Change from superlegalisation to Apostille

On March 8, 2023, China joined the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. And on November 7, 2023, the Convention entered into force between China and the Czech Republic.

As from November 7, 2023, all public documents within the scope of the Convention, which originated in China for their use in the Czech Republic, will no longer be subject to consular legalization (superlegalisation) by the Chinese authority and the Czech Consular Offices in Beijing or Shanghai, but will be subject to APOSTILLE. Such documents could be used directly in the Czech Republic, after translation into Czech language.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China is the competent authority for issuing APOSTILLE for public documents executed within Chinese territory. Entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the Foreign Affairs Offices of relevant local governments in China can issue the APOSTILLE for public documents executed within their respective administrative regions.

Specific procedures and requirements for applying APOSTILLE can be checked by visiting the China Consular Service website or the websites of relevant local Foreign Affairs Offices.

The APOSTILLE issued by Chinese authorities can be verified online by visiting their website.

 

Certification of foreign documents for their use in the Czech Republic

Documents issued by courts and authorities abroad, which are considered public documents in the place where they were issued, are also considered public documents in the Czech Republic, if they are authenticated in the prescribed manner. This obligation results from Section 52 of Act No. 97/1963 Coll., on Private International Law and Procedure, as amended.

To be used in the Czech Republic, such a document must bear a higher authentication, which in China changed from superlegalisation to APOSTILLE as of 7 November 2023. This change means a simplification of the certification process, as the APOSTILLE clause is directly recognizable in the Czech Republic. Documents from other foreign countries must contain superlegalisation or Apostille according to the local legislation; please check the appropriate website of the foreign country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign documents shall be submitted with an official translation into the Czech language (made by a court interpreter registered in the list of experts and interpreters in the Czech Republic or in the state where the document is prepared) and shall be accompanied by the prescribed verifications. Older documents issued in China until 6 November 2023 are certified by superlegalisation, documents certified from 7 November 2023 are apostilled. A certified copy of a foreign document shall be made only after proper authentication has been carried out, including translation, if necessary.

 

Notarial services

Notarial powers of the Czech Consular Offices in Beijing or Shanghai are limited by Consular Agreement between Czech Republic and China, which has been in force since 1989 (Decree of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic No. 97/1989 Coll. - in Czech only). It especially restricts verification of signatures on documents for Czech nationals only, i.e. signatures of foreign nationals cannot be verified.

The Czech Consular Offices in China (Consular and Visa Office of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Beijing, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Hongkong or Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Shanghai) are authorized to verify the copy or translation of documents for their use in the Czech Republic.

1. Verification of the copy

It is necessary to submit the original document and its copy, which will be verified.

Please note: As a matter of principle, copies of an ID card, military ID card, passport or other identification card, passbook, cheque, lottery ticket, betting slip, geometric plan, drawing and technical drawing are not verified.

2. Verification of the translation

The Embassy can also verify translation from English into Czech language; however, this is usually limited only to official documents (i.e. birth, marriage or death certificates).