Guide
FBI Background Check for a China Work Permit
China’s work permit rules ask for a recent no-criminal-record certificate — and since November 2023, the apostille is all it needs.
Quick answer
Yes. Chinese work permit authorities require a certificate of no criminal record from your home country or country of residence, issued within the last six months. China joined the Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023, so a U.S. document needs only the apostille — Chinese missions in the U.S. stopped consular authentication on that date.
Key takeaways
- Work permit applicants need a no-criminal-record certificate — for U.S. residents, the FBI report.
- It must be issued within the last six months.
- Since 7 November 2023, an apostille replaces Chinese embassy authentication.
- Foreign-language documents need a translation by a professional translation institution; English ones may be translated by the employer.
What Chinese authorities ask for
| Document | Certificate of no criminal record issued by the police, security or court authorities of your home country or country of residence |
|---|---|
| Age | Issued within the last six months |
| Authentication | Apostille only, since 7 November 2023; no consular legalization |
| Translation | By a professional translation institution; for English documents, the employer may translate |
Some local work-permit pages still describe embassy certification. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. confirm that since 7 November 2023 the apostille replaces it.
The FBI report needs the federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. A state apostille on a notarized copy or on a state police check won’t work. See what an FBI report needs before it can be apostilled.
Getting the FBI report ready
We handle the federal side. If you already have your FBI report, mail it to us for the FBI background check apostille — $299, about 10–12 business days. If you still need the report, the FBI check + apostille bundle is $399, about 12–14 business days, starting with an in-person appointment at our West Palm Beach or Miami office. You get back the original FBI report, issued by the FBI with its seal and signature, with the U.S. Department of State apostille attached. We review every document before we submit it.
Our bundle takes about 12–14 business days. Confirm with your employer when they file, so the report is under six months old on that date. Check your dates with the processing time estimator.
Need the translation too? See certified translation.
Frequently asked questions
Does a China work permit need an FBI background check?
Yes. Work permit authorities require a no-criminal-record certificate from your home country or country of residence, issued within six months. For U.S. residents, that is the FBI report.
Does the FBI check need Chinese embassy legalization?
No. Since 7 November 2023, China accepts the apostille instead, and Chinese missions in the U.S. no longer do consular authentication.
Does the FBI check need to be translated for China?
Foreign-language documents need translation by a professional translation institution. For English documents, Chinese guidance allows the employer to translate.
Official sources: Shenzhen Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau — Foreigner work permit materials · Shanghai Municipal People’s Government — Work permit · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China — Apostille Convention takes effect · Embassy of China in the U.S. — End of consular authentication. Federal Apostille USA is a private service, not a government agency.
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