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The majority of provinces in China now require a teacher to authenticate their Degree Certificate and ‘No Criminal Record’ background check (and in some circumstances their TEFL/ TESOL/ CELTA certificate) in order to issue the work ‘z’ visa support paperwork.

Information for UK citizens
Information for US citizens
Information for Australian citizens
Information for South African citizens
Information for Canadian citizens
Information for Irish citizens

Authentication Services (To be used to complete the process on your behalf)

The Process:

Notarisation – this is the attestation by a Notary Public that the signature appearing on the document is true and genuine. This is usually completed in the country where the document originates. This may also be in the form of a certification which is made by a solicitor as to the signatures made on a document.

Apostille – a Government Official in the country of origin has to declare the signature of the Notary Public or the Solicitor as true and genuine. Authentication declares that the Apostille is  genuine prior to Legalisation. These are undertaken by a Home Office, e.g the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or Department of State.

Legalisation – the Chinese Embassy can now declare and accept the signature, seal or stamp appearing on the document as genuine.

Only once you have authenticated your documents and sent these by scanned copy to your employer school can their HR Team begin to submit your work ‘z’ visa application to the Provincial Visa Office.

Ensure you allow around 3 weeks to complete the process; participants of the Teach China Graduate Program should begin this process immediately after receiving their hard copy degree certificate.

Some employer schools will contribute towards the costs of the authentication process; if your employer details this in your employment contract, ensure you keep all receipts or invoices.

Make sure to check that the awarding institution of your document is the same as the country it is being authenticated in. For example; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK can only legalise Degrees, TEFL Certificates and Criminal Record Checks, awarded from UK institutions. 


The notarization and legalisation process differs from country to country – see below a breakdown of document authentication for each country.

 

Process for Authentication of Documents for UK Citizens

 

The following is a simple guide to the authentication procedure for Z visa documents for UK citizens.

It is important to note that although these are the most common documents needed for authentication, certain schools/ local visa offices may have different requirements. It is vital to double and triple check with your school’s HR department which documents need to be authenticated and if there is any specific wording needed or special requirements from the school for authentication.

Step 1

Apply for a Basic Disclosure ‘no criminal record’ Check here, Note that although the service is from ‘Disclosure Scotland’ an applicant can be from any part of the UK. The cost of the disclosure is £25

Step 2

Arrange to have your Degree Certificate (and if required your TEFL certificate) notarised by a Solicitor or Public Notary in the UK. The Notary will make a copy of the document and attach a Letter of Attestation.

Prices vary depending on the service used, but will generally cost around £30 per document

Step 3

Certify the original document for your DBS or Basic Disclosure (no photocopies allowed).

The easiest way to do this is to send the origional document back to the issuing authority  i.e Disclosure Scotland which will stamp it as a true document.

Those using Disclosure Scotland, use the following link for direction on sending your document back to be certified: https://www.mygov.scot/get-disclosure-verified/

If this is not an option, a solicitor or notary will be required to notarise in the same way as a degree certificate.

 

Step 4

Visit Gov.uk and follow the instructions to send all notarised documents (True Copy of Degree, True Copy of TEFL Certificates and Original DBS or Basic Disclosure) to the FCO to asses if the documents are genuine; they will attach apostilles to the back of the Letters of Attestations and return via post. This should be done within a week. Ensure documents are sent via recorded/ signed for delivery.

There are 2 options. Either a standard service (up to 10 days) costing £30 per document or an express service (1 day) costing £75 per document

*Note that the FCO will reject true copies of the Criminal record check. The notorised document MUST be the original.

Step 5

Once the apostilles and documents are returned by the FCO, all documents must be taken to the Chinese embassy to be legalised. It is important to note that there is no postal service for this section of the process. For more detailed information on their requirements, visit the Chinese Embassy’s website http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/lsfw/legalization/

There are two options for legalisation through the Embassy, £15 (4 days) £30 (3 days) 

Step 6

Once documents are returned from the Chinese Embassy, send copies to your employer school via email. Their HR Team can then submit a work z visa application to the Provincial Visa Office. Typically, around 4 weeks later the Provincial Visa Office issue a work permit and invitation letter; this will be sent to you via email.

