Apostille for Teaching in China – 2025 Guide
Need an apostille for teaching in China? This 2025 guide explains the process, required documents, and how to authenticate them for a work visa.
Getting your documents ready to teach in China used to be a long process—running around for notarization, government stamps, and embassy approvals. But now, it’s much simpler! If your country and China both follow the Apostille system, you only need one Apostille stamp instead of all the extra steps.
Don’t know how it works? No worries, we have your back! This guide will walk you through each step, explaining everything from what an Apostille is, which documents you need to apostille if teaching in China, to how to get one done in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand.
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Table of Contents
What is the Hague Convention?
The Hague Convention is an international agreement that makes it easier to use documents in other countries. Instead of going through a long, complicated process to prove your documents are real, you can get an Apostille stamp, which is a simple form of authentication.
If you’re a foreign teacher planning to work in China, this saves you time and hassle. As long as your country is part of the Hague Convention, your apostilled documents will be accepted in China (also part of the Hague Convention) without extra steps.
In a word, the Hague Convention makes document use easier worldwide. It cuts down the extra paperwork and introduces “Apostille” (or “Hague Apostille”) – a stamp that says your document is legal.
Netherlands Capital the Hague
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille will be an official approval stamp that will validate and recognize the documents for purposes in foreign countries. It is a certification used by member countries of the treaty called the 1961 Hague Convention. It generally takes a week to get an Apostille, depending on where you are. For example, this will take 5 to 7 business days in Hong Kong, while many other areas will take anywhere from 3 to 15 business days.
Which countries accept an Apostille？
Countries accept an Apostille
As of 22 July 2022, there are 125 countries that use Hague Apostilles, including the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. The latest list of countries that accept Hague Apostilles is available at the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH): www.hcch.net.
What documents need to be apostilled for teaching in China?
- Bachelor’s degree: Anyone applying for a teaching job in China must hold a valid bachelor’s degree. If you have a master’s degree or above, you only need to apostille your highest degree.
- Non-criminal record: You need to do your police background check in your home country.
- Teaching certificate: To teach in China, you will require some teaching certificates. TEFL/TESOL certifications, teaching license, or a reference letter for 2+ years of classroom experience.
How to Apostille American documents?
Once you prepare all the documents that need apostilling, the next step is to go to the government department or agency to send the apostille request. In most cases, the state’s Secretary of State is responsible for putting the apostille on your documents to ensure it is valid for international use.
The United States Hague certification process:
- Notarized by the United States notary public.
- Legalized by the state Secretary of State’s office.
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How to Apostille British documents?
If you’re a UK citizen planning to teach in China, here’s how to apostille your British documents:
- Get a copy of the document notarized or certified by a solicitor.
- Send the notarized or solicitor-certified copy of the document to the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office) for apostilling.
Once you receive the apostilled document from the FCDO, it will be valid for use in China.
How can I Apostille South African documents to Teach in China?
For South African citizens or foreigners who need to use South African documents overseas, you can apostille the documents through the South African High Court and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
- Police Clearance Check: For Police Clearance Check, it doesn’t need to be notarized. It can be submitted directly to DIRCO for Certification of Apostille.
- Degree: To authenticate your degree, provide a notarized copy to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Once SAQA certifies the degree, you can forward it to DIRCO for the Certification of Apostille.
- TEFL/TESOL certificates (or other relevant teaching certificates): The process is straightforward for the teaching certificates. Once your certificate is notarized, the next step is to send it for Apostille by the High Court.
Click here for details on how to apply for a police clearance check and get it apostilled.
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How to Apostille Canadian Documents to Teach in China?
To apostille a Canadian document, you must send it to the correct authority based on where it was issued or notarized.
For example:
- Global Affairs Canada (GAC): If your document was issued by the Government of Canada or notarized in Manitoba, send it to GAC for authentication and apostille.
- Provincial Authorities: If your document was issued or notarized in Alberta, submit it to the Ministry of Justice of Alberta.
These are just examples. The correct authority depends on the province where your document was issued. Visit Global Affairs Canada for full details.
Steps to Apostille Your Documents:
- Ensure your document is an official copy or notarized if required. Some documents need notarization before authentication.
- Submit your documents:
- For Global Affairs Canada: Mail them to the Authentication Services Section.
- For Provincial Authorities: Check the respective provincial government’s website for submission instructions.
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How to Apostille New Zealand Documents?
When using New Zealand documents in China, they require an apostille as given by the Department of Internal Affairs Authentication Unit. China accepts paper apostilles and electronic apostilles.
Steps to Apostille Your Documents:
- Ensure your document is ready: It must be an original or a notarized copy, depending on the requirements. If notarization is needed, use a New Zealand Notary Public, not a Justice of the Peace or solicitor.
- Submit Your Documents: Send them to the DIA Authentication Unit by post, courier, or in person.
- Processing Time: Apostilles are processed within 15 working days.
For full details, visit the Authentication Unit website.
To sum up
No one likes dealing with paperwork, and getting your apostille for teaching in China can feel like a chore. But it’s a small step toward something much bigger—an exciting new chapter in your life.
Waiting on documents and running to notary offices can be frustrating. But every form you complete brings you closer to new experiences—teaching in a classroom, exploring new places, and making unforgettable memories.
Paperwork should not stop you from a fantastic experience in China. ESL NEST provides apostille services for teachers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. We will take care of the apostille so you can focus on what’s really important- your adventure ahead!
If you have any questions about teaching jobs in China and the Apostille, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at support@eslnest.com. Learn more about teaching in China, check out our article Teach English in China – A Complete Guide 2025.
We’re here to assist you every step of the way!