The International Schools Review Forum

Apparently, my husband and I need to get a non-criminal record from the police department to bring with us to our int'l school post. The school administration says they will need it to convert our work visa. Has anyone else had to do this? I need to figure out how to get the record. I guess I'll contact the city police department. Noone at the Chinese Consulate mentioned this. I'm trying to piece it together in the next week. Thanks for any tips!

This is also very common in South America. Just go to your local police department, explain what you need and then make lots of copies to have for the future!

I had to do this last year for my China work visa. You need to get it from the FBI, their website has all the info you need to do this.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/crimin ... to-the-fbi

I walked into my local police station, and it took less than 5 min and cost $15. It is just a letter from the department stating you have no criminal record on file.

that is great for China..but Korea for example..even though I worked for a few yrs in 2009 will not accept anything less than federal...not even able to use a channeler like it is posted on FBI site..due to no apostille!

It really depends on what your school wants. Understand there are two processes you need to go through. Your visa comes from your local OS consulate or embassy. They usually dont require DBS/CRB clearence. The second process is in securing your residence permit, which recently in China moved from Immigration to the local PSB (Public Security Bureau). In China different regions have varying procedures and this procedure varies based on the relationship your school has with the governing PSB. Your school probably has a good understanding on what will really be needed and generally you find 5 types of requirements, so its important to be very clear in asking what they want.

1) No check - Some schools have a relationship with the PSB that assumes the school has already verified your lack of a criminal record, and they assume if the school is employing you and applying for a resident permit that your clean.

2) Local Check - This is the fastest clearance you can get, usually the same day and you have the option of having it notarized at the same time. This doesnt include finger prints usually and is based off a local ID (name) database search. Cost is usally cheap, between $5-$25 each. However, because the search is so limited its usually not acceptable.

3) State - Until recently this was the most you could get unless you want through an FBI/Federal channeler. These are fingerprint check either done at the local police station or using a third . (such as L1) services. You make an appointment to have your prints taken then the state provides you a notarized or certified report. You can usually request authentication seperatly through your states SOS to get the check apostilled. COst is usually around $50 plus the apostille cost. Turn around is a couple weeks to a month at latest. This is usally satisfactory for most long term residents.

4) Federal/FBI - Until recently this wasnt really an option. This is also a finger print background check. You have your preints taken locally and send the application and finger print card to the FBI. The bigest issue is that processing time is 4-6 weeks, and another 2-3 weeks for an apostille. Making it slow. The cost is $18 for the check plus the apostille cost is $8. A number of channelers or third . service providors can also do FBI/Federal background checks. They are faster but have a much higher cost. Some of them offer Apostilles, most of them dont and the rejection rate by the SOS is pretty high. This is the gold standard for a CRB/DBS check.

5) On occasion a school or regional authority will require an InterPol release. This is more common in European municipal schools or long time ITs. The process is similar to the FBI/Federal process as that is the route that Americans have to apply through, essentially submitting the request through the FBI/DOJ to InterPol.

As an informal option in the past, when local authorities didnt specifically require a formal CRB/DBS clearance it is common for a nationally affiliated school to contact the teachers appropriate embassy and inquire if there is any "concern" or "problem" in hiring a teacher.

Along similar lines here-

I have a misdemeanor for speeding in Virginia (don't get me started..). Is this going to disqualify me from teaching in any certain countries?