Only now can you submit a z visa application at the London, Manchester or Edinburgh Visa for China centre. Or visa postal application

Following the guidelines on the Visa for China website using the Z visa category,  prepare all required documents. You will need to book an appointment if applying in person in London. There is also a postal service available. The standard visa takes 4 working days and can be tracked online.

If you are staying in China for over 6 months the Visa for China Centre will request that you visit your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate to have your fingerprints taken.

Once processed, the visa will take the form of a physical sticker in your passport. The total processing cost of the visa is from £151.

Excluding the cost of the visa and allowing around £15 for postage, you would expect to to pay the following for the authentication process without using a service:

3 Documents (degree, DBS, TEFL) regular service (up to 3 weeks)- £240

3 Documents (degree, DBS, TEFL) Fastest possible service (less than 1 week)- £330

 

There are Services which can complete the process for you

Notary services that cover all of the Authentication steps listed above on your behalf (excluding the z visa processing itself) start from around £340 and can be turned around in as little as a week.

In most cases this a more convenient route and in many cases (factoring in travel expenses etc.) it is actually a cheaper way to authenticate your documents for China.

See below for more information on UK based Authentication Services.

Edward Young, Notary Public London

 

Edward Young offer a comprehensive package, processing every step of the Authentication process. The service has a turnaround time of 7-10 days. Find out more via the link below.

http://www.notarypublicinlondon.com/legalisation-requirements/china-peoples-republic/authentication/

 

Edward Young (incorporating Kober-Smith & Associates)
9 Carlos Place
London, W1K 3AT.

Email: notary@notarypublicinlondon.com
Telephone: 020 7499 2605

Please find example images below of Degree Certificate and DBS documents at each stage of their notarization.

Letter of Attestation (Attached to Documents)

Apostille and Embassy Stamp

DBS notorized

DBS Unnotorized

Process for Authentication of Documents for US Citizens

The following is a simple guide to the authentication procedure for Z visa documents for US citizens.

It is important to note that although these are the most common documents needed for authentication, certain schools/ local visa offices may have different requirements. It is vital to double and triple check with your school’s HR department which documents need to be authenticated.

Step 1

Attain a No Criminal Record Check from the relevant authority.

In the US, checks can be made at State level or Federal level. Check with your employer what their requirement is.

If a local or state level check is required you can go on your home State website or contact the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and request a form stating evidence of no criminal history.

As an example, in Virginia the website is as follows: http://www.vsp.state.va.us/CJIS_Criminal_Record_Check.shtm

If the Federal background check is required, you will need to apply for an FBI background check. Bare in mind this can take  8-10 weeks to complete.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks

Ensure this document is signed by the issuing authority.

Step 2

Have your degree certificate and TEFL certificate (if required) notorized by a public notary, in the state it was issued.

Step 3

Police check and notorized true copies of your Degree Certificate and TEFL Certificate must be further authenticated to the Secretary of State in the your Home State, with an appropriate seal, signature, and easily recognised wording.

Department of State Document Authentication page:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal-considerations/judicial/authentication-of-documents/authentication-certificate-requirements.html

When you submit the document to Secretary of your State, indicate the document will be used in China, to ensure it is worded and laid out correctly.

You can find a list of State Authentication Offices here

http://www.visarite.com/authentication_sample.htm#office

Step 4

Complete the Application Form of Notarization/Legalisation of the Embassy/Consulate of the People’s Republic of China- http://www.visarite.com/images/authentication/G1.pdf

This must be submitted alongside your authenticated Police Check, Degree True Copy and TEFL Certificate True Copy to the nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate (usually in person, or by a nominated person/ agent) in addition to all notorised and legalised documents, for the final authentication seal and signature to be added.

