海牙认证办理流程及如何使用全攻略
Complete Introduction to The APOSTILLE Process and How to Use It

2023年3月8日，中国正式加入《取消外国公文书认证要求的公约》（又称《海牙公约》），2023年11月7日正式生效实施。

On March 8, 2023, China officially joined the Convention on the Cancellation of the Certification Requirements for Foreign Official Documents (also known as Apostille), which came into effect on November 7, 2023.

加入海牙公约后，将大大方便跨境公司以及个人办理各类出国使用的认证文书，原本办理一份出国使用的认证文书可能需要20个工作日以上，加入公约后将缩减至仅需3-6个工作日即可，整体文件认证效率提升70%以上，费用成本降低70%左右；还简化了跨境企业员工申请签证和工作许可的流程，大概有七成出口相关的商业文件由此获益。

After joining the Apostille, it will greatly facilitate cross-border companies and individuals to handle various types of certification documents for overseas use. Originally, it may take more than 20 working days to process a certification document for overseas use, but after joining the Convention, it will be reduced to only 3-6 working days. The overall document certification efficiency will be improved by more than 70%, and the cost will be reduced by about 70%; It has also simplified the process of applying for visas and work permits for cross-border enterprise employees, benefiting approximately 70% of export related business documents.

一、什么是海牙认证
What is Apostille?

海牙认证是指根据海牙公约对公共文书的认证制度，具体指签约国之间相互承认的，特定的官方机构对公文书上其主管部门所做签字、盖章的真实性予以确认的行为过程和结果，是一种特定的“认证”。

Apostille refers to the certification system for public documents in accordance with the Hague Convention, specifically referring to the process and results of specific official institutions confirming the authenticity of signatures and seals made by their competent authorities on official documents, which are mutually recognized between signatory countries. It is a specific type of "certification".

1961年10月5日之前，文书如果需要跨国使用，需要办理领事认证（双认证）手续，文书首先由公证机构公证，再送外交部，最后送使领馆。这一流程需要三次认证，流程繁琐，耗时较长。

Before October 5, 1961, if the document needed to be used across borders, consular authentication (double authentication) procedures were required. The document was first notarized by a notary office, then sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and finally sent to the embassy or consulate. This process requires three certifications, which is cumbersome and time-consuming.

为了简化认证流程，缩短时间提高效率，1961年在荷兰海牙，通过了《取消外国公文书认证要求的公约》草案，并决定于1965年1月24日正式生效。海牙认证由此而来，此后，文书在成员国流转时，无需领事认证，只需主管机构认证。

In order to simplify the authentication process, shorten time and improve efficiency, the draft Convention on the Cancellation of Certification Requirements for Foreign Official Documents was passed in The Hague, Netherlands in 1961, and it was decided to enter into force on January 24, 1965. Hence the Apostille, and thereafter, when documents were circulated among member states, consular certification was not required, only certification by the competent authority was required.

二、海牙认证流程
Apostille Process

准备认证材料 --> 公证人公证 --> 主管机构认证 --> 领取认证文件

Prepare certification materials ->Notary public notarization ->Certification by competent authorities ->Receive certification documents

各国家/地区海牙认证办理主要流程基本一致，主要差异在于各国家/地区负责办理海牙认证的主管机关不同：

1. 中国内地海牙认证主管机构：中国外交部及外交部授权的各省市外事办公室

2. 中国香港海牙认证主管机构：香港高等法院

3. 中国澳门海牙认证主管机构：澳门法务局

4. 美国海牙认证主管机构：美国居民个人及州政府出具的文件，由州务卿进行海牙认证; 联邦政府出具的文件，则由美国国务院进行海牙认证.

5. 英国海牙认证主管机构：英国外交部

6. 新加坡海牙认证主管机构：新加坡法律学会、海牙认证办公室

The main process for handling Apostille in various countries/regions is basically the same, with the main difference being that the competent authorities responsible for handling Apostille in each country/region are different:

1. The Apostille Authority in Mainland China: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Foreign Affairs Offices of various provinces and cities authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2. The Apostille Authority in Hong Kong, China: The High Court of Hong Kong

3. The Apostille Authority in Macau, China: Macau Legal Bureau

4. The Apostille Authority in the United States:Documents issued by individual US residents and state governments, certified by the Secretary of State in The Hague; Documents issued by the federal government are certified by the US State Department in The Hague.

