When exporting goods to China, some documents require legalisation. Legalisation is the process through which a document is certified for use in another country. Because China has not joined the Hague Convention on the Apostille, documents being used in China must be legalised by both the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the UK and by the Chinese Embassy or consulate.
In addition to permits and licences, the supporting documents you will need to prepare will vary depending on what type of good you are exporting. In general, the P.R.C. requires that supporting documents, such as certificates and declarations, be certified (by either notary or chamber of commerce) and legalised prior to export [1].
For instance, if you are exporting an animal or animal product, you may require a Veterinary Health Certificate, which must be completed and signed by a registered veterinarian. If you are exporting pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or medical devices, you may be asked for a variety of certificates including a Certificate of Good Manufacturing Process and a Certificate of Analysis. Another common requirement for China, especially for cosmetics, is a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS), which can be issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This provides details of the product and verifies that no regulations prevent its sale in the UK. The importer should usually inform the exporter of what certificates they need, as not all are mandatory and some – such as the Certificate of Preferential or Non-Preferential Origin – are requested at the discretion of the importer.
There are certain documents which are required for all goods. Among these is the SDOC – the Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity, which attests that the good meets China’s product standards and complies with all rules and regulations. This may, for example, attest that machinery used to create the product is up to standards, or that it has undergone the appropriate testing required of the importing country.
Many of these documents would need to be witnessed and signed by a notary before they can be legalised, as they do not bear a signature from a public official, which is usually a prerequisite for notarisation. Although China’s advice regarding the legalisation of supporting documents is fairly clear, it is always best to check with the importer and with the relevant Chinese authorities about what is required for each document to avoid unnecessary delays or mistakes – having documents notarised and legalised takes time and money, hence you should always be sure that you require these processes before you arrange them.
Should you require notarisation or legalisation of documents, we are here to help. At Pardus Bloom, we offer a number of services which aim to take the stress out of document legalisation. We offer a corporate discount, and we are often able to arrange for documents to be notarised and legalised in bundles – this is an option when the documents are related, which may be the case for some of your commercial documents. We can also arrange express legalisation by both the FCDO and the Chinese Embassy; for the FCDO this means we can have your documents apostilled same day or next day, while the Chinese Embassy’s attestation would take a further three working days. If you would like to know more, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
[1] ‘All supporting documentation prepared by the exporter is to be legalised by the Embassy or Consular Section of the P.R. of China in the country of export. Prior to this legalisation, the documents are to be certified by either a chamber of commerce or by a notary, depending on the nature of the particular documents.’ Source: https://www.check-duties-customs-exporting-goods.service.gov.uk/overview?d=CN&pc=070190