Faster legalization of documents for China

Good news for companies or individuals that need documents for China. Starting 8 November 2023, certifying documents for China has become a lot easier. In the past, if you wanted to confirm the legal validity of an official document or the authenticity of a signature for use in China – for example when setting up a company in China, applying for a visa for China or obtaining a job in China – the application process was time-consuming and complex and cost several hundred euros. In addition to obtaining a valid domestic notarization or certificate, you had to undergo legalization by the ministry of foreign affairs of your home country, followed by consular certification by the Chinese embassy in your country.

On March 8, 2023, China acceded to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, commonly known as the Apostille Convention. Now, it’s just a matter of a few days to get your official document or signature legalized, which significantly reduces the administrative burden for companies that are engaged in China or plan to start in China.

The rules for apostille and legalisation may vary depending on the province in question in China. You should therefore check directly with the local authorities which authentication procedures you need to carry out. Furthermore, in China usually local authorities require a certified translation of the foreign-language document. In this case, the apostille must be issued on the translated document.

By the way, not to forget: as this is a reciprocal matter, China’s accession to the Hague Convention is also good news for Chinese companies or individuals that want to certify documents for foreign countries.

To conclude, the Apostille Convention will make it much easier for foreign business to do business in and with China and vice versa.

If you need more information, please check https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/legalisation-documents/legalisation-more-detailed-information/e-apostille-e-legalisation or contact us.