Step 5

Once all documents are returned from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate, send copies to your employer school via email. Their HR Team can then submit a work z visa application to the Provincial Visa Office. Typically, around 4 weeks later the Provincial Visa Office issue a Work Permit and Invitation Letter; this will be sent to you in your home country via courier.

Step 6

Once the Invitation Letter and Work Permit are returned from China you must make a Z visa application at your nearest Embassy or Consulate. Complete the Z visa application form-http://www.china-embassy.org/chn/lszj/bgxz/P020130830121570742708.pdf

Bring the completed form, along with your Invitation Letter, Work Permit, Passport and any other specified documents to the Embassy or Consulate. The regular processing time is 4 business days with an express service, processing the documents in 2-3 business days.

Regular service cost- $140

Express service- $160

Visit he Chinese Embassy’s website for more information- http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/

Process for Authentication of Documents for Australian Citizens

 

The following is a simple guide to the authentication procedure for Z visa documents for Australian citizens.

It is important to note that although these are the most common documents needed for authentication, certain schools/ local visa offices may have different requirements. It is vital to double and triple check with your school’s HR department which documents need to be authenticated.

Step 1

Attain a Police Check Check from the relevant authority.

Find out more about the requirements and the process for attaining a criminal record background check for China on the Australian Government Page.

http://www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/public-safety-and-law/police-and-crime-prevention/police-checks

Step 2

Your Bachelors Degree, TEFL Certificate and Criminal Record Background Check must be notarized by an Australian notary public.

This can be completed in any territory or state in Australia.

Step 3

Once notarized, all documents are to be authenticated (not apostilled) by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its Office in States or Territories. 

This can be arranged to be done either in person or by post.

The mailing service can only be used for Melbourne or Sydney.

Step 4

Finally, take your notorized and authenticated documents to the relevant Chinese Embassy or Consulate General.

You must take your documents to the Embassy or Consulate in the Jurisdiction where they were ‘notorized’, not ‘authenticated’. 

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.

Step 5

Once documents are returned from the Chinese Embassy, send copies to your employer school via email. Their HR Team can then submit a work z visa application to the Provincial Visa Office. Typically, around 4 weeks later the Provincial Visa Office issue a work permit and invitation letter; this will be sent to you via email.

You can now use these to apply for your Z working Visa at your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate.

Process for Authentication of Documents for South African Citizens

Step 1

Attain a Police Clearance Check from the Government of South Africa. Follow the link below to see how:

https://www.saps.gov.za/services/applying_clearence_certificate.php

Step 2

Your Bachelor’s certificate (and in some cases TEFL/ TESOL certificate) must be certified by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and then legalized through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

In some cases a TEFL Certificate will instead need to be notorized by a public notary and approved by the South African High Court.

Step 3

Once you have received the Police Clearance Check, it will also need to be legalized by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

Step 4

Once all documents have been legalized by DIRCO, they must then receive a stamp of Authentication from the Chinese Embassy.

In order to attain this a Form of Authentication should be completed:

http://capetown.chineseconsulate.org/eng/bgdy/applicationformoflegalization/P020051014108378448028.pdf

You must then bring this from, along with the legalized documents (originals and copies), residence permit and passport to the nearest Chinese Consulate or Embassy and apply for the Authentication.

Learn more here 

Step 5

Once documents are returned from the Chinese Embassy, send copies to your employer school via email. Their HR Team can then submit a work z visa application to the Provincial Visa Office. Typically, around 4 weeks later the Provincial Visa Office issue a work permit and invitation letter; this will be sent to you via email.

You can now use these to apply for your Z working Visa at your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate.

Process for Canadian Citizens

 

Step 1

Obtain a Criminal Record Criminal Record Check from the relevant authorities. For more information visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police guide here: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/criminal-record-and-vulnerable-sector-checks#rc

Step 2

Degree Certificate, TEFL Certificate and Criminal Record Background Check are to be separately notarized by a local notary public, lawyer or Commissioner of Oaths of Canada.

