The police certificate primarily supports visa or child-adoption purposes and goes directly to the requesting authority. Application channels, fingerprints and the October fee change need current checks rather than an old postal guide.
What to have ready
Establish the qualifying purpose and request letter
CNCC serves the visa, child-adoption and other circumstances expressly specified by police guidance; other purposes should not be assumed eligible. For a routine private employment request, ask the recipient which document is actually appropriate. Obtain the relevant consulate, immigration or government authority's request naming the applicant and clearly requiring the certificate, with the receiving postal address and email. A letter naming only the principal visa applicant may need relationship evidence. Preserve complete correspondence for an electronic request and print required documents for an in-person application. A self-written request to police is not the authority's request letter. If the recipient has not supplied one, seek its assistance instead of expecting payment to bypass that requirement.
Recheck the 2026 channel and fingerprint conditions
Since 1 January 2026, applicants outside Hong Kong must lodge applications and payment through the police online platform, rather than post, a drop-in box or a representative. Local applicants can use the platform or an appointment at the Wan Chai CNCC office; every district police station does not accept CNCC applications. From 30 March, applications made through iAM Smart login and unrelated to business involving children or mentally incapacitated persons are generally exempt from fingerprints, with exceptions possible. Merely having iAM Smart while using another login does not meet that condition. Follow the case notification when fingerprints are requested. Overseas applicants then arrange the prescribed taking and original-card delivery; online application submission and postal delivery of requested fingerprints are distinct steps.
Check fees and progress against the actual application date
As checked on 2 October 2026, the listed fee is HK$311 per person, with a police-announced change to HK$340 from 9am Hong Kong time on 12 October. Recheck the official amount on the payment date rather than paying an older form's figure. For an online case, keep its reference, payment record and every request for information, and consult the current FAQ for timing that matches the actual identity and fingerprint route. No express service is available, so an approaching recipient deadline does not guarantee priority. Older overseas notes may describe an earlier fingerprint sequence; read them together with current notices and the case instructions, asking the office about any inconsistency. Payment or acceptance of an application does not establish that a certificate has been issued.
Track direct delivery to the requesting authority
Under police policy, the CNCC goes directly to the requesting authority; applicants generally do not receive a certificate copy to download and upload themselves. Supplying the recipient's case reference helps matching, while despatch, recipient receipt and visa approval remain three different outcomes. Where conviction data is found, the result may be a letter explaining that a certificate cannot be issued and listing the data. An outstanding investigation, criminal proceeding or unpaid fine can also suspend processing; submission cannot establish a clear-record outcome. For example, a family-visa applicant verifies the consulate address and reference, follows platform notifications and later checks receipt with the consulate. If its portal asks for a self-uploaded document, resolve the direct-delivery arrangement rather than presenting the police application receipt as CNCC.
Establish purpose and the official request, follow current fingerprint instructions, and confirm the authority actually receives the result.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.