Chinese Consular Legalization has become an essential requirement amid the growing trade, investment, and commercial cooperation between Vietnam and China. Documents such as birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates, diplomas, and economic contracts, etc., must be consular legalized to be legally valid for use in the other country.
In this article, No.1 Translation will provide a detailed guide on the procedures for Chinese consular legalization, helping you complete the process quickly and accurately.
Demand for Chinese Consular Legalization in 2025
In the context of increasingly deep international integration, the demand for consular legalization of Chinese-related documents has become a pressing issue for Vietnamese individuals and organizations engaging in cooperation, study, work, or settlement in China. Possessing documents that have been consular legalized is a mandatory requirement for Chinese authorities to recognize the legal validity of documents issued in Vietnam, such as diplomas, birth certificates, judicial records, marriage certificates, or other administrative papers.
This growing demand in recent years is driven by the strong development of bilateral investment and trade activities, as well as the rising trend of studying and working in China. At the same time, the process of obtaining consular legalization requires not only accuracy in documentation but also a thorough understanding of the legal procedures and requirements of both countries. As a result, turning to professional consulting and service providers for assistance in legalizing documents for use in China has become increasingly common and is trusted by many individuals and businesses.
What Is Chinese Document Certification / Consular Legalization?
Consular certification and Chinese consular legalization are two essential steps in the process of legalizing documents issued in either Vietnam or China for lawful use in the other country.
For a document issued in one country to be recognized and legally used in another, it must go through two essential steps: authentication by the diplomatic authority of the issuing country and consular legalization by the diplomatic mission of the country where the document will be used. Specifically:
1. For documents issued in Vietnam to be used in China
Chinese consular certification is the first step in the consular legalization process for documents issued in Vietnam. Competent Vietnamese diplomatic authorities, such as the Consular Department in Hanoi or the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City, will verify the seal, signature, and title on the document to ensure its authenticity and validity.
Chinese consular legalization is the second (and final) step. The competent Chinese authority—specifically the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam or the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate General in China—will certify the seal of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Department of Foreign Affairs on the document. This ensures the document can be legally_
2. For documents issued in China to be used in Vietnam
Chinese consular certification is also the first step in the consular legalization process for Chinese documents to be used in Vietnam. The competent Chinese diplomatic authorities—such as the Department of Consular Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China or local foreign affairs offices—will verify the seal, signature, and title on the document to ensure it will be recognized when used in Vietnam.
Then, consular legalization is the second (and final) step, in which the competent Vietnamese authority—such as the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate General in China—will certify the seal and signature on the document, allowing it to be legally used in Vietnam.
Common Types of Documents for Chinese Consular Legalization
No.1 Translation specializes in providing Chinese consular legalization and certification services for a wide range of documents, including:
- Personal documents: Birth certificate, marriage certificate, single status certificate, marital status confirmation, judicial record, household registration book, identity card/citizen ID, temporary residence book, driver’s license, and death certificate.
- Educational documents and certificates: Curriculum vitae (CV), diploma, academic transcript, school report, provisional graduation certificate, student confirmation letter, language certificate, and IT certificate.
- Commercial and corporate documents: Business license, enterprise registration certificate, investment registration certificate, seal specimen certificate, financial statements, commercial contracts, power of attorney, certificate of origin (C/O), certificate of quality, health certificate, commercial invoice, and packing list.
Certification / Consular Legalization of Documents Issued in Vietnam
The Embassy or Consulate of China in Vietnam may legalize / certify documents and papers issued by competent Vietnamese authorities, provided that these documents have been authenticated by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (such as the Consular Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs), and are intended for use in China.
The purpose of consular certification is to verify the seal and signature on documents and papers issued in Vietnam so that they are recognized in China. Consular certification does not serve to verify the content of the documents and papers, nor does it assume responsibility for their authenticity or legality. The issuing authority is solely responsible for the accuracy and legality of the content.
For documents issued in Vietnam that need to be legalized for recognition and use in China, there are two different cases. Each case involves different procedures, costs, and processing times.
Case 1: Consular Legalization Process Carried Out in Vietnam
If you carry out Chinese consular legalization for documents in Vietnam, the advantages include faster processing time, fewer procedural steps, and significantly lower costs compared to Case 2.
1. Procedure:
To ensure that documents from Vietnam are legally valid in China, you need to complete the consular legalization process in 5 steps:
- Step 1: Certified copy of the original document
- Step 2: Translate the certified copy from Vietnamese to Chinese (note: the certified copy must be attached to the translation, and the translated content must include the certification seal).
- Step 3: Notarize the translation at the District Justice Office or a Notary Office
- Step 4: Consular certification in Vietnam. The Consular Department in Hanoi or the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City will verify the signature and seal on the notarization statement in the translation, ensuring their validity.
- Step 5: Consular legalization at the Chinese mission. The Chinese Embassy or Consulate in Vietnam will certify the documents that have been stamped by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing them to be used in China.
Seal and Stamp Samples After Chinese Consular Legalization
After completing these 5 steps, you can be fully assured that your documents are legally valid for use at any authority within Mainland China.
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2. Pricing Table:
All-inclusive Pricing for Chinese Consular Legalization Services at No.1 Translation for legalizing documents issued in Vietnam for use in China:
| Content: | Price: |
| Certified Copy Fee: | 10,000 VND / 1 page |
| Translation Fee from Vietnamese to Chinese: | 69,000 VND / 1 original document page / 300 words |
| Notarization Fee for the Translation: | 50,000 VND / document |
| Consular Certification Fee (with Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stamp): | 300,000 VND / stamp (Discounted to 250,000 VND / stamp for two or more documents) |
| Consular Legalization Fee at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate: | From 2,500,000 VND to 4,500,000 VND depending on the type of document |
Note: Clients may choose to use our service for any specific step(s) and complete the remaining steps on their own. No.1 Translation will only charge for the steps that the client requests us to handle.
