COUNTRY PROFILE – CHINA
China (officially the People’s Republic of China) is located in East Asia and is the world’s most populous country.
| AT A GLANCE – NOTARISATION AND LEGALISATION FOR CHINA (PRC): | |
| Official language(s): | Simplified Chinese (Mandarin dialect) |
| Legalisation requirements: | Foreign Office apostille and Chinese Embassy legalisation. Macau and Hong Kong only require an apostille. |
| Translations required?: | Translation is not required for legalisation purposes at the Chinese Embassy in London. However, please check with the recipient in case a translation is required once the document reaches China. |
| Legalisation fees: | Foreign Office charges £30 per document for their standard postal service or £75 per document for their London-based same-day service. The Chinese Embassy in London charges either £15 or £30 for individual documents or £25 or £40 for corporate documents (see below for further details). N.B. All legalisation fees are based on information available at the time of writing but can change from time to time. |
| Address and contact details: | Legalisation Office of the Chinese Embassy: 31 Portland Place, London W1B 1QD Website: www.chinese-embassy.org.uk Nearest tubes: Regent’s Park/Oxford Circus |
COMMON DOCUMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS:
Many documents submitted to the Chinese Embassy in London are for individuals that wish to accept a new employment role in China. It is very common to have your degree certificate and transcript notarised and legalised for use in China in order to accept the new job, however, it is best to check with the receiving party as the specific requirements will vary depending on the employer. In addition, we would advise that you check whether the receiving party would like the original document to be notarised and legalised or if they would accept copies.
Other documents submitted to the Chinese Embassy in London are for UK companies that wish to conduct business or to set up a new branch in China. The documents typically include the company’s certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association and powers of attorney.
In order for the documents to be accepted at the Chinese Embassy, the documents will first need to be notarised by a notary public (if applicable) and then submitted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to obtain the apostille. Some documents do not need to be notarised before they are submitted to the FCO, such as original documents that have been signed by a Registrar of Companies or a Registrar of Births, Marriages & Deaths.
Once the documents have been apostilled by the FCO, the documents are ready to submit to the Chinese Embassy. Please note, the Embassy does not accept postal applications so documents can only be submitted in person. If the documents relate to a company or an organisation, then the Embassy will also require a copy of the director’s passport, evidence of directorship and the certificate of incorporation.
Lastly, the Chinese Embassy in London closes during British and Chinese holidays so it is best to check with the Embassy before submitting documents to avoid any unexpected delays.
FEES:
The Chinese Embassy offers a standard service (4 working days) and an express service (2 working days). The fee will also depend on whether the document relates to an individual or whether it is a corporate matter.
The fee for using the standard service for corporate documents (such as the certificate of incorporation, certificate of good standing, memorandum and articles of association and commercial powers of attorney) is £25 per document. The fee for using the express service for corporate documents is £40 per document.
Individual documents (such as educational documents, marriage certificates and personal powers of attorney) are charged at £15 for the standard service and £30 for the express service.
Our notaries are very familiar with the procedure to have documents certified and legalised for use in China, as well as the associated fees and time frames. Do not hesitate to get in touch by e-mail, telephone or via our contact form if you need assistance with documents for use in China.
A COUPLE OF FACTS ABOUT CHINA:
- What is the Chinese word for notary? 公证人
- Do documents for China always need to go to the Consulate for legalisation? Hong Kong and Macau are both Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China. The legalisation requirements are different from mainland China and documents for use in Hong Kong and Macau only require notarisation and legalisation by way of apostille from the Foreign Office.