Apostille for China
Apostille for Documents Going to China
Mainland China has accepted apostilles since 7 November 2023, and most instructions still circulating describe the old process.
China authentication facts
- Accepts an apostille
- Yes
- In force since
- 7 November 2023
- Illinois issued documents
- Illinois Secretary of State
- Federally issued documents
- United States Department of State, Office of Authentications
Entry into force date from the HCCH status table for the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, checked 10 September 2026.
What Changed, and Why the Instructions You Have May Be Out of Date
Mainland China joined the Hague Apostille Convention, and the Convention entered into force between China and the United States on 7 November 2023. Before that date, a document bound for mainland China required consular legalization through a Chinese consulate, which was a longer and more expensive chain of steps. The Convention was already in force for the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions before that date.
A large share of the checklists, employer instructions, and online guides that people are still working from describe the older legalization process. That is the most common reason a person arrives believing the process is longer and more expensive than it now is.
The rule is stated by the receiving country's own diplomatic mission. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States states that public documents within the scope of the Convention issued by the U.S. only need to apply for a U.S. apostille before they can be sent to Chinese mainland for use, and that there is no need to apply for consular authentication.
The same notice carries its own caveat, which we pass on exactly as written. Obtaining an apostille does not guarantee the acceptance of the public document by the relevant user in China, and the Embassy recommends verifying requirements with the relevant Chinese party in advance. That is precisely the confirmation we perform before any document is submitted.
Documents Most Commonly Requested for China
- Degree certificates and diplomas
- Academic transcripts
- Criminal background checks issued by the FBI
- Marriage certificates
- Birth certificates
- Corporate and commercial documents
- Powers of attorney
Which Route Your Document Takes
Degree certificate or diploma
- Issuing authority
- University registrar
- Authentication route
- Notarization where required, then Illinois Secretary of State
Academic transcript
- Issuing authority
- University registrar
- Authentication route
- Notarization where required, then Illinois Secretary of State
FBI criminal background check
- Issuing authority
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Authentication route
- United States Department of State, not the Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois birth certificate
- Issuing authority
- Certified copy from the county clerk, the local registrar, or the Illinois Department of Public Health
- Authentication route
- Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois marriage certificate
- Issuing authority
- Certified copy from the county clerk
- Authentication route
- Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois divorce decree
- Issuing authority
- Certified copy from the circuit clerk
- Authentication route
- Illinois Secretary of State
A document already signed by a circuit clerk or a circuit judge must not be notarized. It must already carry that official's own seal, signature, printed name, and title before it can be authenticated.
Power of attorney or affidavit signed before a notary
- Issuing authority
- The signer
- Authentication route
- Notarization, then Illinois Secretary of State
State Route or Federal Route
A federally issued document such as an FBI criminal background check does not go to Springfield. It is authenticated by the United States Department of State, Office of Authentications. Sending a federal document to the Illinois Secretary of State is a common and costly mistake, because the document is returned unauthenticated after the mail time in both directions has already been spent.
A document issued by the State of Illinois, or a document you sign before an Illinois notary, does go to the Illinois Secretary of State. Determining which of the two applies to each document in your set is the first thing we do.
Translation
Receiving parties in China frequently require a Chinese translation of the authenticated document. Translation requirements are set by the receiving party rather than by the authenticating authority, which is why two people sending the same kind of document are sometimes given different instructions.
Illini Notary confirms what your receiving party requires as part of intake, so the requirement is known before the document is submitted rather than afterward.
What Determines the Timeline
Authentication does not run on a fixed schedule, and no honest provider quotes one. These are the factors that decide how long a particular document takes.
- Which authority issued the underlying document
- Whether an original or a newly issued certified copy must be ordered first
- Whether a notarization is required before authentication
- Mail transit in both directions
- The processing time of the authenticating authority
The processing figures published by each authenticating authority are collected in one place, with their attribution and their limits, so you can read them in context.
What It Costs, by Route
Documents bound for this destination may travel by different routes, and Illinois documents have several handling options. The figures below separate the professional service fee from the government fee, so you can see exactly what belongs to which.
Illinois issued documents
From $145 plus government fee, shipping quoted at cost
The $145 is Illini Notary's own case management and document processing charge for the first document. It excludes the Illinois Secretary of State's fee of $2 per document, which is stated separately and passed through at cost.
Priority Illinois apostille, next counter run
From $220 plus the Illinois Secretary of State's $2 per document fee
The document is hand-carried to the Champaign counter on the next scheduled business day rather than mailed.
Same-day apostille submission
From $295 plus the $2 government fee
Documents must be received and confirmed eligible by 1:00 p.m. Central on weekdays. This is a submission promise, not an issuance promise. Illini Notary controls when the document is presented, not when the state issues it or how long the queue runs that day.
Saturday priority or same-day run
$35 weekend scheduling upcharge: $255 plus government fee for priority, or $330 plus government fee for same-day
Saturday scheduling requires advance notice and confirmation by Illini Notary. Capacity is limited during the shorter Saturday window and seasonal UIUC demand periods, so Illini Notary may decline a requested Saturday run.
Federal documents, such as an FBI background check
From $245 plus shipping
This figure already includes the United States Department of State fee of $20 per document. Only shipping is additional. Where Illini Notary obtains the FBI Identity History Summary itself, the FBI's own $18 direct request fee applies on top. Where an FBI approved channeler is used instead, the channeler sets its own fee, which is separate and quoted at intake.
Documents issued by a state other than Illinois
From $200 plus the issuing state's own fee and shipping
Illini Notary identifies the issuing state's competent authority and manages that submission on your behalf.
Embassy and consular legalization, for destinations outside the Apostille Convention
From $295
The final price depends on the destination country and the document, and is quoted per case once both are known.
Prices shown are estimates. Your exact quote is confirmed once we have the full scope of your documents and service needs.
Government fees are stated by route and passed through at cost. An Illinois issued document carries the Illinois Secretary of State fee of $2 per document. A federal document carries the United States Department of State fee of $20 per document. A single order may contain both routes and therefore both fees. Shipping, courier, fingerprint capture, channeler fees, translation, and the Illini Notary professional service fee are itemized separately.
Questions About Documents Going to China
Notarization and apostille are separate steps performed by separate authorities. Authentication is issued by a government authority, not by a notary. Handling times are subject to Illinois Secretary of State processing times. We do not guarantee acceptance of a document by any foreign government, consulate, court, agency, or receiving party. Confirm your receiving party's current requirements before ordering.
Related Pages
Illinois Apostille Services
The full explanation of Illinois authentication, pathways, and government fees.
Remote Online Notarization
The notarization step, completed by secure video for signers outside Illinois.
International Document Authentication Guide
How the process works for every destination, apostille or legalization.
Apostille Processing Times
What actually determines how long an authentication takes.
Next Step
Start an Apostille Request.
Tell us the document and the destination. We confirm the requirement against current official sources before the work is quoted.
Prices shown are estimates. Your exact quote is confirmed once we have the full scope of your documents and service needs.
Illini Notary and Signing Services is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Notarial acts are performed in accordance with the Illinois Notary Public Act.
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