What is a Chinese Apostille
Chinese Apostille — is an official confirmation of the authenticity of the signature, the status of the signatory, and, if necessary, the authenticity of the seal or stamp on a document. This apostille does not confirm the content of the document on which it is affixed and is used for its legalisation in countries that recognise the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961.
The Chinese government officially submitted to the "Hague Conference on Private International Law" the documents of accession to the Convention of 5 October 1961, known as the Apostille Convention.
For China, the Apostille Convention entered into force on 7 November 2023. In Hong Kong and Macau, it had already been in effect for quite some time.
China is the 125th country to implement the apostille procedure for documents. Although China has been a member of the Hague Convention since 1987, it did not ratify the Apostille Convention for a long time.
The Convention simplifies the process of certifying documents for use abroad. It abolishes the standard legalisation procedure, replacing it with a single formality – the issuance of an apostille. This promotes the development of international trade by reducing time and financial costs.
The Convention will simplify the process of doing business for foreign companies in China. Currently, this requires certified and legalised documents.
The Convention only applies to public documents. These include: documents from government authorities, administrative documents, notarial acts, and official certificates.
What does a Chinese apostille look like
Scanned Chinese apostille or photo:
Text of the Chinese apostille
Description of the Chinese apostille in Chinese and English:
文书出具国：中华人民共和国
Country: People’s Republic of China
- 签署人：牟海蓉
Has been signed by: Mu Hairong - 签署人身份：公证员
Acting in the capacity of: Notary Public - 印鉴名称：北京市方圆公证处
Bears the seal/stamp of: Beijing Fangyuan Notary Public Office - 签发地：北京
At: Beijing - 签发日期：2023年11月07日
Date: November 7, 2023 - 签发人：龚晴，三等秘书
By: Gong Qing, Third Secretary
外交部领事司
Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - 附加证明书编号：认字第230001234567号
No: 230001234567 - 签发机关印鉴：
Seal/Stamp: (with the emblem of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC) - 签名：
Signature: (signature of Gong Qing)
Translation of the text of the China apostille into Russian
- Country of document: People’s Republic of China
- Signed by: _________________________
- Capacity of the signatory: ___________________
- Seal/stamp: __________________________
- Place of issue: Beijing
- Date of issue: ____________________________
- Issued by:____________________
Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Apostille number: _____________
- Seal of the issuing authority: ______________________
(Emblem of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China) - Signature: ______________________
Types of documents subject to apostille in China:
- Extracts from China’s commercial and land registers
- Notarized documents
- Court judgments and official documents
- Diplomas and certificates issued by state-recognized educational institutions
- Permits, wills, and other legal acts
It is important that powers of attorney and other documents fall under the category of public documents. This will help foreign companies.
Detailed list of documents subject to apostille in China
1. Commercial documents
- 营业执照 (Business license)
- 公司或个人授权书 (Power of attorney of a company or individual)
- 专利证书 (Patent certificate)
- 原产地证明 (Certificate of origin)
- 检验检疫证书 (Inspection and quarantine certificate)
- 商业证书 (Commercial certificate)
- 商品检验证书 (Commodity inspection certificate)
- 聘用证明书 (Employment certificate)
- 发票 (Invoice)
- Customs declaration (Customs Declaration)
- Company name change document (Document on Change of Company Name)
- Export registration form (Export Registration Form)
2. Civil status documents
- Medical birth certificate (Medical Birth Certificate)
- Relationship certificate (Certificate of Kinship)
- Marriage certificate (Marriage Certificate)
- Divorce Certificate
- Custody Judgment
- Inheritance Judgment
- Property Ownership Certificate
- Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate
- Intellectual Property Certificate
3. Other Documents
- Educational Certificates (Diplomas and Degrees)
- Identity Card
- Employment Contract
- Health Certificate
- Medical Diagnosis Certificate
- Notarized Will
- Power of Attorney
Important Clarifications:
For their legalisation, it is recommended to use notarisation and consular legalisation if the destination country does not recognise the apostille.
Invoice (发票):
发票 in China is an official tax document issued by the tax authorities.
Such documents confirm the legality and authenticity of commercial transactions, making them suitable for apostillisation.
An apostille on 发票 confirms the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the person who signed the document, and the seal or stamp affixed to the document.
Commercial Contracts (商业合同):
As previously discussed, commercial contracts between private companies are generally not subject to apostillisation, as they are not government documents.
Competent Authorities for Apostille in China:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
- External bodies authorized by local governments