5. The Apostille Authority: The UK Department of Foreign Affairs

6. Apostille Authority in Singapore: Singapore Law Society, Apostille Office

三、海牙认证注意事项
Apostille Considerations

1. 香港文书拿到内地使用只需办理律师公证即可，无需走海牙认证，相对更加便捷。

2. 如需翻译件，可先翻译文件，将副本和翻译件一起公证，再进行海牙认证；或先办理公证和海牙认证，到使用国翻译并对翻译件公证；部分地区主管机构也可以采用双语或者小语种加签。

3. 费用主要包括公证费用（公证处收取的费用）、认证费用（海牙认证主管机构收取的费用）及快递费用等，各国家地区的收费会有差异。

4. 海牙认证后文件是长期有效，但根据以往的经验，通常使用机构会要求出具近半年的海牙认证文件。在使用中不同机构对认证时间要求不同，较为宽松的，可以出具近一年的海牙认证文件。

1. Hong Kong documents can only be notarized by a lawyer for use in mainland China, without the need for Apostille, which is relatively more convenient.

2. If a translation is required, the document can be translated first, and the copy and translation can be notarized together before undergoing Apostille; Alternatively, notarization and Apostille can be obtained first, followed by translation to the country of use and notarization of the translated documents; Some regional regulatory agencies can also use bilingual or multilingual signatures.

3. The fees mainly include notarization fees (fees charged by the notary office), certification fees (fees charged by the Apostille authority), and courier fees. The fees may vary by country or region.

4. The Hague certified documents are valid for a long time, but based on past experience, institutions typically require the issuance of Hague certified documents for the past six months. In use, different institutions have different requirements for certification time, and for those with relatively loose requirements, they can issue Apostille documents for the past year.

四、海牙认证和领事认证的区别
The difference between Apostille and consular authentication

海牙认证和领事认证都是为了实现国内外文书互通的认证制度。两者均仅对文件签发人的签字/盖章进行认证，而不是对文件内容进行认证。但两者有以下区别：

1. 认证流程与时间周期不同

海牙认证仅需主管机关认证，而领事认证经过外交部认证之后还需要经使领馆认证（海牙认证及领事认证均需提前对文书进行公证），海牙认证一般3-6个工作日即可办理好，领事认证需要20个工作日左右。

故相对领事认证，海牙认证流程相对简单、周期短、费用低。

2. 使用范围不同

海牙认证可以在所有海牙成员国及未加入但认可海牙公约的国家中使用，而领事认证只能在办理的目的国一个国家使用。

因此办理文件认证时，如果文件在海牙公约国家之间流转，我们可以选择办理海牙认证；如果涉及一方是非海牙公约国家，则需要办理领事认证。

3. 文件样式不同

海牙认证文件样本：（香港高等法院认证加签文件）

（香港高等法院认证加签样例）

领事认证文件样本：（中国驻英国大使馆领事认证文件）

The Apostille and consular authentication are both authentication systems aimed at achieving the exchange of domestic and foreign documents. Both only authenticate the signature/seal of the document issuer, rather than the content of the document. But there are the following differences between the two:

1. The certification process and time cycle are different

The Apostille only requires certification by the competent authority, while consular authentication after being authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also requires authentication by the embassy or consulate (both Apostille and consular authentication require notarization of the documents in advance). Apostille usually takes 3-6 working days to complete, while consular authentication takes about 20 working days.

Therefore, compared to consular authentication, The Apostille process is relatively simple, with a short cycle and low cost.

2. Different usage ranges

The Apostille can be used in all Hague member countries and countries that have not joined but recognize the Hague Convention, while consular certification can only be used in one country of the destination country for processing.

Therefore, when applying for document authentication, if the document is circulated between countries under the Hague Convention, we can choose to apply for Apostille; If one of the parties involved is a non Hague Convention country, consular authentication is required.

