Hi guys,
so turns out I need 3 police checks for my spousal visa - one from Australia, one from the UK ... and one from China. UK and Aus are super easy but the China one is borderline impossible. I'm not asking for advice on how to get one but what would happen if I didn't include it.
The CIC website, for Chinese police checks states that for non-citizens living outside of China:
It says that different cities have different ways. It just so happens that the city I used to live in does not allow a representative to apply on your behalf. I must do it in person. If I had lived in Beijing or Shanghai I could get it from overseas. But I lived in Chengdu. I have multiple emails and correspondence from the British Consulate in China who have been in contact with the Chinese police in my city (as I've been unable to contact or communicate with them), along with several agencies who try and get police checks for people overseas, and they have all confirmed that the police office in my city does not allow someone to do it for me, and that I must personally go there myself.
This is simply not possible. Right now I am enrolled full time in university and it is my last year, my wife and I are completely funding it ourselves and are therefore strapped for disposable income, and we both can't get the time off work. On top of that, our Australian visa's expire next March so we can't wait until after I finish university when we have more time, to go to China then, when we will also most likely be pretty broke and involved in work commitments. And lastly, the whole process to get the police check ourselves would require me to apply for a visa to visit china, buy flights there, go to my old employer to get a letter and old work details, go to the police station with a translator to apply for the police certificate which takes approximately 10 days, then go to the notary office to get it translated and certified which takes another 10 days and then come back. Given my experience with Chinese bureaucracy also, this time frame is also very loose.
On the CIC website it says that if you can't get a police check you need to:
send two documents with your application:
a written explanation; and
an original letter from the police confirming they will not issue a certificate.
I can write a pretty detailed explanation and provide evidence of correspondence to back up how I've been looking into this issue, but I can't get a letter from the Chinese police saying I can't get a certificate, as technically I could, if I traveled all the way to China and spent a month trying to get it, which would undoubtedly cost well over a $1000 including airfare, accommodation and other fees. Even if they could issue me a letter, I would still need to travel there to get one.
Does CIC really expect me to go to such lengths in order to apply for a certificate? Should I apply for the visa and include all of these details explaining why I don't have a certificate and hope for the best? I'm not even sure I can get the information from my old employer as they are being incredibly difficult to get hold of.
This is the only issue with our application. Any help with this would be great. Thanks guys and sorry for the long post!
so turns out I need 3 police checks for my spousal visa - one from Australia, one from the UK ... and one from China. UK and Aus are super easy but the China one is borderline impossible. I'm not asking for advice on how to get one but what would happen if I didn't include it.
The CIC website, for Chinese police checks states that for non-citizens living outside of China:
Different cities have different ways to apply and you should ask your local office how to apply. Most places in China will allow a representative to apply for a police certificate on your behalf. To nominate a representative, you must give the person a signed notarized authorisation letter (available at the office where you apply). When your representative applies on your behalf, he or she must bring:
His or her national ID card
A signed notarised authorisation letter from you
His/her original Permanent Residence Registration (Hukou) booklet
All of the documents that your local police station (in China) or embassy tells you are needed when you apply
His or her national ID card
A signed notarised authorisation letter from you
His/her original Permanent Residence Registration (Hukou) booklet
All of the documents that your local police station (in China) or embassy tells you are needed when you apply
It says that different cities have different ways. It just so happens that the city I used to live in does not allow a representative to apply on your behalf. I must do it in person. If I had lived in Beijing or Shanghai I could get it from overseas. But I lived in Chengdu. I have multiple emails and correspondence from the British Consulate in China who have been in contact with the Chinese police in my city (as I've been unable to contact or communicate with them), along with several agencies who try and get police checks for people overseas, and they have all confirmed that the police office in my city does not allow someone to do it for me, and that I must personally go there myself.
This is simply not possible. Right now I am enrolled full time in university and it is my last year, my wife and I are completely funding it ourselves and are therefore strapped for disposable income, and we both can't get the time off work. On top of that, our Australian visa's expire next March so we can't wait until after I finish university when we have more time, to go to China then, when we will also most likely be pretty broke and involved in work commitments. And lastly, the whole process to get the police check ourselves would require me to apply for a visa to visit china, buy flights there, go to my old employer to get a letter and old work details, go to the police station with a translator to apply for the police certificate which takes approximately 10 days, then go to the notary office to get it translated and certified which takes another 10 days and then come back. Given my experience with Chinese bureaucracy also, this time frame is also very loose.
On the CIC website it says that if you can't get a police check you need to:
send two documents with your application:
a written explanation; and
an original letter from the police confirming they will not issue a certificate.
I can write a pretty detailed explanation and provide evidence of correspondence to back up how I've been looking into this issue, but I can't get a letter from the Chinese police saying I can't get a certificate, as technically I could, if I traveled all the way to China and spent a month trying to get it, which would undoubtedly cost well over a $1000 including airfare, accommodation and other fees. Even if they could issue me a letter, I would still need to travel there to get one.
Does CIC really expect me to go to such lengths in order to apply for a certificate? Should I apply for the visa and include all of these details explaining why I don't have a certificate and hope for the best? I'm not even sure I can get the information from my old employer as they are being incredibly difficult to get hold of.
This is the only issue with our application. Any help with this would be great. Thanks guys and sorry for the long post!
