What is authentication?
Authentication, also called consular authentication, refers to a consular practice ensuring authenticity of the very last signature and the seal affixed to a document related to the application from a natural person, legal person or other organization. In accordance with the 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 Consulates-General posted in a country are responsible for legalizing notarized deeds to be used in China or other documents that are issued by the local organizations and have been duly authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country or the other related authorities.
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I. Application Procedure: Step 1 The document shall be sent to a local notary public, lawyer or Commissioner of Oaths of Canada for notarization. Step 2 The notarized document shall be brought to the Chambre des Notaires du Québec (Adresse: 2045 Rue Stanley, suite 101 Montréal, Québec, Tel: 5148791793) or the government of New Brunswick (Address: P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, N.B., Tel: 5064444417) for authentication. Step 3 The authenticated document shall be submitted to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre for consular authentication by the Chinese General Consulate in Montreal. Notes: If the applicant would like to bring the document to one of Chinese Consulates-General in Canada for consular authentication (Please click here for the consular jurisdiction of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Canada ),the notarized document shall be authenticated by the authentication office of the corresponding province or territory(Click here for the contact information of the above-mentioned offices). II. Important notes: 1. The document for consulate authentication should be true and lawful, and doesn’t contain any content which is injurious to national interests or social public interests of China; 2. If the document submitted for consular authentication contains more than one page, it shall be properly bound as a volume by applying sealing wax, eyelets, paging seal, steel seal or other methods to avoid any substitution and ensure the integrity of the documents . 3. According to the provisions of the relevant authorities of China, the certificate for no spouse or single status affidavit used for marriage registration in China remains valid for 6 months from the date of issuance. Therefore, the applicant should apply for it again if the mentioned certificate has been issued for more than 6 months from the date of issuance. 4. Notarial certificates of marriage status, health and non-criminal record, which are for the purpose of adoption in China, shall not be legalized if they have been issued for more than six months. 5. Consular officers of the Embassy or Consulates-General of China in Canada will review the documents to be authenticated. The Embassy or Consulates-General will not authenticate a document if its notarization or legalization procedure is found to be incomplete, its content is against Chinese laws and regulations, its format fails to meet the standards, or it is found to be forged or altered. 6. Consular officers may request the applicant to provide additional documentation to support the application. 7. If the content of an authenticated document is forged or altered, the consular authentication shall be invalid. 8. An authenticated document shall not be forged or altered. Any legal liability caused by the applicant's forgery or alteration of the document shall be borne by the applicant. 9. A document can only contain one single issue. A document that contains more than one issues or includes unrelated content should not be accepted for consular authentication.10. Documents issued in China, such as notarized certificates, IDs, Driver’s Licenses, Marriage Certificates, and so on, will not be accepted for consular authentication. 11. The Chinese Embassy or Consulates-General only confirm the authenticity of the signatures of the authentication officers and official seals of the Global Affairs Canada or the authorized departments or organizations of local governments , and should not be responsible for the content of the authenticated documents.III. Documents Required for Application 1. One fully and accurately completed and signed Application Form for Consular Legalization (Please click here to download) by the applicant. 2. The original and a photocopy of the document that has been authenticated by the Canadian authentication authorities. 3. The original and a photocopy of the data page of the applicant's valid passport or driver’s license. The passport or driver’s license will be returned as soon as the application is accepted. 4. The original and a photocopy of the permanent resident card, study permit or work permit(if applicable) is also needed, if the applicant is not a Canadian citizen. The above-mentioned original card or permit will be returned as soon as the application is accepted. 5. If an applicant entrusts someone else to submit the application on his/her behalf, a photocopy of both the entrusted person's and the applicant's passport or driver’s license should be provided. 6. If a document is of a company or an organization, a photocopy of the passport of the legal representative of the company or organization and an official document that can prove the person's legal representative status should be provided. Consular Authentication Process
I. Application Procedure:
Step 1
The document shall be sent to a local notary public, lawyer or Commissioner of Oaths of Canada for notarization.
