Apostille for China · Apostille guide

What is Apostille: 2026 Apostille Authentication Description of U.S. Documents for China

Understand the scope of Apostille certification, applicable prerequisites, and how it differs from notarization, translation, and traditional consular authentication.

What is Apostille

Apostille is an additional certificate issued in accordance with the 1961 Hague Authentication Convention to prove the signature on a public document, the identity of the signer, and the source of the seal or stamp. China will apply the Convention from November 7, 2023.

What is the difference between it and notarization

Notarization may verify a private signature, identity or copy relationship; Apostille verifies the signature chain of a notary or government official by the competent authority. Some documents are processed directly with government-certified copies, while some private documents need to be notarized first and cannot be substituted for each other.

What is the difference between it and translation

Apostille does not translate the document, nor does it judge whether the translation meets the requirements of the Chinese receiving unit. Which pages the Chinese translation should cover and whether a translator's statement is required should be confirmed separately before submission.

Commonly applicable documents

• Vital records such as birth, marriage, death, etc.;
• Divorce judgments and other court documents;
• Power of attorney and declaration;
• FBI criminal record;
• Company registration and certificate of existence.

Core issues before handling

First confirm whether the document falls within the scope of the convention, who issued it, where it was issued, and which version the Chinese receiving unit requires. Apostille simplifies the certification chain, but does not prove the facts in the text and does not guarantee the business approval results.