Job Discussion Forums

[mambawamba]

This is in response to @teenoso asking on another thread.

Only for the UK and if you've been out of the country (UK) for the last 12 months. I'm sure people have done it other ways but this was absolutely by the book and what Qingdao red tape wanted (checked and double checked this may be different for other cities and provinces).

1.Contact Disclosure Scotland http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/, ask for a paper application (you cannot use the online application).

2.They send it to a UK address (won't/can't send to an overseas address - we asked the parents).

3.It gets couriered to you in China. (£25 DHL).

4.Fill in the form they will contact you if they need more info, this happened to us.

5.Courier back to a UK address - courier will not send to a PO box address (250 RMB DHL).

6.Post it to Disclosure Scotland.

7.Apply for CRB (£25).

8.They send it back to your UK address (took about two weeks and will not send overseas).

Right then that's just getting the ruddy thing now comes part 2, it needs to be notarised, sent to FCO then legalised at the Chinese Embassy, so.

To use a notary can cost between £90-£250 HOWEVER Disclosure Scotland will stamp and authenticate it for FREE you just need to send it back to them by post and request it. (Even though this gets done at the same place the cert is issued they have to send it out to you and you have to send it back then they stamp it and they return it - all for your convenience and security).

For the next part we used a Visa agent - Visaworld contact name Debra http://www.visaworld.co.uk/ this meant that Disclosure Scotland sent it to them and they dealt with both the FCO and the Chinese Embassy. (You cannot post anything to the Embassy someone has to physically take the docs in).

Per doc at FCO £30 (£66 agent fee)
per doc at Embassy £15 (£66 agent fee)

Visaworld fees are subject to VAT and they used Fedex which was a whopping £75 to send it back.

All in, the total process took 12 weeks start to having it back in hand.

As I said on another thread Visaworld are expensive but they are responsible, communicate at each step of the process and know what they're doing.

If you are getting the costs reimbursed I'd say use them but if not find a cheaper option ie you can get someone to post it to the FCO, walk it in to the Embassy for you and courier it back to you, which is a big ask.

A word of warning one guy here (from the US) just asked his Mum to do it for him and she sent it to the wrong place so he had to start again.

So take a deep breath and good luck,

Mamba

[edbuch]

This is a very useful and well written post. Especially for me as my main residence is in Scotland. My contract is due for renewal in February so maybe I need to start the process soon. But I am not sure if this applies to everyone as I have been told that it is only for teachers starting a new job. I am in Yunnan Province.

I wonder if anyone in Yunnan who is signing a contract with the same university knows if it is a requirement here?

[mambawamba]

Thanks @edbuch.

This was to renew a Resident's Permit, we've been here a year already, same job, same city - Qingdao is notoriously by the book. Best to ask at your place of work and if possible get their requirements sent to you by email so you will have proof of what you've been asked for and when.

The main problem is that the 'system' in the UK has been 'streamlined' with many local police forces not providing CRB checks at all any more. A lot of them have given this duty over to the DBS. They unfortunately don't provide CRB checks for anyone from the UK who is currently overseas and has been living overseas for the last 12 months, so it has to be done through Disclosure Scotland.

It's a total nause and incredibly stressful.

Mamba

[teenoso]

Thanks very much Mamba for explaining the whole thing; I hope your job in Qingdao makes all this hassle worthwhile!
What a nightmare and costly process. But it is very useful to know how to do this - I expect the 'criminal records check' requirement will soon be rolled out across China.
On their website it says there is no time limit on the validity of the disclosurescotland certificate, so maybe the certifcate will be good for a few years here (?) - it would be terrible to have to do this every year!

[davelister]

I agree; a very well written & useful post.

I assume, OP, you didn't need a UK police check last year. I assume also, if you were to stay on a third year there, that next year you'd not need a UK police check coz u'd have not been in the UK, but China for the year (busily not being a criminal of course : ) , but as we know, Tic!

(for Brits in UK only, you can apply for a police check by www.acro.police.uk/subject_access.aspx as well as www.disclosurescotland.co.uk )

[chinatimes]

I usually do the following step instead:

1. Talk to school, let them figure it out.

The End

[mambawamba]

What happens next year is a good question, when they think of it I'm sure they'll let us know at least five minutes before we need it!

If you're in the UK you can also check to see if your local police force still issues the CRB, some still do. Remember chaps wherever you actually get the CRB you will still need to notarise, FCO and Chinese Embassy it.

Best thing is that the CRB from DS has the guidelines and info written on the back of it so the apostille is attached by a thread of glue to the margins around the writing and the legalisation is tacked on to that. Looks like they outsourced it to a Primary School.

Mamba

Edited for Saturday night spelling issues. @Chinatimes good luck with that approach.

[teenoso]

"I usually do the following step instead:

1. Talk to school, let them figure it out.

The End"

huh? what does this mean?

[teenoso]

http://lawandborder.com/police-clearance-letters-for-foreign-workers-in-china/

This may be a useful link, mainly about Beijing and Qingdao, but it also mentions other cities and provinces where the criminal check is necessary (can anyone in Nanjing or Suzhou or elsewhere confirm this ?)

[SeldomSeen]

Earlier this year I used

http://www.accesspcs.co.uk/

I was living in China, I sent scanned copies of the stuff they required and had an apostled document within just over a month (and that included a week long shut down of the post office over Spring Festival). Cost: 125 GBP.

The check was done within days, the apostle took about a week, the rest of the time was for postage (again, delayed because of Spring Festival).

Very easy, not very cheap, but I needed it. Unfortunately, the apostle was a waste of time and money and I had to get it done again at the British Consulate (cost about 30 GBP) - but that's because the HR department where I am working are completely incompetent, lie to you, and haven't a clue about what they are doing.

[johntpartee]

[teenoso]

Now 2 people have given what seems to be bizarre advice :

school asks you for a Criminal Record Check
you talk to the school,let them figure it out ,
and magically,
the problem goes away.

Am I missing something?

[johntpartee]

Well, the school should have the knowledge and the wherewithal to get all documentation that's needed OR they have the connections to bypass the requirement.

[mambawamba]

Just went yesterday to get the RP and visa's done at the entry/exit bureau so to add, the CRB check stays with them you DO NOT get it back so make sure if you are asked to provide one that your school will reimburse you.

There seems to be some confusion so address a few points.

Some guys here at the centre have been getting all 'well it's up to the school to do it and help us' but they're HR in China not the police in the UK or the FBI.

Your school has no power or authority to get documents from your home country. It is your responsibility to get this done.

This is not a guanxi side-steppable thing, your school does not have the power to say 'oh go on, just for us forget about this guy'.

Despite your nationality, if your school or province asks for a CRB check that means you will need to get it done. It will have to be notarised, apostilled and sent to the Chinese Embassy for legalisation.

Good news is that if you're caught out waiting for docs to come back before your visa expires then you can (not will but can) get a three month extension while you wait. This is where your school can help out.

@seldom seen - you did all this at the beginning of this year before the actual law came in, you may well be asked to do it again next year so you'll be on the books 'post rule change'. This has happened to teachers at a couple of International schools here.

[LongShiKong]

CRB? Are you not referring to an NCRC, or a CRC, or a CBC, or a PD, or a...?