3. Different file styles

Sample Apostille Document: (Hong Kong High Court Certification and Signature Document)

(Sample of Consular Authentication Documents from the Chinese Embassy in the UK)

五、海牙认证的文件范围有哪些
What are the scope of documents certified by Apostille

1. 公司文件

公司注册证书、公司章程、会议记录、公司注册文件、法人资格、合同书、授权书、声明书、证明书、委派书、商标证书、资产证明、资信证明、发票、原产地证、报关单、产品证书、产品介绍等。

2. 个人文件

绿卡、护照、成绩单、学历证书、职业资格证书、授权书、声明书、邀请函、房产证、出生证、结婚证、离婚证、单身证明、判决书、犯罪记录、医学证明、亲属关系、死亡证明、遗嘱等。

1. Company documents

Company registration certificate, articles of association, meeting minutes, company registration documents, legal personality, contract, authorization letter, declaration letter, certificate, appointment letter, trademark certificate, asset certificate, credit certificate, invoice, certificate of origin, customs declaration, product certificate, product introduction, etc.

2. Personal files

Green card, passport, transcript, educational certificate, professional qualification certificate, authorization letter, declaration letter, invitation letter, property certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, single certificate, judgment, criminal record, medical certificate, kinship, death certificate, will, etc.

六、加入海牙公约的国家有哪些
What are the countries that have joined the Apostille

以下是最新《取消外国公文书认证要求的公约》缔约国名单（截至2023年10月31日）。

The following is the latest list of contracting parties to the Convention on the Cancellation of Certification Requirements for Foreign Official Documents (as of October 31, 2023).

亚洲 Asia (22)：

中国、亚美尼亚、阿塞拜疆、巴林、文莱、格鲁吉亚、印度、印尼、以色列、日本、哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、蒙古国、阿曼、巴基斯坦、菲律宾、韩国、沙特、新加坡、塔吉克斯坦、土耳其、乌兹别克斯坦

China, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan

非洲 Africa（16）：

博茨瓦纳、布隆迪、佛得角、斯威士兰、莱索托、利比里亚、马拉维、毛里求斯、摩洛哥、纳米比亚、卢旺达、圣多美和普林西比、塞内加尔、塞舌尔、南非、突尼斯

Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda,  Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia

欧洲 Europe (44)：

阿尔巴尼亚、安道尔、奥地利、白俄罗斯、比利时、波黑、保加利亚、克罗地亚、塞浦路斯、捷克、丹麦、爱沙尼亚、芬兰、法国、德国、希腊、匈牙利、冰岛、爱尔兰、意大利、拉脱维亚、列支敦士登、立陶宛、卢森堡、马耳他、摩纳哥、黑山、荷兰、北马其顿、挪威、波兰、葡萄牙、摩尔多瓦、罗马尼亚、俄罗斯、圣马力诺、塞尔维亚、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亚、西班牙、瑞典、瑞士、乌克兰、英国

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Moldova Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom

北美洲 North America (21)：

安提瓜和巴布达、巴哈马、巴巴多斯、伯利兹、加拿大、哥斯达黎加、多米尼克、多米尼加、萨尔瓦多、格林纳达、危地马拉、洪都拉斯、牙买加、墨西哥、尼加拉瓜、巴拿马、圣基茨和尼维斯、圣卢西亚、圣文森特和格林纳丁斯、特立尼达和多巴哥、美国

Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA

南美洲 South America (12)：

阿根廷、玻利维亚、巴西、智利、哥伦比亚、厄瓜多尔、圭亚那、巴拉圭、秘鲁、苏里南、乌拉圭、委内瑞拉

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

大洋洲 Oceania (10)：

澳大利亚、库克群岛、斐济、马绍尔群岛、新西兰、纽埃、帕劳、萨摩亚、汤加、瓦努阿图

Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu

注1：2024年1月11日，《海牙公约》将对加拿大生效，中加之间将于当日开始适用《海牙公约》。2024年6月5日，《海牙公约》将对卢旺达生效，中卢之间将于当日开始适用《海牙公约》。

注2：中国与其不承认具有主权国家地位的《海牙公约》成员间不适用《海牙公约》。

注3：中国与印度之间不适用《海牙公约》。

Note 1: On January 11, 2024, the Hague Convention will enter into force for Canada, and the Hague Convention will apply between China and Canada on that day. On June 5, 2024, the Hague Convention will enter into force for Rwanda, and the application of the Hague Convention between China and Rwanda will begin on that day.

Note 2: China does not apply the Hague Convention to its members who do not recognize the status of sovereign states.

Note 3: The Hague Convention is not applicable between China and India.