China officially joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 1987, and the treaty became effective on December 7, 2023. This allows documents issued in China to be internationally recognized in over 120 countries without requiring consular legalization.

An apostille is a standardized certification that verifies the authenticity of official documents such as birth certificates, marriage records, court rulings, business contracts, and notarized statements. It confirms the validity of the signature and the authority of the issuing official.

In China, an apostille certificate is a square-shaped stamp with text in Chinese and English, featuring the mandatory heading “Apostille” and a reference to the 1961 Hague Convention in French (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961). Each side of the certificate is at least 9 centimeters long.

For non-member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille alone is not sufficient. Instead, documents must go through the consular legalization process to be legally recognized.

Hague Apostille Services simplifies the apostille and legalization process for Chinese documents, ensuring fast, secure, and internationally valid certification.