A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)

I don't even know how to go about getting such a certificate.  A link within the linked article leads one to an article about how China is applying its own way of doing business to the rest of the world, ie the local police here DO keep the records, based on the hukou system.  Of course, local police stations back home don't do this.  Most countries have a national system.  Further links lead to quotes from PTB in various countries.  Link to FBI says it takes 4 1/2 months to get such a document. 

The need for this certificate is worth monitoring here.  Be interesting to know what folks up for visa renewal are being asked to provide and how they are obtaining these certificates, if necessary.

I know we need a certificate from the local police in Ontario (Canada), if we want to do any volunteer work.  It only takes a day or two to get. 

We had a thread about something like this awhile ago.  You can't teach etc in Canada and I think Australia and NZ without a police check.

The need for this certificate is worth monitoring here.

Yes. If it becomes a common requirement, then presumably the embassies & consulates will set up something to provide them as they do with the certification of single status you need if you want to marry here.

Be interesting to know what folks up for visa renewal are being asked to provide and how they are obtaining these certificates, if necessary.

I got a new residence permit this week, in Fujian, and was not asked for a police certificate. Nor, to my surprise, did they require a health exam, two year old certificate was good enough.

I know we need a certificate from the local police in Ontario (Canada), if we want to do any volunteer work.  It only takes a day or two to get. 

We had a thread about something like this awhile ago.  You can't teach etc in Canada and I think Australia and NZ without a police check.

yeah, add the uk and most european countries to that list too. A full disclosure form is required, which includes all prosocutions, warnings, and suspected activities. It is of course up to the discretion of the employer whether they take you on but the law does limit them on sensible stuff, like working with kids if you  have a sex offence.

Doesn't take so long in Oz to do a police check.  Normal procedure if you are going to work on most Gov't departments (which include the majority of schools).  If you are working anywhere with children you must have the 'blue card' that says you have no history of sex offences.

Any word on how it goes for L or F visas these days? I'm planning on skipping out for 6 months of travel sometime in the spring, and probably leaving my job a month or two before. Be good to know I'll be able to remain mostly legal (that's as good as we can hope for!) while soaking in a few months of pure Chinese and travels.

I had to get a police clearance when i was at home. The school translated it and took a copy of the translation and a copy of the original to the PSB.

Another post on the TEFLChina jobs mailing list about this is below.

These are (sometimes) very useful lists. They have three -- teaching,
work (terms & conditions, job ads, ...), and life in China. Subcription
info and list archives are at teflchina.org

Post was:

Yes, this is going to be very interesting. Especially if you HAVE ALREADY LEFT YOUR COUNTRY SEVERAL YEARS AGO to work in China, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE T GET IT AL ALL.

Some further links on the topic:

http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2008/08/28/criminal-record-certificates-to-be-required-for-china-work-visas.html

This is the situation over the obtaining
of “Non criminal record certificates” from various other countries.
Clearly, the situation is haphazard and differs considerably from
country to country. Applicants for work visas in China are strongly
advised to check with their Embassy for facilitation of the new Chinese
requests.
US Dept Of State: “U.S. law enforcement authorities may not be
familiar with such a procedure since it is not commonly requested in
the United States”.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1201.html

FBI: Takes 18 weeks (four and a half months) to process: http://www.tefllogue.com/finding-a-job/certificate-of-no-criminal-record-for-tefl.html

Hong Kong (downloadable form for residents only): http://www.police.gov.hk/hkp-home/english/forms/cncc/172a.doc

New Zealand Ministry of Justice: “There is no such document” http://www.justice.govt.nz/privacy/

Singapore: Downloadable form to be presented in person (Singapore residents only) http://www.spf.gov.sg/faqs/doc/cnccform.pdf

Australia, New South Wales: 14 days, application in person: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/about_us/structure/specialist_operations/forensic_services/related_information/criminal_records_section/related_information/frequently_asked_questions/national_criminal_history_record_check#6

UK Home Office: Documentation only available for criminal conviction records, not for no criminal records.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/2004-cons-crb-regulations/draft-statutory-instrument-2.pdf?view=Binary

UK advice on other European applicants: http://www.deni.gov.uk/circular_2006-06_appendix_a__checks_on_applicants_from_abroad.pdf

Note: UK Police cannot make checks on criminal records of UK nationals who have commited offenses overseas.

France: Applicants must apply in person to the Casier Judiciaire National, in Nantes. Documentation available in two weeks.

http://www.crb.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=2325

EU Pilot Scheme (Austria) http://www.epractice.eu/cases/2081

Hungary (3 months)

http://www.magyarorszag.hu/english/keyevents/a_alpolg/a_okmany20050822/a_azon20050822/a_erkolcsibiz20061215.html

Taiwan (3 days)

http://www.ptpolice.gov.tw/English/CmsShow.aspx?Parm=2006121512553437,,1

I can confirm that the French one takes about two weeks. It's free and it's sent out to anywhere in the world. I did it myself.

The Singaporean one costs 225 RMB. They doit on the spotif you go to the Police HQ. They take your fingerprints and a picture of you.

Criminal background checks for foreign teachers?  What the hell took them so long?    I always wanted to get one on myself and include it with my resume... but I thought it would look suspicious if I was the only one doing it.  I wonder how to go about this; I'll ask my stepbrother.

Con, I think you just have to go to the police and ask for a copy of your record. They'll give you a piece of paper with your name and such and, have you never decided to go against the law of the sovereign, it'll just be blank. That's at least how it worked for me.

I would think whatever would show up on a job-type police record check back home, would show up on what they got here.
I'd think ANY kind of arrest that showed on the check at home would probably make it much more difficult to get a job here; this is conjecture on my part.

Some things don't go on police records. Some things don't stay there forever, especially if you never have any more problems. And you've been a lamb.

Youz know how far back they want & what type/level of crime is acceptable?
Only convictions? petty crimes committed against humanity when one was 18, 20-40 years ago?
 

any and all will show up on it. Smoking a spliff in uni campus and getting busted to relieving yourself in a side alley on the way home to driving convictions and speeding tickets.
The trouble is that an education establishment will just see an entry on the form and therefore throw you out if they have a choice.

The FBI record takes eight weeks, at the most. I did it last year.

Slightly 

Went to get my visa for December trip, on Saturday.  Can now do it.  They weren't issuing any visas (for Bermudians) since February!!  Apparently just relaxed the rules, on Friday.

They want 1) photo; 2) passport information; 3) local address; 4) itinerary/ticket/China address; 5) financial statements; 6) letter from employer(s) to confirm that we're taking a vacation  WTF?!?  Oh.  Right.  TIFC, isn't it?

And the cost??  $290.  $100 each for the "processing" fee to the agent and $90 for the courier. 

The visa itself?  I don't know yet.  I have to give them my c/card info so that they (Chinese visa office) can bill it with the correct fee!!

Well, will re-present myself to the agent on Saturday....with all the required documents...and see what happens next.