A pilot project on electronic apostilization has been launched in the People's Republic of China. This is reported by the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
How China’s legalization process is embracing the E-Apostille
The launch of China's electronic apostille initiative was publicly announced by Guo Jiakun, official spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, during a press conference. He referred to the move as «China’s latest step in optimizing the cross-border circulation of official documents».
Following China’s accession to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, which entered into force in 2023, the process of verifying official documents exchanged between China and other contracting states has been significantly simplified — to the requirement of a single apostille. To make the process more efficient, our Ministry has today begun issuing pilot electronic apostilles, a measure encouraged by the Convention,
— Guo Jiakun noted.
Electronic apostilization is launched in China on June 18, 2025. Digital legalization of documents will completely eliminate any offline procedures. In parallel with legalization, China is also launching a system of online apostille verification, which should also increase the efficiency of cross-border document flow and provide applicants with a convenient service.
Recommendations on e-Apostille are available on the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consular Service of China. For now, e-Apostille can be used with a limited list of documents, but it will be expanded in the future.
Which Chinese Documents Can Be Apostilled Electronically
In the second half of June, China will begin the phased implementation of its electronic apostille system. The first document to be eligible for digital legalization for use abroad will be the Certificate of Origin, issued by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
In the future, the list of documents eligible for e-Apostille certification will be gradually expanded. A digitally apostilled document will consist of three components:
- a cover page confirming the method of issuance;
- the digital original of the official document;
- the electronic apostille certificate.
The authenticity of the e-Apostille will be verifiable online through a dedicated service provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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