비전 아포코리아
Apostille Convention member (mainland, effective 2023-11-07)
China Document Certification Guide
Submitting Korean documents to China?
Check document issuing agencies, translation/notarization/apostille procedures, and official China agency information.
3-second summary — Mainland China joined the Apostille Convention effective 2023-11-07, abolishing the prior legalization/dual-authentication process. Note that Hong Kong (since 1965) and Macau (since 1969) operate separate apostille systems.
HCCH official status — Accession deposited 2023-03-08 · entry into force 2023-11-07 · Applies with Korea: yes (no objection by Korea). HCCH Apostille Convention status table (checked 2026-10-03)
What documents are you submitting to China?
Click a document to check the issuing agency, whether online issuance is available, and certification notes. Only links marked Official are official sites of government, court, or public agencies.
Family & Personal
Certificate of Family Relations · Basic Certificate · Certificate of Marriage Relations
Issuing agency — Courts of the Republic of Korea (the city/district/town/township office handling family relations registration)
Education & Career
Degree Certificate · Criminal Record Certificate
Issuing agency — The school attended/graduated from (degree certificate) / National Police Agency (criminal record certificate)
Corporate & Business
Certified Copy of Corporate Register · Business Registration Certificate
Issuing agency — Registry office (corporate register) / National Tax Service (business registration certificate)
Official agency names and URLs are current as of verification and may change.
Certification Process for Submission to China
How do you prepare Korean documents for submission to China? The basic flow is as follows.
Guide by Purpose for China
Required documents vary by receiving institution and situation, so the list below is for reference only.
Study Abroad
Requirements vary by school — please confirm the exact document list with the specific school.
Employment
Requirements vary by employer and visa type — confirmation is needed.
International Marriage
Used for marriage registration; this is a high-inquiry-volume use case.
Business / Corporate
Corporate documents are used, but private documents such as articles of incorporation require notarization first.
What documents are you submitting to China?
Click a document to check the issuing agency, online-issuance availability, and certification notes.
Family & Personal
Certificate of Family Relations · Basic Certificate · Certificate of Marriage Relations
Issuing agency — Courts of the Republic of Korea (city/district/town/township office) · Online issuance — Available
A Chinese translation is often required for marriage-registration purposes.
Education & Career
Degree Certificate
Gov.kr — University Degree Certificate Guide (Official)
Chinese institutions sometimes require notarization before the apostille — please confirm this with the receiving institution.
Corporate & Business
Business Registration Certificate
Issuing agency — National Tax Service (Hometax)
Certified Copy of Corporate Register
Issuing agency — Internet Registry Office (iros.go.kr)
Articles of Incorporation · Contracts · Powers of Attorney
These are private documents and require notarization before an apostille can be obtained.
China Official Agencies
How Vision ApoKorea Can Help
Finding it difficult to prepare everything yourself? From document issuance to translation, notarization, and apostille, Vision ApoKorea can guide you through and handle every step of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does China require an apostille?
Yes, for mainland China, effective 2023-11-07. The prior legalization/dual-authentication process has been abolished.
Are Hong Kong and Macau handled the same way as mainland China?
No. Hong Kong (since 1965, via the High Court) and Macau (since 1969, via the Department of Justice) operate separate apostille systems that may differ from mainland procedures.
Why do education certificates need notarization before apostille?
Chinese institutions sometimes require education certificates to be notarized at a Chinese notary office (公证处) before the apostille is issued — confirm this requirement with the receiving institution.
