China Apostille & Document Services

Mainland Chinese-issued documents · Apostille · Translation & authentication review

CoCoreNet coordinates inquiries involving qualifying documents issued in mainland China for use overseas. Document issue, notarization and apostille steps must be checked individually by province and document type.

Chinese Mainland Apostille Framework

The Hague Apostille Convention entered into force for mainland China on 7 November 2023. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and delegated local Foreign Affairs Offices are competent apostille authorities for relevant public documents. Hong Kong and Macao have distinct existing systems and should not be treated as mainland issuance cases.

Common Chinese Document Requests

• Graduation certificates, university degrees and academic transcripts
• Birth, marriage and family-related records
• Eligible police or judicial records and notarized declarations
• Business registry documents, company certificates and eligible notarized commercial records

Provincial Issuance & Translation

Depending on the original document and local rules, notarized public documentation or supporting certificates may be required before apostille. The relevant province or issuing city can affect document collection, translation, notarization and local office procedures.

Please state the issuing city or province, document language, whether originals are in China and whether the destination requires a Chinese-to-English or Chinese-to-Korean translation. Do not assume that a Korean translation is always necessary or that a private PDF is eligible.

China Processing Notes

For mainland China apostilles, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides an online verification route at its consular verification service. Verification availability does not replace a destination authority’s acceptance decision.

How to Request Assistance

• Tell us the issuing country, receiving country, exact document name, quantity and intended use.
• Confirm who holds the original and whether electronic documents, translations or signed authorization are available.
• We check document eligibility, relevant authority procedures, expected timing, local coordination availability and shipping.
• A case-specific quotation is issued before a service is accepted.

Costs, Turnaround & Delivery

There is no guaranteed universal fee or turnaround for all documents. Government charges, document retrieval, official notarization, agency coordination, translations, expedited handling and international shipping are reviewed separately. We confirm service availability and pricing before accepting an order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a scanned PDF instead of an original?

Only where the issuing and authenticating authorities permit the specific electronic original or certified document format. A simple scan is not automatically equivalent to an authentic electronic record.

Is an apostille the same as a certified translation?

No. Apostilles address the origin of qualifying public documents; translations and notarization requirements are separate and depend on the receiving authority.

Can CoCoreNet confirm an urgent delivery date?

We can check whether rush handling is possible, but processing and overseas delivery depend on the competent authorities and available service providers.

Request a China Document Assessment

For an initial inquiry, send only the document category, issuing authority, destination, language and deadline. Please do not email passports, police records or other sensitive personal data before an appropriate secure method is agreed.

Are you an overseas agency? Please visit B2B Partnerships for professional cooperation requests.

Official reference: HCCH — mainland China competent authorities. Information is general and must be checked against current issuing and receiving authority rules.

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