Must Have Documents for Working in China

The interviews are over, the contracts are signed, and you’re ready to be a foreign English teacher in China, right? Well... not quite yet.

There are still several documents you’ll need to obtain before you can even start thinking about booking your plane ticket. The process can feel a bit daunting, but if you work closely with your recruiter and refer to this complete guide, you can help reduce the stress of moving abroad.

1. Apply for your background check

No doubt your recruiter has emailed you a list of documents to prepare for your work permit. First things first: apply for your background check or police check! That beast takes weeks to process and arrive—especially if you make any mistakes on the paperwork (unfortunately, I did)—so keep a close eye on your account.

For those in the UK, it’s not hard to apply for an ACRO or DBS check. Simply fill out the online application at: https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service -

Don’t worry, the websites are straightforward, but the process does take time and can delay your move to China. So, pause here and go apply for it now!

2. Get your medical check

Great—now that your background check form is out of the way, it’s time to look into your medical check.

Side note: only some cities in China still require a full medical before arrival, and my city—Wuxi—was one of them.

The form might look overwhelming at first, but it’s really not. Think of it as a medical history summary. Have your GP fill out the first page in full, along with the second half of the last page. Don’t forget to get a blood test!

Your GP doesn’t need to go into great detail—stating that there are no abnormalities is usually enough, especially since you’ll undergo a more thorough medical check once you’re in China. Just make sure your GP signs and stamps the form.

3. Notarise your bachelor’s degree

Once you’ve received your police check and have your degree certificate in hand, both documents need to be notarised by a notary public. Be sure to specify that you need your degree notarised, not just certified—they’re often confused.

In my case, I didn’t want any markings on my original degree, so I had a colour photocopy notarised instead. After this, you’ll need to send both notarised documents to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for legalisation.

Apply online at: https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised.

4. Get document approval from the Chinese embassy

Lastly, you’ll need to have your documents approved by the Chinese Embassy. For me, the closest consulate was in Manchester. Start by printing the application form available here: http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/lsfw/legalization.

Make photocopies of all your documents and your passport, then head to the embassy. From Manchester Piccadilly Station, it’s roughly a ten-minute taxi ride.

The embassy is always busy, so arrive early. They’ll review your documents and issue you a pick-up slip. After three days, return with the slip to collect your documents and pay the fee.

Side note: make sure the form is typed. Most consulates won’t accept handwritten forms—only the signature section should be completed by hand.

Now, email all your documents to your recruiter, sit back, and wait for your work permit to come through!

Yes, you’ve probably realised by now—none of these services are free. Unfortunately, they can cost a fair bit. But don’t let that put you off.

Try not to think of the cost as a downside. I covered everything through a part-time job over two months. It’s not difficult to manage financially—and trust me, it’s worth the spend.

Once you arrive in China, you may even be eligible to get reimbursed for these expenses. I received £279 in my first English 1 pay cheque, which worked out to about ¥2,500 CNY at the time.