China is not a Hague Convention member — apostille is not accepted. We manage the complete chain: notarization → Secretary of State → US Department of State → Chinese Embassy/Consulate. All document types.
Step 1 of 4
What type of document do you need legalized for China?
China has not ratified the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. This means that apostilles — the single-step certification used by 125+ countries — are not recognized in China. Documents used in China must go through a multi-step consular legalization chain:
Notary public
State authentication
Federal authentication
Final legalization
We handle all four steps as a single managed service — no need to navigate each authority separately.
China work visas (Z visa) require legalized documents — typically diploma, background check, and employment letter. The full consular chain takes 6–10 weeks. We manage the entire process while you focus on your job offer.
Company registration, joint ventures, and regulatory submissions in China require legalized corporate documents — articles of incorporation, board resolutions, power of attorney. We handle commercial legalization for businesses at scale.
Chinese universities and government scholarship programs (CSC) require fully legalized diplomas and transcripts. The process must be started months before program enrollment — we help you plan and execute the timeline.
| Document | Issuing authority | Estimated time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original document (notarized) | Issuing authority + notary public | Before chain starts | Most documents must be notarized by a licensed US notary before entering the authentication chain. We can arrange notarization. |
| Secretary of State authentication | Secretary of State — relevant US state | 5–15 business days (standard) / 1–3 days (expedited) | Authenticates the notary's commission. Required for all state-issued documents. Federal documents go directly to US State Dept. |
| US Department of State authentication | U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications | 4–8 weeks standard / 5–7 days expedited | Required by China for most document types, regardless of whether the document is state or federal. China requires federal-level authentication. |
| Chinese Embassy / Consulate legalization | Embassy of China in the United States | 5–20 business days | The final and most country-specific step. Chinese embassies and consulates have specific requirements for document format, size, and submission procedure. |
| Certified Chinese translation (if required) | Qualified translator | 2–3 business days | Chinese authorities and companies often require certified Chinese translation of legalized documents. We can coordinate translation as part of the package. |
Tell us your document type and purpose in China (employment, company registration, education, marriage, etc.). We map the exact chain, explain Chinese-specific requirements, and provide a fixed quote and timeline.
We arrange notarization if needed, then submit to the Secretary of State in the issuing state for their authentication. This is the foundation of the US side of the chain.
We submit to the US Department of State Office of Authentications — a step China requires for most documents. We use expedited service to minimize this bottleneck in the chain.
The authenticated document is submitted to the Chinese Embassy or consulate in the US. After legalization, your document is returned with all stamps and ready for use anywhere in China.
Information on this page is based on procedures from recognized government and intergovernmental bodies — not third-party estimates.
Reviewed by
Laura ChenLegal Document Expert
Specialist in documents for the English-speaking market with a focus on fast and secure processing.
China is not a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Countries that have not ratified the Convention do not recognize apostilles as valid authentication — they require their own consular legalization chain instead. China requires notarization → Secretary of State → US State Dept. → Chinese Embassy/Consulate.
Standard chain: (1) Notarization by a US notary public, (2) Authentication by the Secretary of State in the issuing state, (3) Authentication by the US Department of State Office of Authentications (Washington DC), (4) Legalization by the Embassy of China in the US or relevant Chinese Consulate.
China requires the US Department of State step for most document types — including personal, corporate, and educational documents. This is more than what some other countries require and is a common source of confusion. We confirm the exact chain for your document type at consultation.
Standard timeline: 6–10 weeks total. Secretary of State: 1–2 weeks. US State Dept.: 4–8 weeks (standard) or 5–7 business days (expedited). Chinese Embassy/Consulate: 5–20 business days. Using expedited service for the US State Dept. step can reduce total time to 4–6 weeks.
We submit to the Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over the state where the document was issued — or, for federal documents, to the Embassy in Washington DC. We determine the correct submission point and handle the logistics.
Chinese authorities (employers, universities, government agencies) often require a certified Chinese translation of legalized English documents. This is separate from the legalization chain itself. We offer combined legalization + translation packages.
The process is complex and sequential — each step must be completed before the next begins, and each authority has its own submission requirements, fees, and accepted document formats. A mistake at any step requires restarting from that point. We manage the full chain so you avoid costly delays.
Message us today for a free document review and guidance.