Job Discussion Forums

[Spatula City]

Can anyone settle the whole 'been in China two years, only need a local police check' issue for me?

The 'visa guy' at my new school is telling me to get a new criminal background check from my home country, which is absurd since I have already done this or I wouldn't currently be teaching in China.

I told him that most places in China just want a local criminal check if you have been here for two years, and asked him to check with the local FEB... but he just said 'I think you need one from your home country' and refused to do anything else about it.

So now I am in one of those situations where I don't know if the person I'm dealing with knows what he is doing or just doesn't want to admit that he is wrong. I mean, it's supposed to be his job and of course if he admits he's wrong and I am right, he loses face. So I don't trust him-- lovely.

He has told me to contact my embassy, which seems useless since they don't control the policy for the FEB in Dalian. Obviously I can't communicate with the FEB in Dalian and we all know how customer service is in China, especially if they are dealing with foreigners.

So... has anyone on here transferred to Dalian from somewhere else after spending two years or more in China (specifically Dalian)?

If so, were you required to only provide a local police check or asked for one from your home country?

I guess that this can also be a 'transfer experience' thread to help everyone understand what they need and don't need when transferring to specific places.

[teenoso]

I think the issue is whether you've been in China continually since your last home criminal background check. A three month period away (?) may mean that you need an updated home criminal background check.
Also was your previous check authenticated by the Chinese Embassy in your home country?
Rules have tightened in the last year or so.

[Spatula City]

I am seriously about to give up on this entire job because of the insane list of demands I was presented with, and a totally unforgivably awful visa guy complaining that he has already told me what I need to know and commanding me to get it done by the middle of July, about a week after my current job ends. He explains nothing clearly and then gets pissed at me for not getting it. His attitude is pushing me further towards giving up on it all and just staying where I am.

SO:

I was told to get a new criminal background check from my home country, of course authenticated at the Chinese embassy. I have been legally working in China 3 years with no breaks... how would this even be possible if I hadn't already checked out? Other people who are applying for new jobs only have to provide a local check that costs nothing and takes about 30 minutes to procure-- I am being forced to use two separate services to do this-- also, my embassy informed me that Chinese police don't fingerprint foreigners, and suggested I go to Hong Kong or do it at home. WTF?? I have to go to Hong Kong just to get fingerprinted (trip costs at least $300), then I send the prints to a private company (costs over $150 to get the CBC this way, plus courier fees from China to home), get them to send the BC to my parents (courier costs $25), get my parents to send it to a company that verifies documents (courier costs $25, service costs over $250).

Apparently I also need to get a copy of my current employer's business license. Is this for real? I read this list and I was sure he was just screwing with me... I asked my current employer and they thought it was absurd. It IS absurd. Has anyone else actually dealt with this?

/rant

[Kierana]

Wow dude, people who don't have the patience to talk with you and explain stuff either have an attitude problem or simply don't know what they are doing. Both scenarios are ones that you don't want to work for.

Just to add my two cents though; My current position never asked for an up to date police check from my home country (UK) but they did want the UK one from when I entered China originally, plus local police checks from my stay in China (Almost 7 years now). However when I switched my first job to another province in the 3rd year I had to get a new police check from my home country as Heilongjiang province had it set as a requirement at the time regardless of anything I already had and this was explained to me by the FAO at the school I was moving to. Not all provinces are equal, some far more fussy than others.

Personally from your post I think if you haven't seen the red flags already then maybe take my advice and don't go there. There are plenty of other places to go and hitting it off well with the new boss is a must for myself.

[nimadecaomei]

Re: The Job
Just run, imagine having to deal with this person for a whole contract period

Re: Criminal Check
I think it is hit and miss which places and who is required to get a new one. I thought it illogical that after 9 continuous years in China they wanted a US check. Thinking about it though, there are plenty of crimes you could be convicted of without actually being in your home country. For example, financial crimes or crimes that you committed, but were not convicted of until leaving the country.

[kev20]

I have signed for a new job in a new province. I have been in China continuously for almost two years and came with a criminal background check from my own country.

I only need to provide a new police check from the Chinese police in my city here in Shenzhen.

Just to add it is very important to get a police check in your current city in China before moving, even if you don't have a new job yet and even if you're going home for a while. Get the local police check while you can prove your residence there because after you leave you will face enormous difficulty and it may be impossible to obtain a police check.

I know it's not exactly what the OP asked, but I can't stress enough the importance of getting every document possible before you leave, even if at the moment you don't plan on coming back in the immediate future.

[geosmiley]

If I were you I'd wash my hands of the whole mess and move on. Like someone said on the thread it will only get worse over the life of the contract. Just make sure the first question you ask when you apply for a new position is about the criminal background check. Since just about everything is local and negotiable in China you might get a different answer each time you ask.