How to get Hague Certification? Learn about Hague Certification in one article

What is Hague Certification? Under what circumstances is Hague Certification necessary? What are the precautions for Hague Certification? I have summarized them all here.

Hague certification is APOSTILLE certification. It refers to the secondary certification issued by the government agencies of Hague member countries for the issuer of the original certification, and a seal or label is stamped on the certification. This process is called APOSTILLE certification. There are currently two modes for Hague certification (abbreviated as A and B):

A. Witness signature

B. Verify the original

Note: It should be noted that China is not a member of the Hague, so documents from mainland China can be certified by a Hong Kong lawyer.

Purpose of Hague Apostille:

The purpose of Hague certification is the same as that of consular certification, which is to prove that your documents are authentic. Hague certification is a simplified certification procedure. Your documents can be freely used in all countries that recognize the Hague Convention after Hague certification. In other words, it is a passport for the circulation of documents between Hague member states.

Things to note for Hague Certification:

Hague certification can be processed on the original or copy of the document. The certification of the copy and the original have completely different meanings in essence, and the content of the certification is also completely different, so you should consult and confirm before processing.

Frequently asked questions about Hague Apostille:

A. What is the process for Hague notarization?

Provide specific notarized documents and the country where the notarization will be used; after confirming the handling fee, pay a deposit to make a draft; after the draft is confirmed, formal processing will be carried out; submit to the Hong Kong High Court for endorsement; after the certification is completed, arrange for the remaining payment to be sent out;

B. What is the difference between Hague certification and embassy certification?

The difference between Hague certification and embassy or consulate certification is that Hague certification can be used in any Hague Convention member country and takes a short time to process; embassy or consulate certification can only be used in the country where it is processed, such as the U.S. Consulate and Embassy in China, which can only be used in the United States and cannot be used outside the United States. It also takes a long time to process, and it depends on the time of the local government.

C. How much does it cost to get a Hague certification?

The cost of Hague certification is not fixed and varies greatly depending on the document and the country. It also includes: international notary public lawyer fees, Hong Kong High Court fees, courier fees and our company's handling fees, etc.

D. Can the notary office notarize the name change information on the ID card?

Yes, you can provide the specific notarized documents (scanned copies or pictures) and the country where the notarization will be used; after confirming the handling fee, pay the deposit for the draft; after the draft is confirmed, the formal processing will be carried out; after the certification is completed, arrange for the remaining payment to be sent;

E. How long does it take to process a Hague certification?

The processing time for Hague certification varies in different countries or regions. The processing time in Hong Kong, China is about 3 working days, while in other countries or regions it is between 3-15 working days.

When is Hague certification necessary? If a company needs to take a certificate or document overseas for use or investment or to prove certain facts, then international notarization is required.

A. If it is used between countries that have signed the Hague Convention, international notarization can be done in Hong Kong;

B. If one party is from a country other than the Hague Convention, then embassy certification is required. This procedure is to hand over the notarized document to the embassy or consulate of the overseas country in China for the signature and confirmation of the "certification" document official. This confirmation procedure is called "embassy certification".

List of member states of the Hague Convention:

Currently, the Hague Convention applies to 108 countries and regions. China has not yet joined the convention, but the convention applies to China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region.

The known Hague member states are: Albania, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China (only Hong Kong and Macau), Cyprus, Costa Rica, Colombia, South Korea, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the United States, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Norway, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Macedonia; Romania Asia, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cape Verde, Canada, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, Granada, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Mongolia, Namibia, Niue, Oman, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.

What is the scope of Hague certification? The scope of Hague certification includes but is not limited to:

A. Personal Document Certification

Marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce certificate, adoption, foster care, kinship, death certificate, work experience, authorization, statement, green card, passport, invitation letter, certificate of singleness, judgment, will, criminal record, real estate certificate, transcript, academic degree, professional qualification certificate, medical certificate, etc.

B. Company Document Certification

Company documents: Certificate of incorporation, business registration certificate, annual return/corporation incorporation form, power of attorney, letter of appointment, sales certificate, invoice, tax certificate, articles of association, CE certificate, ISO certificate, declaration, contract, shareholder/director list, legal person qualification, trademark certificate, asset certificate, articles of association, meeting minutes, company name change documents, invoice, certificate of origin, customs declaration, product certificate, bank account opening documents, etc.

This is the end of my introduction to Hague Certification today. If you have any questions about Hague Certification, please leave a message in the comment section.