Legalizing Documents for China: Form G1

Based on our experience using China’s Application Form for Authentication (G1), we’ve updated our special requirements checklist to help you avoid rejection of document legalization requests.

When presenting documents for use in China, such as a Certificate of Good Standing, notarized contracts or a certified copy of a trademark filing, you may be required to have those documents legalized at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate, as China is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention.

While the Chinese consulates in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston only cover documents originating from specific jurisdictions, the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. will authenticate documents originating in any part of the U.S.

When presenting documents to the Chinese Embassy, the documents must first be authenticated by the Secretary of State (or similar authority) of one of the fifty states or a U.S. Court, and then further authenticated by the U.S. Department of State.

Legalization Requirements for China

China also has the following special requirements, updated August 2019:

1. Notarized documents must show that the notary’s commission will not expire in less than 6 months. (This prevents the notary commission from expiring before the document arrives in China.) The notary must include a jurat statement, for example “signed and sworn before me, “notary” on “date”.
   
   
2. You must present photocopies of any documents being submitted.
   
   
3. You must present a G1 form, and the driver’s license or passport of the person signing the form.
   
   
4. All forms and documents must have original signatures, blue ink is best. If there are copies included within the body of the document to be legalized, such as a copy of a passport, ensure the statement “this is a true and correct copy” is included regarding that copy.
   
   
5. There should be no blanks in the document where information should be inserted, and there should be no redactions or whiteout used.
   
   
6. Document should not mention either Taiwan or Hong Kong.

How to Complete Form G1

Document legalization depends on completing a G1 form in accordance with embassy specifications. While it is not a complex form, there are some important points to keep in mind.

Fill out a sample form with us step-by-step in the tutorial below.

Note: We are completing this G1 example on the assumptions that we are legalizing certified copies of corporate charter documents for a Delaware corporation, and that we have already obtained authentication from the State of Delaware and the U.S. Department of State.

This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered, or relied upon, as legal advice.