Documents to be used in China must be authenticated through a process called China Document Authentication Services.

The authentication process differs from country to country and is based on whether or not the country participates in the Hague Convention. Because China is not from The Hague, there are some specific legal steps that the Chinese Embassy has instructed to use your documents within the country. Legal action has been taken, whether the records are for personal or commercial use.

Note that Macau and Hong Kong acceded to the Hague Convention in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Therefore, the authentication process in China is different from what we mentioned above, as your documents only need the Apostille stamp to be able to use your documents in the two countries mentioned above.

China Document Authentication
China Document Authentication

Well, first, we need to learn more about the steps required to authenticate your documents.

If your document is not an original document issued by the state/state/local office, you must notarize it by a state notary. It has been certified, it must come from the same country in which your document was issued.

Please note that some states may need to certify the County Clerk’s document before following the steps above. Like Kentucky, Hawaii, Georgia, New York and Tennessee. Some states require authentication from the US Department of State Such as Virginia, Utah, Tennessee, South Dakota, South Carolina, Montana, Maryland, Kentucky, Idaho, Washington DC, Delaware, West Virginia, Wyoming, Nebraska, North Dakota, and North Carolina.

In addition, all FBI reports must be authenticated by the US Department of State.

The final step is for the China embassy or consulate to authenticate your document. The Chinese embassy/consulate requires authentication, which is consular in charge of the state in which the document is certified.