On November 7th, China took a significant step in international cooperation by simplifying the process of certifying public documents used abroad when it joined the Hague Apostille Convention.
What is the Hague Apostille?
As mentioned previously, the Hague Apostille is an agreement established in The Hague (Netherlands) that streamlines the authentication of public documents used abroad among the countries that are part of said agreement.
This Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, seal or stamp that appears on the document to be legally recognized in other countries. It is very common in university degrees, birth certificates, death certificates or marriage certificates, although they are not the only documents that can be apostilled.
What documents can be apostilled?
- Judicial documents
- Administrative documents
- Notarial documents
What documents cannot be apostilled?
- Documents issued by diplomatic or consular officials
- Administrative documents directly related to a commercial or customs transaction
What does this agreement mean for China?
As we already know, China is one of the most relevant countries for the world economy. With this agreement, the Hague system now comprises nine of the top ten largest economies in the world. The purpose is to reduce the time and costs involved in authenticating some documents necessary for migration processes. This means consular legalization is no longer required for documents issued in China that must take effect in Spain or other countries that are part of the convention. In summary, the previous requirement of double legalization, which includes approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the Consulate, will be replaced by the single requirement of apostille, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China as the competent authority.
It is necessary to know that these rules may vary depending on the province in China.
From Eres Legal we help you legalize and process the documents required for your immigration process. It is important that when you relocate abroad, you have all your documents in order. We help translate, legalize and apostille any documents that may be needed.
What future international perspectives are contemplated with this agreement?
This international agreement opens up several significant future perspectives:
Simplification of legal procedures: this agreement will significantly simplify the process of authenticating documents, facilitating international legal and commercial transactions.
Greater integration at the international level: with this step China aligns itself with international standards for authenticating documents, facilitating its integration into the global legal and commercial sphere.
Increased trust in the Chinese legal system: this accession can increase trust in the Chinese legal system by demonstrating a commitment to international standards for authenticating and legalizing documents.
Boost to international cooperation: this can promote international cooperation in legal and commercial matters by eliminating bureaucratic barriers and simplifying document authentication processes.
Conclusion
This recent accession eliminates a bureaucratic maze that caused delays and complications. Little by little more countries are joining this agreement signed 70 years ago, which makes more and more sense.
If you’re in the process of legalizing documents to live and work in another country, Eres Legal can help remove barriers so you can successfully complete this process.
