports and residence permits used during your stay in Hangzhou. These copies must also be notarized and apostilled* (or legalized) in your current country.
- Scanned copy of your current valid passport;
- A signed power of attorney, which needs to be notarized and apostilled in your current country;
- A clear, front-facing photo of yourself holding both the signed Power of Attorney and your current valid passport.
*Based on Asomerit's experience, the Hangzhou Exit-Entry Administration Department will accept either the original passport or the notarized & apostilled copies of the passport and residence permits.
Processing Time
Approximately 3–5 business days.
Step 2: Notarization of the Police Clearance Certificate
After the Certificate of No Criminal Record is issued, Asomerit will submit the original certificate to a local notary office in Hangzhou for notarization. The notary office will review the content and authenticity of the certificate and issue a notarial certificate.
Required Documents for Notarization
You will generally need to provide:
- The original Certificate of No Criminal Record issued by the Exit-Entry Administration Department;
- A copy of your valid passport;
- Scanned copies of all passports and residence permits used during your stay in Hangzhou;
- A signed power of attorney, which Asomerit will prepare for you;
- A clear, front-facing photo of yourself holding both the signed Power of Attorney and your current valid passport.
Processing Time
Approximately 7–9 business days.
Step 3: Apostille, Consular Legalization, or Other Authentication
In most cases, a notarial certificate issued by a Chinese notary office cannot be directly accepted by overseas authorities without further authentication. Therefore, after the notarization is completed, you may also need to apply for Apostille, consular legalization, or other document authentication depending on where the document will be used.
The type of authentication depends on the destination country or region:
- Apostille Convention member countries: Apply for an Apostille;
- Non-Apostille countries: Apply for authentication by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consular legalization by the relevant embassy or consulate in China;
- Hong Kong or Macau: Apply for a confirmed copy of the notarial certificate;
- Taiwan: Complete document verification through the relevant cross-strait verification procedure.
You may also refer to our related blogs to learn more about how to authenticate China-issued documents for use in different countries and regions.
Processing Time
Approximately 7–9 business days for Apostille, or several weeks for non-Apostille consular legalization.
Section 3: Asomerit Service Fees
Asomerit provides a clear and transparent fee structure for Police Clearance Certificate services in Hangzhou. We will inform you of the service scope and fees in advance, with no hidden charges.
Our standard Police Clearance Certificate package with Apostille is USD 500. This package includes:
- Eligibility review, document review, and preparation of the power of attorney;
- Translation of overseas application documents into Chinese, if required, such as notarized and authenticated power of attorney documents prepared outside China;
- Government fees and administrative fees;
- Notarization of the Certificate of No Criminal Record and translation of the notarial certificate;
- Apostille fee;
- One-way international courier delivery to your country.
If your document will be used in a non-Apostille country or region, Asomerit will provide a case-by-case quotation based on the requirements and fees of the relevant embassy or consulate in China.
Apply for a Police Clearance Certificate in China with Asomerit
Since its establishment, Asomerit has been committed to providing efficient, reliable, and professional China Police Clearance Certificate application services for foreign clients.
If you need to apply for a Police Clearance Certificate in Hangzhou, or if you are no longer in China and need assistance with the remote application process, Asomerit can help you review your eligibility, prepare the required documents, complete notarization, and arrange Apostille or consular legalization.
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