1. The designation
Each party designates the authorities competent to issue apostilles.
In China, the foreign affairs offices of the provincial governments and certain designated bodies.
2. The consequence
An apostille has to be issued by a competent authority.
An apostille from elsewhere is not valid.
3. The issuing authority’s check
The document, whatever it is, must bear the relevant certification before apostille.
4. The practical map
Corporate documents
Notarised by a notary public, then apostilled by the designated authority.
Court documents
Certified by the court, then apostilled.
Administrative documents
Issued by the authority, then apostilled.
5. The common error
Requesting an apostille on a document that has not been certified in the required form.
6. The public nature question
A plain copy of a business licence carries a seal but no notarial or authority certificate.
A redesignated version is certified by the issuing registry and can then be apostilled.
7. The scenario
A company sent a colour scan of its business licence for apostille.
The authority required the registry-certified version, obtained from the market regulator.
Three days were lost.
8. Closing view
The apostille authority certifies what it is given.
Getting the right document to it is the exporter’s job.
*This article is based on the Apostille Convention and China’s designation of competent authorities.*