If you’re applying for a China work visa, and intend to teach abroad, you’ll need to provide a recent criminal background check (less than 6 months old) from every country you’ve resided in during the last 5 years. This is a visa requirement. You won’t get a working visa without one. For US residents, past and present, the process is a takes a lot of time so you’ll want to get it started as soon as you can.
The criminal background check is a document that details any past illegal activities for which you have been charged. Although the document is issued by a government body, it still needs to be either notarized or authenticated (or both) and THEN you’ll also need to have it authenticated by a Chinese Embassy.
Basically, once it’s been issued by the US, you’ll need to have the document accepted by China.
Your local and State Police offices have all the forms you need to apply although you must tell them the reasons for your request (applying for a Chinese work visa) and ask that the document be notarized, automatically, at time of issue. At a local/State level, the documents should cost USD 10-20.
2/3 days, at most.
Make sure you research your State’s precise requirements – residents of AL, GA, KY, MD, TN and NY, take note.
This will be the first level of certification and, hopefully, the only one you’ll need on the US side of things.
Here, you’ll get the document authenticated and accepted by the Chinese Government. You’ll need to show up in person to do this and do note that if your nearest option is the main embassy, in DC, you may need to have the document authenticated by the US Department of State first, if you are from one of 20-odd US states, so check ahead!
You’d better use this document within 6 months of date of original issue or you’ll have to do the whole thing again.Be careful not to run too close to the expiration date of your certificate. The Chinese visa process can be a slow process and this may prevent you from getting a visa right when you are on the cusp on that awesome job!
Channel your inner zen-master and get ready for the ultimate mission pain-in-the-rear-end: getting your criminal background check issued by the FBI!
Tell then what it’s for (a Federal-level criminal background check) and ask for two sets. You’ll need to pay with a money order here – which you can pick up at your nearest Post Office. The cost should be around USD25-27.
Fill in the form, include your sets of fingerprints and payment slip and off you go. That easy? Not really. Nowadays, the criminal background check is known as an Identity History Summary Check and you can (try to) apply online, directly with the FBI. The website also has details on how to request fingerprints and submit payment – this costs just USD 18.
You’ll need to send it to the Washington office, as this is the only one authorised to authenticate FBI-issued documents. This should set you back about USD 10.
Chinese Consulates in varying States don’t have the power to authenticate criminal background checks that have been authenticated by the US Department of State in Washington – only the Chinese Embassy in Washington can do this. This service costs around USD 25.
All up, the process for getting your Federal criminal background check in the US can take upwards of two months.
Pro-Tip: Use a channeler
For all of the above considerable and numerous reasons, many prospective teachers employ the services of what’s known as a ‘channeler’ – an accredited agency that’ll channel all your overwhelming frustrations and get the job done, for you, for a nominal fee. Although you must personally apply for a local and State-level certificate (due to privacy laws) an agent can help you get the document authenticated and certified.
For FBI checks, an agent can take over after you’ve had your fingerprints taken, taking care of every step after the first. Yes, you will pay more but, in this particular case, a channeler may just be Worth.Every.Cent.
Agencies like Accurate Biometrics and FBI Apostille Services can take as much or as little of the bureaucratic burden off your hands as you wish. Moreover, this can save you some valuable time if you’ve left this step to the last minute – some channelers offer expedited services – however, note that authentication by the US Dep’t of State AND Secretary of State Offices cannot be expedited, so expect it to take three weeks, at the very least.
Usually, you can expect to pay an extra USD100 for a channeler, plus mailing costs to and fro.
Wondering what other documents you’ll need, to apply for a teaching job? Learn all about the China work visa, before you start your teaching job search, and you’ll be a step ahead.
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