Apostille Korea has launched a service that helps applicants obtain a Chinese criminal-record (no-criminal-record) certificate and complete the certification needed to use it in Korea or abroad, supporting people who previously lived, studied or worked in China and now must prove a clean record for a visa, job or licence.
- The service covers issuance of a Chinese no-criminal-record certificate and its onward certification.
- Many Korean visa, employment and licensing processes require a criminal-record check covering time spent in China.
- Because China is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, documents typically need foreign-ministry authentication and embassy legalization.
- Apostille Korea coordinates issuance, certified translation, notarization and legalization through a single online request.
Why a China criminal-record certificate is often required
People who have spent time in China are frequently asked to prove they hold no criminal record when they apply for a Korean visa, a sensitive job, a professional licence or permanent residence. The receiving institution wants an officially issued certificate from the Chinese authorities, accompanied by a certified translation. Obtaining that document from outside China can be difficult: the request must reach the correct Chinese authority, the certificate must be issued in the right form, and it must then be authenticated so a Korean or third-country body will accept it. Apostille Korea built this service to remove those obstacles for applicants who can no longer travel to China to handle it in person.
How the certificate is certified for use abroad
China is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a Chinese certificate generally cannot be used abroad with an apostille alone. Instead it usually follows the legalization route: authentication by China's foreign-affairs authorities followed by legalization at the embassy of the destination country, together with a certified translation into the required language. Apostille Korea manages the full chain — obtaining the certificate, preparing a certified translation, arranging notarization where needed, and completing the legalization steps — so the applicant receives a document ready to submit, without navigating each office separately.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs a China criminal-record certificate?
People who lived, studied or worked in China and must prove a clean record for a Korean or foreign visa, job, professional licence or residence application.
Can a Chinese certificate be apostilled?
No. China is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, so the document normally requires foreign-ministry authentication and embassy legalization rather than an apostille.
Do I have to travel to China to get it?
No. Apostille Korea handles issuance, certified translation, notarization and legalization through a single online request, so an in-person trip is not required.
Source: 굿모닝경제 (goodkyung.com) ↗