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China Document Legalization

Steps to china documents

Notarize

Make sure your document is notarized by a local notary public unless it is an original copy/certification issued by a competent Federal/State/ local office.

Authenticate

The document must then be authenticated by the Secretary of the State where it is executed. Some states require that the document be certified by the County Clerk first.

Legalize

If one of the Chinese Consulate-Generals holds consular jurisdiction over your state, you may submit your document to that Consulate-General for final legalization.

Get Started

*IMPORTANT: Starting from November 7, 2023, China is a member country of the Hague Convention. Hence, the Chinese embassy and general consulates in the United States ceased the authentication service. However, if the entity/recipient in China insists in authenticating a document/s, the Chinese embassy and Chinese consulates in the US will accommodate such requests, but won’t take any responsibility if the document/s is not accepted by certain Chinese authorities. 

 

  1. One duly completed and signed (blue or black ink) Authentication Statement
  2. Photo ID (Drivers License/ Passport) of individual signing the Authentication Statement.
  3. The document to be authenticated, submit both the original and a complete set of photocopies.
  4. Washington Express Document Processing Request Form.
  5. Other supporting documents a consular officer may request.

 

Extremely Important: The notary stamp, signature and acknowledgment statement must be placed in the document/s itself (next to the signatory) and not on a separate sheet. Failing to notarize the document/s in accordance with the Chinese embassy regulations will result in rejection.

China Consular Fees:

Expedited Service Commercial Document: $100 per document

Regular Service Commercial Document: $50 per document

US State Department: $20 per document

Washington Express Service/Fees:

Expedited Service (4-5 business days): $385 per document

Regular Service (10 business days): $260 per document

*The above processing time is average and for reference only. Some applications may require longer processing times where a pick-up date cannot be confirmed until notified by the Visa Office. Multi-document discounts may be offered depending on volume.

Forward Documents To:
1001 Connecticut Ave NW
Suite 710
Washington, DC 20036

*Please note, you can also fill out and submit your application for free (excluding embassy fees) by visiting the China Embassy website. We have no affiliation with any government embassy or agency.

  • Your document must be authentic, intact and legitimate. The Embassy/Consulate-Generals will NOT authenticate a document that contains illegal contents under Chinese laws or may cause potential threats to China’s national or public interests.
  • A document containing two or more pages must be bound properly and securely, with sealing wax or paging seal/embossed seal to ensure the integrity of the document. The Embassy / Consulate-Generals will NOT authenticate a document if it is found illegitimate, or in any way forged, counterfeited, fraudulent or altered.
  • Single affidavits/certificates intended to be used for marriage registration in China and certain adoption documents regarding marital status, health status, or criminal records are only valid for six months from the date of issuance. The Embassy / Consulate-Generals will NOT authenticate a document if it becomes invalid.

Helpful Resources

Document Legalization Flow Chart

How to confirm an Apostille is authentic

Avoiding Embassy Document Rejection

Tips for successful document processing

Ready to get Started?