3. Required Documents and Procedures:
- The original document or paper to be certified and consular legalized.
- 01 copy of the "Application Form for Consular Certification by the Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China Abroad."
- Original and copy of a valid passport, or original and copy of the citizen ID card of the applicant requesting the certification.
- In certain cases, additional documents may be required, such as:
- A Power of Attorney from the individual or legal entity named in the document authorizing No.1 Translation
- Passport of the person named in the document (for personal documents), or Business Registration Certificate of the company named in the document (for corporate documents)
- Other supporting documents or evidence as may be required depending on the actual situation
- Please note: In rare cases, the Embassy may require the applicant to be present in person to submit the application and attend an interview if necessary.
- In cases of consular legalization for a Business Registration Certificate or company operating license, the client must provide a copy of the legal representative’s passport and company documents that can verify the identity of the legal representative.
4. Processing Time: from 1 to 2 working weeks.
Case 2: Consular Legalization Process Carried Out in China
In some cases, your original documents may already be in China, and you may not want to send them back to Vietnam (to avoid return shipping costs) to follow the steps outlined in Case 1 above. In that situation, you can proceed according to the following instructions and process.
1. Procedure:
To ensure that documents from Vietnam are legally valid in China, you need to complete the consular legalization process. This process consists of 4 steps:
- Step 1: Consular certification in Vietnam. The Consular Department in Hanoi or the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City will verify the signature and seal on the original documents issued in Vietnam to ensure their validity.
- Step 2: Consular certification at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate in China.
- Step 3: Consular legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in China.
- Step 4: Translate the original document, already legalized, from Vietnamese to Chinese (including all stamps and seals)
- Step 5: Notarized translation
2. Pricing Table:
No.1 Translation offers an all-inclusive fee for Chinese consular legalization services for documents issued in Vietnam but currently located in China, starting from approximately 6,500,000 VND / document.
3. Required Documents and Procedures:
- The original copy of the document to be legalized.
- In some cases, additional documents may be required, such as: a Power of Attorney from the individual or legal entity named in the document authorizing No.1 Translation; the passport of the individual named in the document (for personal documents); or the Business Registration Certificate of the company named in the document (for corporate documents).
4. Processing time: from 7 to 10 working days.
Consular Legalization of Documents Issued in China:
For documents issued in China that need to be legalized for recognition and use in Vietnam, the following steps are required:
1. Procedure:
To ensure that documents issued in China are recognized and legally valid for use in Vietnam, you need to complete the consular legalization process in 5 steps:
- Step 1: Make a certified copy of the original document at a notary office in China
- Step 2: Consular certification by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the certified copy
- Step 3: Consular legalization at the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate in China. The Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate will certify the documents that have been stamped by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing them to be used in Vietnam.
- Step 4: After completing the first two steps in China, the documents will be sent to Vietnam for the remaining two steps: Translate the certified and legalized copy from Chinese to Vietnamese and Notarize the translation at the District Justice Office or a Notary Office
After completing these 4 steps, you can be fully assured that the notarized translation can be legally used at any authority within the territory of Vietnam.
2. Pricing Table:
All-inclusive service fee at No.1 Translation for legalizing documents issued in China for use in Vietnam: 6,500,000 VND / document + Translation and notarization fees into Vietnamese
Note: If your documents are currently in Vietnam, No.1 Translation can still proceed with the consular legalization process.
3. Required Documents and Procedures:
- The original copy of the document to be legalized.
4. Processing time: 2 working weeks.
Some Notes When Legalizing Chinese Consular Certification for Documents Issued in Vietnam:
- The content of the documents and the order and procedures must be truthful, complete, and lawful. They must not contain any content that violates Chinese laws or harms the national interests or public welfare of the People's Republic of China.
- For documents consisting of two (2) pages or more, they must be bound together to prevent tampering or alteration by sealing with wax. Alternatively, they can be secured with overlapping stamps and embossed seals to ensure the integrity of the documents.
- The Embassy will refuse certification in cases such as: incomplete procedures, non-standard formatting, unlawful content, documents that have been erased, altered, removed, or tampered with.
- Documents bearing the Embassy’s seal must not be removed, erased, or altered arbitrarily. The applicant requesting consular certification/legalization is responsible for any issues and legal liabilities arising from their unauthorized removal, erasure, or alteration of the documents.
Our Commitment
No.1 Translation is committed to providing customers with the highest quality Chinese consular legalization services, ensuring absolute satisfaction and trust. We pledge to:
- Carried out by a team of specialists with in-depth knowledge of the procedures, regulations, and laws related to Chinese consular legalization.
- Provide accurate consultation, the latest updates, and answer all customer inquiries.
- Handle documents carefully and meticulously, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
- Complete procedures promptly and on schedule, meeting customer requirements.
- Clear and transparent working process.
- Reasonable and transparent costs, with no hidden additional fees.
- Absolute confidentiality of customer information.
- Accompanying customers throughout the entire consular legalization process.
- Providing attentive after-sales service.
- 100% refund if the application is rejected due to errors caused by No.1 Translation.
No.1 Translation is a trusted choice for comprehensive Chinese consular legalization services. With our experience, expertise, and dedication, we will accompany and support you from start to finish, helping you complete the procedures quickly, accurately, and efficiently.
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