비전 아포코리아How Do Apostille and Consular Authentication Differ?
Convention member countries require an apostille; non-member countries require consular authentication.
Both procedures get your document recognized abroad, but the steps differ.
At a Glance
| Apostille | Consular Authentication | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Convention member countries | Non-member countries |
| Steps | Done with a single authentication from the issuing country | MOFA consular authentication + authentication by that country's embassy in Korea |
| Example countries | USA, China, Japan, Canada, Germany, Vietnam, etc. | Thailand, etc. |
| Convenience | No additional authentication needed from the receiving country | Requires an extra embassy authentication step |
Why the Split?
The Apostille Convention (1961) is an agreement among member countries to recognize each other's public documents through a single standardized authentication (apostille). Countries that haven't joined the Convention don't have this arrangement, so documents must go through the traditional route: consular authentication plus authentication by that country's embassy.
Which Applies to My Case? (Steps to Determine)
- Check the receiving country — Is it a Convention member?
- If it is a member → Apostille (with translation/notarization first if required)
- If it is not a member → Translation/notarization → MOFA consular authentication → embassy authentication in Korea
- ⚠️ Membership status can change (China switched to apostille after joining in 2023). If you're not sure, checking with an expert is the safe move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is China apostille or consular authentication?
What about Vietnam?
Related Information
Guides
What Is an Apostille? →By Country
We get frequent inquiries about documents for China, Vietnam, and the USA.
Check the Process for Your Country
※ Vision ApoKorea is a private agency service. Based on official information as of 2026-08-16 — country membership status is subject to change.