Terms of Service

Last Updated: September 2026

Welcome to Expat Clearance Co. (referred to below as "we," "our," or "the Company"). By accessing our website, completing our eligibility questionnaire, or utilizing our procurement services, you agree to comply with and be bound by the following legally binding Terms of Service.

1. Scope of Services
Expat Clearance Co. provides independent administrative support, official translation coordination, and physical counter representation services to assist former expatriates in securing a Certificate of No Criminal Record (CNCR) from the Shanghai Public Security Bureau (PSB) Entry-Exit Administration within the Shanghai Municipality. We are a private corporate entity and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official branch of the Chinese Government, the Public Security Bureau, or any foreign consular mission.

2. Milestone Payment Structure & Financial Terms
We operate strictly on a milestone-based 50/50 payment model to protect both parties:

  • Launch Deposit: A 50% upfront service deposit is required to authorize our team to draft application profiles and initiate database verification.

  • Complexity Surcharge: Files flagging lost passports, missing visas, or missing Temporary Residence Registration Forms (TRRF) require our Specialized Complex Track, which incurs an additional flat $50.00 AUD surcharge added directly to the initial Launch Deposit. This specialized surcharge is non-refundable upon payment, as it covers immediate upfront runner counter labor.

  • Final Balance: The remaining 50% service balance—plus any applicable international destination surcharges (such as the +$200.00 AUD Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Consular Surcharge for non-Apostille destinations)—is invoiced strictly upon successful completion and presentation of a watermarked digital preview scan of your official certificate.

3. Success-Based Guarantee & Refund Policy
We operate under a strict success-based guarantee. If we accept your application case and our field representatives are unable to successfully retrieve your official Certificate of No Criminal Record due to internal government data gaps or system limitations, we will issue an immediate 100% refund of your standard 50% Launch Deposit. You explicitly acknowledge that the $50.00 AUD Complexity Surcharge is completely exempted from this refund policy, as it pays for physical archive search hours already executed at the counters.

4. Client Requirements & Local Verification Liabilities
To enable successful procurement, the client assumes full responsibility and liability for executing their independent local requirements at their own expense:

  • You agree to complete and physically verify your signature on our Bilingual Power of Attorney (POA) template via a registered Notary Public in your current country of residence.

  • You agree to secure all required localized department stamps (such as a federal Apostille sticker or cross-ministerial embassy seals) as detailed in your Onboarding Manual.

  • You assume all out-of-pocket mailing costs to express-courier your physical, original wet-ink signed POA page straight to our secure Shanghai office.

  • We assume zero liability for delays, counter rejections, or document losses caused by incorrect client notarization, missing digital scans, or courier shipping transit failures.

5. Document Timeline Variations
Our processing windows (typically 2–3 weeks for Apostille tracks and 4–5 weeks for Non-Apostille tracks) begin strictly from the date our Shanghai office physically receives and signs for your compliant paper POA package and verified digital passport scans. We assume zero liability for timeline extensions caused by Chinese government holiday closures, database system outages, or local consular backlog delays.

6. Hard-Copy Logistics & Data Destruction

  • Digital Release: All standard packages include the release of a flawless, high-resolution color PDF scan of your certificate immediately upon final balance clearance.

  • Physical Booklet Add-on: If you request the physical hard-copy booklet package, we will calculate and pass down the raw, at-cost international shipping courier invoice (DHL/FedEx) with zero company markup. Alternatively, you retain the option to provide your own remote collection shipping labels.

  • Mandatory Data Purge: To guarantee absolute data security, all digital files, passport scans, and visa images are permanently deleted from our secure cloud networks, and any temporary physical counter prints are securely shredded, exactly 30 days after your case file delivery is completed. The original physical POA form cannot be returned, as it remains legally archived within the permanent records of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau.

7. Contact
For any legal inquiries regarding these terms, please contact us at info@expatclearance.co.