What are the types of criminal record certificates in the United States?

2024/05/09 09:19:59

Many foreigners need to provide a certificate of no criminal record from their country of nationality or long-term residence (at least one year) when applying for permanent residency or work visas in China. Taking the United States as an example, the certificate of no criminal record in the United States is divided into the following types according to the issuing authority:

1.State Criminal Record Check
This is the most common proof of no criminal record used to confirm whether an individual has a criminal record within a specific state. This certificate is usually provided by local law enforcement agencies (such as state police) to determine if there is a criminal record by querying the state's criminal record database.

2.FBI Criminal Record Check

The federal criminal record check is conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and covers criminal records in the federal crime database. Usually used for situations that require more comprehensive background checks, such as specific jobs, visa applications, or security reviews.

3.Local Police Record Check

Sometimes, specific institutions or employers may require applicants to provide a certificate of no criminal record issued by a nearby police station where they reside. This type of proof usually only covers the records of the local police station where one resides, and does not cover criminal records of other states or federal authorities.

It should be noted that different situations and purposes may require different types of non criminal certificates. The specific requirements and procedures may vary by state and agency. Therefore, before applying for a certificate of no criminal record, it is best to consult with relevant institutions to ensure that the applied certificate of no criminal record meets the requirements.

In addition, a certificate of no criminal record usually only proves the criminal record as of the query date. Regular updates of criminal record may be required in certain specific application processes. If applying for a foreigner's work permit and permanent residence in China, a criminal record is valid for 6 months from the date of issuance.

很多外国人在办理中国永居或者来华工作签证等都需要提供国籍国或长期居住地（满一年）的无犯罪证明。以美国为例，美国的无犯罪证明按照颁发机构的不同，分为以下几种：

1、本州无犯罪记录
这是最常见的无犯罪证明，用于确认一个人在某个特定州内是否有犯罪记录。该证明通常由当地执法机构（如州警察局）提供，通过查询该州的刑事记录数据库来确定是否有犯罪记录。

2、联邦无犯罪记录
联邦无犯罪记录检查由联邦调查局（FBI）进行，涵盖了联邦犯罪数据库中的犯罪记录。通常用于特定工作、签证申请或安全审查等需要更全面背景检查的情况。

3、本地警局无犯罪记录
有时，特定机构或雇主可能要求申请人提供所居住地附近的警局出具的无犯罪记录证明。这种证明通常仅涵盖所居住地所在的地方警局的记录，而不涵盖其他州或联邦的犯罪记录。

需要注意的是，不同的情况和目的可能需要不同类型的无犯罪证明。具体要求和程序可能因州和机构而异。因此，在申请无犯罪证明之前，最好与相关机构进行咨询，以确保申请的无犯罪符合需求。

此外，无犯罪证明通常只证明截至查询日期的犯罪记录情况。在一些特定的申请过程中，可能需要进行定期的无犯罪记录更新。如申请外国人来华工作许可及永久居留，无犯罪记录自开具之日起6个月有效。

sources from CNVISA