These documents must be notarized where the Chinese Embassy holds consular jurisdiction, to be authenticated by the authentication office of the Canadian Foreign Affairs Department. **For example, if you intend to have your documents authenticated at the Consulate in Toronto, the documents must be notorized by a practitioner in Toronto.

Step 3

The notarized documents should then be authenticated by the Authentication and Service of Documents Section of Global Affairs Canada.

This step must be completed in the same territory or province as notorization in Step 1.

For instance, if your documents were notorized by a notary in Toronto they must be taken to the Global Affairs Canada office for Authentication in that region.

Step 4

The documents will finally need to be authenticated by the appropriate Chinese Embassy or Consulate.

As with the previous steps, the documents will need to be authenticated at the Embassy or Consulate in the same province or territory, that they were Notorized and Authenticated by Global Affairs Canada in.

Step 5

Once documents are returned from the Chinese Embassy, send copies to your employer school via email. Their HR Team can then submit a work z visa application to the Provincial Visa Office. Typically, around 4 weeks later the Provincial Visa Office issue a work permit and invitation letter; this will be sent to you via email.

You can now use these to apply for your Z working Visa at your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate.

Process for Irish Citizens

 

After completing the initial stage of notarisation and legalization, submit the documents to the Chinese embassy or consulate for legalization. Note – This must be done in person or via a service.  

See the following link for an overview, and to download the application form: http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/qzs/legalization/

Step 1

Apply for a Police Certificate from the Gardaí, specifying that it is required as part of a Visa process for China. Find more information on how to go about this here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_abroad/leaving_ireland/police_certificate.html

Step 2

Take your Degree Certificate and TEFL Certificate to a local public notary or solicitor in Ireland to have them notorized. They will make a True Copies of these documents to be officially notorized.

Step 3

Post your notorized true copies of your Degree Certificate, TEFL Certificate and your Original Police Certificate to the Legalization Office of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, or visit the Cork or Dublin office in person, in order for your documents to be authenticated by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.  See more: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/our-services/authenticating-documents/

Step 4

After completing receiving your authenticated documents back from the DFA, you must  submit your Authenticated True Copies of your Degree Certificate and TEFL Certificate, as well as your Authenticated Original Document Police Check, to the Chinese embassy or consulate for authentication by the Chinese authorities. Note – This must be done in person or via a service. See detailed instruction on how to do this from the embassy here http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/qzs/legalization/   

Step 5

Once documents are returned from the Chinese Embassy, send copies to your employer school via email. Their HR Team can then submit a work z visa application to the Provincial Visa Office. Typically, around 4 weeks later the Provincial Visa Office issue a work permit and invitation letter; this will be sent to you via email.

You can now use these to apply for your Z working Visa at your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate.

Authentication Services

 

In most cases it will be easier (and in many cases more cost effective) to use a service that offers to complete all of the authentication steps on your behalf. It is important to ensure any notaries or solicitors you work with have a strong level of knowledge regarding the authentication process.

Opportunity China do not specifically recommend any of the services below, but have knowledge that these organisations have provided successful support to candidates in the past.

VP Notaries (UK)

http://www.vpnotaries.co.uk

Edward Young, Notary Public London (UK)

http://www.notarypublicinlondon.com/legalisation-requirements/china-peoples-republic/authentication/

 

Chinese Notary (USA)

http://www.chinesenotary.com/document-authentication-apostle.html

China Visa Service Centre (USA)

http://www.mychinavisa.com/document-authentication/

Visarite (USA)

http://www.visarite.com/authentication.htm#.VvIYmuJ96Uk

Eamonn G Hall, Notary Public (IRE)

http://www.notaryinstitute.ie/

or contact  info@ehall.ie and info@notaryinstitute.ie