China No Criminal Record Notarial Certificate (无犯罪记录公证) for U.S. Immigration

What document do I actually submit, the police certificate or the notarized one?

You submit the No Criminal Record Notarial Certificate (无犯罪记录公证), the booklet from a notary office (公证处). The U.S. State Department states that the certificate from the Public Security Bureau is not the same as the certificate from the notary office. The PSB certificate is the input; the notarial booklet is the document you file.

Who needs a China police certificate for the green card?

Per the State Department reciprocity page: a Chinese citizen who has lived in China at least six months at any time; anyone over age 16 who has lived in China for six months; and a non-citizen who lived in China for one year after age 16. Each applicant requests their own, plus a police certificate from every other country (not the U.S.) where they lived long enough.

Do I need a separate English translation or an apostille?

No to both. Tell the notary office it is for U.S. immigration and the bilingual notarial booklet includes the English translation and the translator's certification bound inside, so no separate translation is needed. No apostille or legalization is required for the U.S. immigrant visa, even though China joined the Hague Apostille Convention on November 7, 2023; that convention does not change what the U.S. filing needs.

How long is it valid, and when should I get it?

For U.S. immigration the police certificate is accepted for two years. The underlying PSB police certificate is good for only about three months, so notarize it promptly after the PSB issues it. Because the notarized version lasts two years, you have flexibility on when in the case to start, but do not let the PSB paper expire before notarization.

I lived in more than one city in China. Do I need more than one certificate?

Possibly. A city often issues a certificate covering only the time you lived in that city, so multiple residences can mean multiple PSB certificates. Some larger cities are broader. Verify with the PSB in each city where you held household registration or lived, then have each certificate notarized.

I no longer live in China. How do I get it from abroad?

Most notary offices mail to domestic Chinese addresses only, and online filing from abroad is usually unavailable. Many cities let an immediate family member apply for you using a notarized power of attorney, which you can sign at a notarial appointment with American Citizen Services at a U.S. embassy or consulate. If you genuinely cannot obtain it, the State Department can waive an unobtainable police certificate on a showing to the consular officer; confirm the current process with the consulate.

What if my record is not clear, or the certificate shows something?

That moves past getting the document into legal questions about your specific history, and what any entry means for a visa depends on facts only a professional should assess. Talk to a licensed immigration attorney before you file rather than relying on a general guide. This page only explains how to obtain the certificate, not how a record is weighed.