It depends on the issuing country, not your nationality
The rule that governs your documents is set by the country that issued them. A Nigerian passport holder with a British degree follows the United Kingdom's rule for that degree, not Nigeria's. If your documents come from more than one country, check each one separately.
Two situations catch people out more than any other, and both are counter-intuitive enough to be worth stating plainly before you look up your own country.
- India is a party to the Apostille Convention, and so is China — but the Convention does not operate between them, because India objected to China's accession. Indian documents still need full consular legalisation. An Indian apostille is the wrong product for mainland China.
- Several countries have joined recently or are about to, so the answer depends on the date your document is certified rather than the date you apply. Bangladesh switched in March 2025. Viet Nam switches in September 2026 and Thailand is expected to follow in February 2027.
Countries continue to join, and this page is a snapshot. Before you pay for anything, check your country in the HCCH status table, which is the authoritative record and is linked on every country page here.
Find your country
Apostille — one certificate, no Chinese embassy step
- Bangladesh
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Pakistan
- Russia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Turkiye
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
Consular legalisation — the full chain still applies
Changing soon — the answer depends on your date
Not listed? The list covers the countries that send the most students to China, not every country. Look yours up in the HCCH status table and check three things: that it appears as a Contracting Party, that the Convention is already in force between it and China rather than carrying a future date, and that no objection has been recorded between the two — currently India's is the only one.
What neither route does
Both routes do exactly one thing: confirm that the signature and seal on your document are genuine. Neither one translates the document, and neither one obliges any Chinese university to accept it.
Language requirements are set separately, by the university or office that receives the document. Get the certification finished first, then have the translation made, so that the certificate itself is part of what is translated.
Frequently asked questions
Does my nationality decide whether I need an apostille?
No. What matters is the country that issued the document. If you hold a degree from one country and a passport from another, follow the rule for the country that issued the degree, and check each document separately if they come from different places.
Why is India on the consular legalisation list when it is an Apostille Convention country?
Because India objected to China's accession to the Convention. Under the Convention, an objection means it does not enter into force between those two states, so it does not operate between India and China. Indian documents intended for mainland China therefore still need the full consular legalisation chain.
My country is about to join. Which route do I use?
Whichever applies on the date your document is certified. Before the changeover date it is consular legalisation; from that date it is an apostille. If your timing is close to the date, ask the issuing authority which route they are operating on the day you attend.
My country is not listed here. What do I do?
Look it up in the HCCH status table, which is the authoritative record. Check that it is listed as a Contracting Party, that the Convention is already in force between it and China rather than showing a future date, and that no objection is recorded between the two. If all three hold, the apostille route applies; otherwise you need consular legalisation ending at a Chinese embassy or consulate.