Diploma and FBI Background Check Authentication for China

Are you planning to teach or continue your education in China?

From our experience, the Chinese Government will request for you to certify and legalize your FBI background check and your University diploma (highest degree).  In order to certify and legalize these two documents, you must mail them to our offices for processing.  We will discuss each document below and provide you step by step instructions.

The first step in obtaining your FBI background check is to contact an approved FBI Channeler.  By working with an FBI Channeler, you can shorten the amount of time it takes in order to receive your background check.  Another benefit of working with a FBI Channeler is that you can obtain a digital copy in addition to a hard-copy that will be mailed to your location.  A digital copy can help speed up the process of certifying and legalizing your documents for China.  You can email us the digital FBI background check for processing through the US Department of State and the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.

In order to process your diploma, it must be signed and notarized by the University’s Registrar.  Every University has procedures in place on how to notarize a diploma.  Some University’s will request for you to mail in the original while another will ask for you to order a new one.  In order to find our the procedures and step you must take, you will need to contact the University.  Once you receive your signed and notarized University Diploma, the next step is to mail it to our office for processing.

Depending on the US State your diploma originates from (Example: UCLA – California), we may be able to process these two documents together.  But, in certain situations, we may have to process them separately.  We recommend that you contact our office so we can email you the instructions and order forms.  Our toll free number is 1-888-810-4054 ext.1

Certifying and legalizing documents for China can be complicated. Don’t leave this process to untrained employees or non-professionals who do not fully understand the legalization process and the unique requirements of the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. Your paperwork could be rejected costing you time and money. Don’t let this happen to you!

International Apostille Order Form PDFClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.

China Document Authentication

Do you need your documents legalized through the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.?

We provide fast document authentication, certification, attestation, and Embassy legalization services.

Because China is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents must first be processed through the State, the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, and then through the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.  This three-step-process is required for documents destined for the country of China.

The very first step depends on the type of document you need authenticated.  If your document requires notarization, you will need to meet with an experienced notary near you to notarize your signature on the document.  It’s important to inform the notary that the document will be authenticated by the State and to follow the notarial laws in their State to avoid any delays or additional costs.

Please note:  If your document is written in Chinese, please find a certified translator in your State to translate the documents to English.  You must also ask the translator to have his/her signature notarized on the document.  You can find a certified translator by visiting the American Translator’s Association website.

Documents issued by the State or County Clerk do not need notarization as these documents are already signed by a State or County Clerk official.  These documents include: Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Divorce Decree (Court Documents), Articles of Incorporation, Statement of Information, etc…

You can read more on the type of documents we authenticate for China by clicking this link:  China Document Legalization 

As mentioned earlier in this article, legalizing documents for China is a three-step-process.  We’ve put together a small illustration below to help you understand the process.

Document LegalizationStep 1: U.S. State Certification – Because China is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents will receive a certification from the State and not an Apostille.  Each State’s certificate differs from the other.  In the United States, we have 50 different certificates.   We can process documents issued from all 50 U.S. States and the U.S. Federal Government.

The processing time and fee can vary for each State.  For example, we can certify documents in California, Washington, D.C., New York, Maryland, and Nevada in 1-2 business days.  For all other states, Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

Step 2: U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. – The very next step is to certify your documents through the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.  You can see an example of a certificate issued by the Department of State by clicking this link: U.S. Department of State Certificate Example

The processing time with the U.S. Department of State is currently 3-4 business days. Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

Step 3: Chinese Embassy Legalization – The Embassy of China is located in Washington, D.C.  In order for the Embassy to legalize your documents, they must first be certified by the State and the U.S. Department of State.

The processing time with the Chinese Embassy is one week.  Please Contact Us for a price quote and estimated time for completion.

International Apostille Services, Inc. is the leader in document authentication services.  We process documents from all 50 U.S. States including documents issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

International Apostille Order Form PDF SmallClick to download our International Apostille Order Form. Our Apostille service is fast, convenient, and saves you time and money.