Document authentication in the United Kingdom
· Step 1: Complete a non-criminal record check via the
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
o A DBS check costs £25
o If you have been out of the UK for a long time (i.e. you have no verifiable UK address or bank account), you may need to go via the
Criminal Records Office instead. This costs £45
· Step 2: Have your degree certificate (and TEFL certificate if required) notarized by a solicitor or notary public
o The notary will create a copy of your document(s) and attach a letter of attestation
o Typical price: £30
· Step 3: Obtain certification of your non-criminal record document
o The document must be sent back to the issuing authority with a request for a legalization stamp
o The certificate will be given a government stamp recognising it as a true document
o If this option is not available, you will need to go via a notary instead
· Step 4: Have all your documents apostilled by the
UK government legalisation service
o Standard service: £30 per document (takes up to 10 days)
o Express service: £75 per document (1 day).
o The criminal record certificate must be the original. Copies will be rejected
· Step 5: After obtaining apostilles, the documents must be legalised by a
Chinese embassy in the UK
o This must be done in person at the embassy. There is no postal service available.
o Normal service: £15 (4 days)
o Express service: £30 (3 days)
· Step 6: Your documents are now ready to make your Chinese work visa application
Document authentication in the United States
· Step 1: Obtain a non-criminal record certificate
o This can be done at the state level or federal level
o State level checks can be done via your home state’s website
o Federal level checks must be done via an
FBI Background Check and normally take 2 to 4 weeks
o Ensure the document you receive is signed by the issuing authority
· Step 2: Have your degree certificate (and TEFL if required) notarized by a public notary
o This must be done in the state the certificates were issued
· Step 3: All documents must then be authenticated by the Secretary of State in your home state
o Authentication must contain an appropriate seal, signature and clear wording
o More information can be found on the
Department of State Document Authentication website
o Click the following for a list of
State Authentication Offices
o When submitting documents, make it clear that they are for usage in China, so that the official handling your case can use appropriate wording and formatting in the authentication document
· Step 4: Have all your documents legalized by a Chinese embassy or consulate in the United States
o Complete the following
application form
o Submit the form, along with your documents, to your nearest embassy or consulate
o The form and documents must be submitted in person, or by a nominated person on your behalf
o The legalized documents will be returned to you after processing is complete
· Step 5: Your documents are now ready to make your Chinese work visa application
Document Authentication in Australia
· Step 1: Obtain a non-criminal record check from your local authority
o The certificate is obtained via a
National Police Check
· Step 2: Degree and TEFL certificate (if required) must be notarized by an Australian notary
o You can do this via a notary in any Australian state or territory
· Step 3: Have all documents apostilled by the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
o Visit
smartraveller.gov.au for more information on what legalization services are available
o Can be done in person or by post
o Postal service is only possible via Melbourne or Sydney
· Step 4: Have all your documents legalized by a Chinese embassy
o The embassy must be in the same jurisdiction as that for which any notarizations were obtained.
o For example, if your degree certificate was notarized in Queensland, then you must have all your documents legalised via the Chinese consulate in Brisbane
· Step 5: Your documents are now ready to make your Chinese work visa application
Document Authentication in South Africa
· Step 1: Obtain a
Police Clearance Certificate from the South African government
· Step 2: Bachelor degree (and TEFL if required) must be certified by the
Department of Higher Education and Training
· Step 3: Obtain apostilles for your degree, TEFL and no criminal record
o Do this via the
Department of International Relations and Cooperation
o In some cases, your TEFL certificate will need to instead be notarized by a public notary and then verified by the South African High Court
· Step 4: Have all your documents legalized by a Chinese embassy
o First complete the following
application form
o Take the form, along with all your documents (originals and copies), including your residence permit and passport, to your nearest Chinese embassy for processing
o Consult the following for more information:
Cape Town Chinese Consulate FAQ
· Step 5: Your documents are now ready to make your Chinese work visa application
Document Authentication in Canada
· Step 1: Obtain a non-criminal record certificate
o Visit
canadainternational.gc.ca for more information
o In most cases you will be applying for a
Certified Criminal Record Check
o You will need to
provide your fingerprints
o If the check brings up no criminal matches, you will be able to obtain the certificate in 3 days or less
o If the check requires any manual processing, or you are found to have criminal matches, the certification process may take up to 4 months
o Processing fees are $25, plus local service fees which depend on your local jurisdiction
· Step 2: Your degree, TEFL (if required) and non-criminal record documents must be notarized by a notary public, lawyer or Commissioner of Oaths of Canada
o Notarization should be completed in the same jurisdiction as the Chinese embassy you intend to go to for the next step of the process
· Step 3: All documents must be
apostilled by the Canadian government
o This must be done in the same province or jurisdiction as that in which your documents were notarized
· Step 4: All documents must be legalized by a Chinese embassy
o The process is done via a relevant
Visa for China Centre
o This must be done in the same province or jurisdiction as that in which your documents were notarized
· Step 5: Your documents are now ready to make your Chinese work visa application
Document Authentication in Ireland
· Step 1: Apply for a
Gardaí Police Certificate
o A Police Certificate is issued by the Superintendent in the District where the relevant applicant resides, or formerly resided, in the Republic of Ireland.
o Certificates are issued free of charge
· Step 2: Degree, TEFL, (if required) and police certificate must be notarized by a local notary public
· Step 3: Have all your documents apostilled and legalized by the
Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
o Application can be via post or in person
o Cost: €40 per document
o Cash payments are no longer possible in the Dublin and Cork offices. You can only pay by bank card, bank draft or postal order
· Step 4: Submit your documents to the
Chinse embassy in Ireland for legalization
o You will need to complete the following
application form
o The legalization process is outlined here:
China Embassy Ireland - Legalisation
o Required documents are outlined here:
China Embassy Ireland – Legalisation Documents
· Step 5: Your documents are now ready to make your Chinese work visa application