Jinan Police Clearance Certificate: Police Check and Notarization

Foreign nationals who have resided in China for 180 days or more apply for a police clearance certificate to the public security exit-entry administration department, at county level or above, for their place of residence. The rule is set by the Ministry of Public Security and has applied since 31 December 2021. In Jinan, Quancheng Notary Office handles criminal record notarization, accepts applications through an online platform linked from its official website, and, as its own requirement, asks foreign applicants for proof of at least six months' residence in China together with the police certificate.

Key points

• Eligibility: residence in China of 180 days or more, including exactly 180 days.
• Issuing authority: the public security exit-entry administration department, at county level or above, for your place of residence.
• Notarization in Jinan: Quancheng Notary Office asks foreign applicants for proof of at least six months' residence in China and the certificate from the public security department for their place of residence. This is the notary office's document requirement, separate from the national 180-day rule.
• Use abroad: an apostille replaces consular legalization only where the Apostille Convention applies between China and the destination country and covers the document.

Who issues the certificate

Police clearance certificates for foreign nationals are issued by public security exit-entry administration departments. A foreign national who has resided in China for 180 days or more applies to the department at county level or above for their place of residence. If the inquiry finds no criminal record, the department issues a certificate of no criminal record.

The rule comes from the Ministry of Public Security's Provisions on the Handling of Criminal Record Inquiries by Public Security Organs (Gong Tong Zi [2021] No. 19), issued on 3 December 2021 and in effect since 31 December 2021.

Jurisdiction is tied to place of residence, so keep a record of the addresses and dates relevant to your residence in Jinan.

Preparing the application

1. Start from the receiving authority's request. Note the exact document name it uses, any period the certificate must cover, and its deadline.
2. Gather your residence details. List the Jinan addresses and dates relevant to your residence. If the name on your current passport differs from the name used during your stay, note both.
3. Allow for the later steps. Notarization and an apostille or consular legalization are separate from the police certificate and need their own time.

For the national process, see the China police clearance certificate guide.

Typical timing in Asomerit cases

In Asomerit's general experience, the certificate is usually issued about three working days after submission. This is not an official processing time.

If you have left China

When a client is outside China, Asomerit asks for three documents:

• a copy of the passport;
• a notarized and authenticated copy of the passport;
• a notarized and authenticated power of attorney.

Check the wording of the power of attorney, and the authentication route for documents signed in your country, with Asomerit before you start.

Notarization and apostille for use abroad

Jinan Quancheng Notary Office handles criminal record notarization and links to its online application platform from its official website. Its guide asks foreign applicants for proof of at least six months' residence in China and a no-criminal-record certificate from the public security department for their place of residence. This is the notary office's document requirement, separate from the national 180-day police clearance rule.

China joined the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents on 8 March 2023. The Convention entered into force for China on 7 November 2023.

The document authentication and apostille page explains both routes.

Next step

To apply from abroad, send your Jinan residence details, the date you left China and the receiving authority's document request through the China police clearance certificate service page.