How to Legalise Chinese Documents through Embassy / Consular Channels

When documents issued in China (for example Police Certificates, notarial documents, degree certificates, company documents, etc.) need to be formally recognised by overseas courts, immigration authorities, employers or schools, many countries require them to first go through authentication by the Chinese foreign affairs authorities and then by a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad. This is commonly called “consular legalization” or “embassy legalization”. This guide looks at the process, required documents, timeline and practical considerations to help you decide whether you need consular legalization and how to avoid unnecessary detours.

Please note: this guide only discusses Chinese documents to be used overseas and how they are legalised by Chinese embassies and consulates abroad. It does not cover situations where foreign documents are to be used in China and therefore need to be legalised by foreign embassies or Chinese authorities.

1. When is embassy / consular legalization required?

Whether consular legalization is needed depends on the laws of the destination country and the specific requirements of the receiving authority. Typical scenarios include:

• The destination country has not joined the Hague Apostille Convention, or, although it is a Hague member, the relevant authority explicitly accepts only consular legalization;
• Immigration, long-term residence or work-permit applications that require Chinese notarial documents such as Police Certificates, marital status notarisations, etc.;
• Company documents issued in China (articles of association, board resolutions, powers of attorney, etc.) need to be used abroad for company registration, share transfers or other commercial purposes;
• Courts or notarial bodies in some countries impose higher formal requirements on evidence and insist on a full consular legalization chain.

In practice, the quickest way to decide whether you need consular legalization is to carefully read the official instructions of the relevant authority, or to send your situation to a professional service provider for a preliminary review so they can help you confirm whether Hague apostille is sufficient or consular legalization is mandatory.

2. General workflow for embassy / consular legalization

Details vary by country and region, but in most cases the process can be summarised in three major steps: notarisation → authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or local foreign affairs office → embassy / consular legalization.

Step 1: Notarisation in China

Consular legalization is only possible if the underlying document already has sufficient legal force. Therefore, before entering the foreign affairs stage, most documents must first be confirmed by a Chinese notarial body, for example:

• notarial certificates based on Police Certificates (no criminal record);
• notarial certificates relating to marriage, divorce or single status;
• notarial documents for degrees, academic qualifications and transcripts;
• commercial documents such as company articles of association, board resolutions and powers of attorney.

Each notary office has its own jurisdiction, and cases can only be handled by offices with the appropriate authority. Before preparing documents, you should confirm with the notary office whether they can handle foreign-related notarial work, whether they support subsequent Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consular legalization, and what their processing times and fees are.

Step 2: Authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or local foreign affairs office

After notarisation, the document usually needs to be authenticated by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a designated local foreign affairs office. The authority will verify the seal and signature on the notarial document (or, for some documents, on the original document) and issue its own authentication stamp.

The application materials typically include:

• the notarised document or original document that needs authentication;
• application forms or online appointment information;
• a copy of the applicant's identity document;
• if a third party handles the process, a power of attorney and the agent's ID.

Processing times depend on the region and workload, but are generally several working days to around two weeks. Some locations offer expedited services.

Step 3: Submitting the application to a Chinese embassy / consulate abroad

Once you have obtained the document bearing the authentication stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or foreign affairs office, the next step is to submit it to the relevant Chinese embassy or consulate in the destination country or region for the final stage of legalization.

Each embassy and consulate may have its own detailed rules. You should always check the official website or consult the outsourced service centres (such as “Chinese Visa Application Service Centres”) to understand:

• whether applications must be submitted via a designated service centre, or if personal / agent submission at the embassy is allowed;
• whether an online appointment and electronic forms are required in advance;
• fee schedule, payment methods and estimated processing times;
• any specific requirements regarding document language, translations or notarial formats.

As a rule, Chinese embassies and consulates only take responsibility for the authenticity of the signatures and seals, and do not conduct substantive review of the document content itself. Therefore, before submission, you should carefully check that the notarial wording and translation are accurate.

3. Frequently asked questions

Q1: What is the difference between consular legalization and Hague apostille?

Both procedures aim to ensure that an official document issued in one country can be formally accepted in another. The main differences are:

• Hague apostille applies between member countries of the Hague Convention and is carried out by a competent authority that issues an Apostille certificate;
• Consular legalization applies to non-Hague countries or situations where the receiving authority still insists on “embassy / consular legalization”. It usually involves two stages: authentication by the foreign affairs authority and legalization by a Chinese embassy / consulate;
• In some countries, certain documents can use either apostille or consular legalization, while other institutions will only accept one specific form.

Q2: Do I need to be physically present to complete consular legalization?

This depends on the rules of the specific embassies / consulates and foreign affairs offices. Many places allow applications to be submitted by relatives or professional agents, but some embassies and consulates impose stricter identity checks for sensitive documents such as those relating to marriage, adoption or guardianship. You should confirm at an early stage whether the process can be fully entrusted to an agent.

Q3: How long does the whole process usually take?

The overall duration consists of three parts: notarisation, authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / foreign affairs office, and embassy / consular legalization. If all documents are complete and no additional materials are required, the total time for many countries is roughly 2–6 weeks. Holidays, peak seasons or cross-departmental reviews may extend the timeline.

Q4: Can I handle many documents together in one batch?

In many cases, yes, but you must pay attention to whether the purpose and destination country are the same for each document. Sometimes the more reasonable approach is to group documents with similar purposes into the same batch, so as to reduce communication and logistics costs.

Q5: How can I avoid rework and unnecessary expenses?

Before you formally start the process, you can prepare from the following angles:

• Check the official requirements of the destination country and receiving authority, rather than relying solely on informal experience posts;
• Make a clear list of all Chinese documents that need to be used overseas and plan the notarisation and legalization route in one go as far as possible;
• Confirm with the notary office, foreign affairs office and embassy / consulate whether postal submission is accepted, whether expedited service is available, and whether extra translations or forms are required;
• Where necessary, ask an experienced team to design the document path and pre-check your materials in advance to reduce back-and-forth communication and the risk of rejection.