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Apostille for Canadian Documents Going to China

Mainland China has applied the Apostille Convention since November 7, 2023, and the relationship with Canada has been active since January 11, 2024: the Chinese embassy and consulates in Canada no longer legalize Canadian documents. Hong Kong and Macao have applied the Convention for much longer. What sinks a Chinese file is mostly the translation and the issue date of the documents.

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Status
Member since 2023
Mainland China; Hong Kong and Macao applied it long before.
What you need
A Canadian apostille
No Chinese embassy legalization since January 11, 2024.
Translation
Chinese, almost always
Often with a translation company's seal.
Criminal record check
Under six months old
For the work permit, per official guides.
Status

What you need for China

The Hague Convention of October 5, 1961 has been in force in mainland China since November 7, 2023 (accession) and in Canada since January 11, 2024. According to the official Hague Conference status table, the only objection to China's accession came from India; it does not involve Canada, and no objection was made to Canada's accession. The Convention also applies to Hong Kong (since 1965, continued after 1997) and Macao (continued after 1999), each with its own authorities. The result: a single apostille issued in Canada is enough for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. The Chinese embassy and consulates general in Canada stopped their authentication services on January 11, 2024, while reminding applicants that an apostille does not guarantee the Chinese receiving body will accept the document.
Most common files

Why people send Canadian documents to China

Each situation has its own requirements. Here are the ones we see most often, with the detail that avoids a refusal.

Working in China: the work permit

The foreigner's work permit requires, among other things, your highest degree and a certificate of no criminal record from your country of nationality or residence. For a Canadian, that means an RCMP fingerprint-based criminal record check, then the apostille; the Canadian degree is apostilled as well. The official Shanghai and Nanjing guides require a certificate issued within the six months before the application.

Good to know: Work backwards: allow for the RCMP turnaround, the apostille and the translation so the certificate is still under six months old when you file. A sworn statement of good conduct is not accepted in place of the certificate.

Getting married in mainland China

A foreigner marrying a Chinese citizen registers the marriage at the marriage registration office where the Chinese partner has permanent residence. You will be asked for your passport and a certificate of no spouse issued by a notary or competent authority. Canada has no national register of single status, so the Embassy of Canada in China says Canadians provide a statutory declaration stating that they are single and free to marry.

Good to know: Sign the declaration before a notary in Canada, then have it apostilled, with its Chinese translation. Two foreigners cannot marry through the Chinese civil registry.

Setting up a company or subsidiary in China

A Canadian business investing in China has to prove its legal existence to the registration authority: certificate of incorporation, articles, resolution, identification for the signatories. Since accession, Chinese authorities say investors from a member state simply provide their own country's apostille, with no consular authentication.

Good to know: Order a recent certificate of status or compliance: it heads off questions about whether the company currently exists. Have your agent in China confirm the list and format of the documents before the apostille.

Power of attorney for property, an account or an estate

To sell or manage a home in China, withdraw funds or settle an estate without travelling, the Chinese body may ask for a power of attorney signed abroad. Signed before a Canadian notary and apostilled, it no longer needs to be legalized by the Chinese embassy.

Good to know: Ask the Chinese body or lawyer for their template, ideally bilingual, and follow it word for word. If you have become a Canadian citizen, tell them: China does not recognize dual nationality, and your identity documents must match the power of attorney.
The Canadian side

Which Canadian authority apostilles your document

The authority depends on where in Canada the document was issued or notarized, never on where you live now or where the document is going. We confirm it at the free pre-check, before you send anything.

DocumentCanadian authorityNotary first?
Birth, marriage or death certificateThe province that issued it (Québec, Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan), or Global Affairs Canada for all othersNo
RCMP criminal record checkGlobal Affairs CanadaNo
Degree, diploma, transcriptThe province of the institutionOften, depending on the province
Power of attorney, statutory declaration, affidavitThe province of the notary or lawyerYes, the notarial act is what gets apostilled
Corporate documentsThe province of the registry, or Global Affairs Canada for Corporations CanadaSometimes, depending on the document
In Québec, a document signed before a notary goes to the Chambre des notaires first, then to the Ministère de la Justice. We handle both steps. Current processing times for every authority are on our processing times page.
Translation

Do you need a translation for China?

In mainland China, almost every foreign document has to come with a translation into simplified Chinese. The official work permit guides state that the translation must bear the seal of a translation company, which is why many bodies prefer a translation done in China. Depending on the authority, the apostille itself may also need to be translated. The Chinese embassy recommends checking the format, content, time limit and translation requirements in advance with the body that will receive the document.

In Hong Kong, English is an official language, so a Canadian document in English is generally accepted without translation. In Macao, the official languages are Chinese and Portuguese, and a translation is often requested. Our advice: ask the Chinese receiving body who should translate before you order anything in Canada. The authority that receives your document decides; we confirm this during our pre-check.

Refusal risks

Three mistakes that delay a file for China

Avoid this

A criminal record check that is too old

For the work permit, several official guides require a certificate issued within six months. Between the RCMP, the apostille, the translation and shipping, a certificate obtained too early can expire before you file. Start the record check when your employer is ready to submit.

Avoid this

A translation without the right seal

A certified translation done in Canada is perfectly valid here, but the Chinese body may require the seal of a translation company recognized in China. Translating twice costs time, so confirm who translates before you start.

Avoid this

Mixing up mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao

All three apply the Convention, but with different authorities, languages and formalities. A document prepared in English for Hong Kong will need translating for Shanghai, and a Beijing document list does not apply in Macao. Tell us the exact destination city from the start.

Useful guides: RCMP fingerprints from abroad · RCMP criminal record check · Apostille for a Canadian degree · Marrying abroad · Corporations Canada documents

Common questions
Does China accept Canadian apostilles?
Yes. The Convention has applied between mainland China and Canada since January 11, 2024, with no objection between the two countries. The Chinese embassy notes, however, that an apostille does not guarantee acceptance: the Chinese body checks the document's content, date and translation.
Can the Chinese embassy or a consulate in Canada still legalize my document?
No. The Chinese embassy and consulates general in Canada stopped their authentication services on January 11, 2024. A Canadian document going to China now goes through the Canadian apostille only.
What about Hong Kong or Macao?
The Convention has applied there for a long time, and China confirmed it continues to apply. A Canadian apostille is enough there too. In Hong Kong, a document in English is generally accepted without translation; for Macao, plan on a Chinese or Portuguese translation in many cases.
Does my criminal record check have to be recent?
For the work permit, the official Shanghai and Nanjing guides require a certificate issued within six months before the application. Other procedures may have their own time limits, which the Chinese body will specify. See our page on the RCMP criminal record check.
Does the apostille itself need to be translated?
Often yes, together with the document, but it depends on the Chinese body. If the translation has to be done in China, send the document already apostilled so the translation company can translate the whole thing.
Does my Canadian degree need an apostille to work in China?
Generally yes, for the work permit: the official guides ask for foreign degrees to be certified, and the apostille now replaces consular legalization. A verification by the Chinese degree recognition body is sometimes accepted instead; your employer will tell you which one it wants.
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