Since China's accession to the Hague Apostille Convention took effect in November 2023, public documents exchanged between China and other member states no longer require consular legalization. Apostille Korea says companies can avoid confusion during the transition by confirming which route now applies to each document before they submit it.
- China's accession to the Apostille Convention took effect in November 2023
- Public documents between China and other members now use an apostille instead of consular legalization
- Apostille replaces the multi-step consular process with a single certificate from a competent authority
- Companies should confirm which route applies before submitting each document during the transition
What changes for companies
Before China joined the Apostille Convention, a public document moving between China and Korea generally required consular legalization — a multi-step process in which the document was certified by authorities in the issuing country and then confirmed again by the destination country's embassy or consulate. With the Convention in force since November 2023, a document covered by it is now authenticated with a single apostille issued by a competent authority in the country of origin, and the separate embassy step is no longer needed. For companies handling corporate records, powers of attorney or commercial certificates between the two countries, this shortens the chain of authentication.
How to avoid confusion during the transition
Confusion tends to arise when it is unclear whether a document falls under the new apostille route or still needs the older process — for example, a document issued before the change, or one destined for a country that is not a Convention member. Apostille Korea advises companies to confirm, document by document, whether an apostille now applies and to check the receiving body's current requirement before submitting. The company supports the issuance, translation and certification of corporate documents so businesses can adapt to the new route without delaying their filings.
Frequently asked questions
When did China's Apostille Convention take effect?
China's accession to the Hague Apostille Convention took effect in November 2023. Since then, public documents exchanged with other member states use an apostille rather than consular legalization.
What changes for a company's documents?
A document covered by the Convention is now certified with a single apostille from a competent authority in the country of origin, instead of the multi-step consular legalization that also required an embassy or consulate step.
How can companies avoid confusion?
Confirm document by document whether the new apostille route applies — older documents or non-member destinations may differ — and check the receiving body's current requirement before submitting.
Source: 패션비즈 (fashionbiz.co.kr) ↗