1. Brief Introduction on Authentication:

Authentication, also called consular authentication, refers to a consular practice ensuring authenticity of the very last signature or the seal affixed to a document related to the application from a natural person, legal person or other organization. In accordance with international practice and the consular practice established in China, the purpose of consular authentication is to ensure that notarial deeds issued in one country have due legal effect and can be acknowledged by the relevant authorities in another country with no question as to their authenticity.

Chinese Embassies and Consulate-Generals are responsible for legalizing notarized deeds to be used in China and other documents that have been duly authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country or the related authorities where the consular authentication application is to be accepted.

The Chinese Embassy or Consulates General in Australia just certify the signature and stamps of the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories.

2. All documents to be authenticated should meet the following requirements:

1) The specimen of signatures and stamps of DFAT or its Office in States or Territories should have been put on records in the Chinese Embassy or relevant Consulates General.

2) Your document must be authentic, intact and legitimate. The Embassy / Consulate General will NOT authenticate a document that contains illegal contents under Chinese laws or has potential threats to China's national or public interests.

3) A document containing more than one page must be bound properly and securely, with sealing wax or paging seal/embossed seal to ensure the integrity of the document. The Embassy / Consulate-Generals will NOT authenticate a document if it is found illegitimate, or in any way forged, counterfeited, fraudulent or altered.

3. Procedure for the application of Authentication:

1) Documents should be notarized by a notary public in Queensland (Some original documents issued by local government or universities can be authenticated by Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories directly, Please check with the Department or its Offices.)

2) The notarized documents should be authenticated (NOT apostilled) by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories. For more information about authentication by DFAT office, please click here.

3) Submit your authenticated documents to the relevant Chinese Visa Application Service Center. Please note you should apply for the documents authentication from the Chinese Embassy or relevant Consulate General where the documents notarized but not authenticated, in accordance with consular regions.

For example, if your documents are notarized in Queensland and authenticated in DFAT's office in Sydney, they should be authenticated in the Chinese Consulate General in Brisbane but not the Consulate General in Sydney. You should submit your application through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Brisbane.

Documents to be used in the Hong Kong or Macao SAR need no authentication from Chinese Embassy or Consulates General if they have been apostilled by Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories.

4. Documents needed for the application of authentication:

1) One completed and signed Application form of Legalization or Legalization Application Form for Death Certificate which can be downloaded and filled out by the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

*Only the form with the original signature of the applicant can be accepted and the form should be signed twice on the second page.

2) Original and one copy of the passport of the applicant, and Australian VEVO within three days for Chinese passport holder. If the applicant entrust someone else to apply for authentication, original and one copy of the passport or photo ID of the entrusted person should also be submitted. In some special cases, an entrusted letter signed by the applicant is also required.

For commercial document, registration certificate and extract from ASIC containing name of the director, one copy of the director's passport should also be submitted. The director should originally sign the Application Form (signed twice). If the applicant entrust someone else to apply for authentication, an entrusted letter issued by the corporate, original and one copy of the passport or photo ID of the entrusted person should also be submitted.

3) The original and one copy of the document to be authenticated.

4) Other related documents required by consular officer.

5. Precautions for the application of authentication:

1) One certificate can only contain one document. One certificate that contains several documents will not be accepted for authentication.

2) Documents issued by Chinese Authorities, including but not limited to Passport, Chinese Resident Identity Cards, Chinese Driver's Licenses, Registration of Company, etc. will not be accepted for authentication.

3) Applications will not be accepted if the contents of the documents are against Chinese laws.

4) Registration certificate of the corporate and one passport copy of the fictitious person should be submitted if the document is concerning company business.

5) Marital status certificate and certificate of non-criminal record are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Applicant should complete all the procedures within 3 months.

6) The Chinese Embassy authenticates only the official signature and seal of the the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories and will not be responsible for the contents of the documents.

7) Documents authenticated by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories and the Chinese Embassy should be in their original shape. Applicants should not dismantle original documents (notarized or authenticated) or stitch some other pages to the original documents, and should bear all responsibility for any such action aroused.

8) Applicants are strongly suggested to collect the documents on time. Document which is not collected within 1 year will be cancelled.

9) Currently, application by mail will NOT be accepted.


Please note:

——For a foreign citizen living in Brisbane, documents to be used in China should be notarized first by a local Notary Public and then authenticated by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories before being submitted to the Application Centre.

——For a Chinese citizen, documents not directly notarized by the Chinese Consulate in Brisbane need first be notarized by a local Notary Public and then authenticated by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories before submission to the Application Centre.

——Documents of a third country should be authenticated in that country. If a citizen of a third country living in Brisbane applies for passport authentication, his/her application can be accepted by the Chinese Consulate in Brisbane if it has been notarized by the country's Consulate in Brisbane.