1. Which corporate documents can receive an apostille
The documents an exporter most often needs apostilled:
Business licence, the Chinese equivalent of a certificate of incorporation.
Company registration documents, including the articles of association and the register of members where applicable.
Powers of attorney, authorising an agent to act abroad.
Board or shareholder resolutions.
Certificates of incorporation and good standing, where issued by the market regulator.
Free sale certificates.
Tax registration certificates.
2. The notarization step
Most corporate documents are not public documents in their own right for Convention purposes. They become apostillable once notarized.
The process: take the original document to a Chinese notary office with foreign-related authority, have the notary verify it and certify it.
The notary produces a notarial certificate, and the apostille is attached to that certificate.
A business licence is an official document issued by the market regulator, so it may be apostillable without notarization in some localities. Practice varies. Confirm with the local foreign affairs office.
3. Which notary
Not all notary offices handle foreign-related work. Use one that does.
The notary needs to verify the document, which typically means checking it against the issuing authority’s records or accepting a certified copy presented in person.
Where the document is in Chinese, a translation may be required by the receiving authority. Some notaries will certify a translation; others will not. Confirm the arrangement that the receiving authority will accept.
4. Which authority issues the apostille
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues apostilles centrally.
Authorised local foreign affairs offices in provinces and municipalities with delegated authority also issue them.
Many localities offer online application and appointment-based collection. The applicant submits the notarized document and collects the apostilled version.
5. The business licence specifics
A foreign buyer or a foreign registry asking for a business licence usually wants to verify that the company exists and what it is authorised to do.
An apostilled notarized copy serves that purpose.
Two practical points.
The English translation should be consistent with the company’s name as used in the commercial documents. Inconsistency between the licence translation and the invoice is a common query.
The licence shows the registered capital, scope of business and legal representative. Where the receiving authority needs the scope of business, translation accuracy matters.
6. The power of attorney specifics
A power of attorney is often the document that matters most, because it authorises someone to act.
The notarization requires the signatory to appear before the notary or have their signature certified. The notary confirms the identity and the fact of signature.
The document should state clearly: who grants the power, to whom, for what purpose, for what period, and with what limitations.
Vague powers of attorney are refused by receiving authorities regardless of the apostille. The apostille certifies the signature, not the adequacy of the content.
7. Timing
Notarization: a few days, depending on the notary’s appointment availability.
Apostille: typically a few days.
Translation, where needed: a few days.
A full cycle for a corporate document generally runs one to two weeks.
8. Common errors
Using a notary unfamiliar with foreign-related work
The notarial certificate may not be in a form the apostille authority will accept.
Name inconsistency across documents
The company name on the licence, the translation, the invoice and the apostille should correspond.
Power of attorney content too vague
The apostille does not fix an inadequate power.
Missing translation
Where the receiving authority needs one.
Assuming the apostille makes the document usable everywhere
The receiving authority may have further requirements, particularly for registration or protocolization.
9. Closing view
Apostilling corporate documents is a mechanical process that runs smoothly when the notarization is done at the right office and the names correspond.
The failures are almost always one of those two.
*This article is based on the Hague Apostille Convention and the consular authentication guidance published by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated October 2026. Exporters should confirm notarization and translation requirements with the receiving authority.*