Apostille vs Consular Legalization
The difference is whether the destination country is an Apostille Contracting Party. Between Contracting Parties an Apostille applies, issued by a single authority. With non-parties, consular legalization applies, requiring Foreign Affairs Office authentication plus legalization by the destination country's embassy or consulate. An Apostille is one step; consular legalization is two.
Key Points
- Apostille: one step, faster, cheaper
- Consular legalization: two steps, 15-60 days, more expensive
- The test is the destination country, not the document type
- The same document may need an Apostille for one country and consular legalization for another
Legal Basis
Hague Apostille Convention; Chinese consular legalization rules.