Your China stay. A clear document route.

Start with residence, not nationality alone

Under the national inquiry rules, foreigners with at least 180 days of residence in mainland China apply through the county-level or higher Exit-Entry authority at their place of residence. Local offices implement the route and may offer additional channels. A city’s calculation of residence and handling of old records still needs checking.

For Canadian applications, IRCC’s China guidance distinguishes current or former Foreigner Residence Permit holders and asks applicants to check the issuing city’s process. A short visit on a tourist or business visa should not be assumed to qualify for the same route.

Build a timeline before a checklist

• List each Chinese city, the approximate arrival and departure dates, and your registered addresses.
• Identify the passport used for each period, any replacement passport, and the permits you held.
• Note whether temporary accommodation registrations, university or employer records are still available.
• Keep the receiving authority’s exact request: required period, certificate language and deadline.

Missing an old passport or accommodation form does not by itself tell us the outcome. We first check what alternative records the responsible office will accept. Do not buy a replacement-record service before the relevant office confirms that it is useful.

Can someone apply for you?

The national rules allow an eligible adult representative and require authorization and the representative’s valid identity document in addition to the applicant’s documents. This does not make every online portal a proxy portal. Overseas signing, notarization, Apostille, translation and original-document requirements differ locally.

We check the police stage and the notarial stage separately, then provide the proposed authorization wording. If a route needs personal attendance or an original you cannot provide, that is assessed before accepting the work.

Which finished documents do you need?

• Police result: the record inquiry issued by the appropriate public-security authority.
• Notarial certificate and/or accepted translation: prepared in the form required for your use.
• Apostille or legalisation: an additional authentication stage only where required and available for the destination and document.
• Delivery: electronic review copies and any required paper originals, with courier charged separately.

These stages should be named in the written quote. An agency fee described simply as a ‘China PCC’ is not enough to establish which documents, language, coverage dates or authentication stages are included.

Fees and timing for your case

Our current standard PCC cases generally cost USD 500–600 before applicable tax. The actual scope and total are confirmed in writing. Additional document stages and international shipping are identified separately; no payment is taken on this website.

The police rules describe a short handling period for a complete accepted inquiry, with additional time possible for investigation. Reconstructing old records, signing abroad, notarial work, authentication and courier delivery add separate time. We give an estimate after the route is checked.

What to send in your first question

Tell us the city or cities, approximate residence dates, broad permit history, receiving country or organization and deadline. Keep passport numbers, scans, identity photos and police records out of the first message.

More about your application

Requirements can change and depend on your residence history, the accepting office and the intended use. We check the applicable requirements when assessing your case.