India is a party — but the Convention does not operate with China
This is the case that catches the most people out. India is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and so is China. Nevertheless the Convention does not operate between them, because India lodged a formal objection to China’s accession. An objection under the Convention means it simply does not enter into force between those two states.
The practical consequence is that an apostille issued in India is not the right certification for mainland China. Documents still need the full consular legalisation chain, ending at a Chinese diplomatic mission in India.
The consular chain runs in a fixed order: the document is notarised locally, then certified by the body the issuing country designates for this purpose, which is usually its ministry of foreign affairs, and finally legalised by a Chinese embassy or consulate in that country. Each step certifies the one before it, so they cannot be done out of order or in parallel.
Because most published guidance now says simply "China joined the Apostille Convention", readers from India are routinely told to get an apostille. It will not be accepted for this purpose. Both China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the HCCH status table record the objection.
What this does not cover
Certification only proves the signature and seal are genuine. It does not translate the document and it does not oblige any university to accept it. Language requirements are set separately by whoever receives the document, so confirm those first, and have any translation made after certification so the certificate is included in it.
Frequently asked questions
Do documents from India need an apostille for China?
No. Although India is a party to the Apostille Convention, it objected to China’s accession, so the Convention does not operate between them. Documents issued in India need full consular legalisation for mainland China.