Step 2
The notarized document shall be brought to the Chambre des Notaires du Québec (Adresse: 2045 Rue Stanley, suite 101 Montréal, Québec, Tel: 5148791793) or the government of New Brunswick (Address: P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, N.B., Tel: 5064444417) for authentication.
Step 3
The authenticated document shall be submitted to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre for consular authentication by the Chinese General Consulate in Montreal.
    Notes: If the applicant would like to bring the document to one of Chinese Consulates-General in Canada for consular authentication (Please click here for the consular jurisdiction of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Canada ),the notarized document shall be authenticated by the authentication office of the corresponding province or territory(Click here for the contact information of the above-mentioned offices).

II. Important notes:
    1. The document for consulate authentication should be true and lawful, and doesn’t contain any content which is injurious to national interests or social public interests of China;
    2. If the document submitted for consular authentication contains more than one page, it shall be properly bound as a volume by applying sealing wax, eyelets, paging seal, steel seal or other methods to avoid any substitution and ensure the integrity of the documents .  
    3. According to the provisions of the relevant authorities of China, the certificate for no spouse or single status affidavit used for marriage registration in China remains valid for 6 months from the date of issuance. Therefore, the applicant should apply for it again if the mentioned certificate has been issued for more than 6 months from the date of issuance. 
    4. Notarial certificates of marriage status, health and non-criminal record, which are for the purpose of adoption in China, shall not be legalized if they have been issued for more than six months.
    5. Consular officers of the Embassy or Consulates-General of China in Canada will review the documents to be authenticated. The Embassy or Consulates-General will not authenticate a document if its notarization or legalization procedure is found to be incomplete, its content is against Chinese laws and regulations, its format fails to meet the standards, or it is found to be forged or altered.
    6. Consular officers may request the applicant to provide additional documentation to support the application.
    7. If the content of an authenticated document is forged or altered, the consular authentication shall be invalid.
    8. An authenticated document shall not be forged or altered. Any legal liability caused by the applicant's forgery or alteration of the document shall be borne by the applicant.
    9. A document can only contain one single issue. A document that contains more than one issues or includes unrelated content should not be accepted for consular authentication.
  10. Documents issued in China, such as notarized certificates, IDs, Driver’s Licenses, Marriage Certificates, and so on, will not be accepted for consular authentication.
 11. The Chinese Embassy or Consulates-General only confirm the authenticity of the signatures of the authentication officers and official seals of the Global Affairs Canada or the authorized departments or organizations of local governments , and should not be responsible for the content of the authenticated documents.

III. Documents Required for Application
    1. One fully and accurately completed and signed Application Form for Consular Legalization (Please click here to download) by the applicant. 
    2. The original and a photocopy of the document that has been authenticated by the Canadian authentication authorities.
    3. The original and a photocopy of the data page of the applicant's valid passport or driver’s license. The passport or driver’s license will be returned as soon as the application is accepted.
    4. The original and a photocopy of the permanent resident card, study permit or work permit(if applicable) is also needed, if the applicant is not a Canadian citizen. The above-mentioned original card or permit will be returned as soon as the application is accepted.
    5. If an applicant entrusts someone else to submit the application on his/her behalf, a photocopy of both the entrusted person's and the applicant's passport or driver’s license should be provided.
    6. If a document is of a company or an organization, a photocopy of the passport of the legal representative of the company or organization and an official document that can prove the person's legal representative status should be provided.
What is authentication?
Authentication, also called consular authentication, refers to a consular practice ensuring authenticity of the very last signature and the seal affixed to a document related to the application from a natural person, legal person or other organization. In accordance with the 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 Consulates-General posted in a country are responsible for legalizing notarized deeds to be used in China or other documents that are issued by the local organizations and have been duly authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country or the other related authorities.