Does China accept apostilles now?

Yes. China deposited its accession to the Hague Apostille Convention and it entered into force for mainland China on November 7, 2023. U.S. public documents for use in mainland China now generally need an apostille rather than the old consular legalization.

Do I still need to legalize documents at the Chinese consulate?

For most public documents going to mainland China, no — the apostille replaces consular legalization. A lot of older guidance still tells you to legalize through the Chinese embassy or consulate; that information is now out of date for Convention purposes. Always confirm with the receiving party in China.

What about Hong Kong and Macau?

Hong Kong and Macau were already covered by the Apostille Convention before mainland China joined, so apostilles have long been accepted there. The November 2023 change extended Convention treatment to mainland China.

Corridor · China

Apostille for China

This is a recent change worth getting right. Since November 7, 2023, mainland China is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. U.S. documents for use in China now generally need an apostille — the slower consular-legalization process most older guides describe no longer applies to public documents.

Draft — pending source verification. Confirm the current requirements with the receiving institution in China and the relevant competent authority before you submit.

What changed in November 2023

Before

U.S. documents for mainland China required multi-step consular legalization: state/federal authentication, then certification through the Chinese embassy or consulate. Slow and country-specific.

Now

For most public documents, a single apostille from the correct U.S. competent authority is accepted — no Chinese consular legalization needed.

How to apostille a document for China

01
Determine whether your document is state-issued or federal. State documents (birth/marriage certificates, notarized powers of attorney, diplomas) go to your state's competent authority; federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State.
02
Obtain the document in the correct certified or notarized form, as you would for any apostille.
03
Submit it to the correct competent authority for an APOSTILLE (not consular legalization), naming China as the destination country.
04
If the document needs to be in Chinese, arrange a certified translation — confirm with the receiving institution in China whether the translation must be done in China or can be done in the U.S.

Not sure which authority issues your apostille? Start with your state’s guide or the federal documents page.

China apostille FAQ

Does China accept apostilles now?: Yes. China deposited its accession to the Hague Apostille Convention and it entered into force for mainland China on November 7, 2023. U.S. public documents for use in mainland China now generally need an apostille rather than the old consular legalization.
Do I still need to legalize documents at the Chinese consulate?: For most public documents going to mainland China, no — the apostille replaces consular legalization. A lot of older guidance still tells you to legalize through the Chinese embassy or consulate; that information is now out of date for Convention purposes. Always confirm with the receiving party in China.
What about Hong Kong and Macau?: Hong Kong and Macau were already covered by the Apostille Convention before mainland China joined, so apostilles have long been accepted there. The November 2023 change extended Convention treatment to mainland China.

Not legal advice. Convention status and country requirements can change. Confirm current requirements with the receiving party in China and the relevant competent authority before relying on this page.

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