I. Application Requirements

A document to be authenticated should meet the following requirements:

1. The document should have been authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cyprus.

2. The document is truthful, legal and without contents of obvious violation of the Chinese law or potential threats to China's national or public interests.

3. A document with more than two pages must be properly bound as a volume to avoid any substitution. Sealing wax, paging seal or steel seal should be applied to ensure the integrity of the documents.

II. Legalization Process

A: The document is to be notarized by a local notary public, or a certified copy to be issued by the competent authorities.

B: The document is be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cyprus.

C: The document is to be authenticated by the Chinese Embassy.

III. Documents Required for Application

1.One fully completed Legalization Application Form.

2. The original and a photocopy of the document to be authenticated.

3. The original of the applicant's passport and a photocopy of the photo/information page of the passport; or other original valid ID, such as Driver's license, and a photocopy.

4. If an applicant has entrusted someone else to submit the application on his/her behalf, the original and a photocopy of both the entrusted person's and the applicant's valid ID will be required.

5. If the document is a business license, a photocopy of the passport or driving license of the company's legal representative and the original company document that can prove the person's legal representative status should be submitted.

IV. How to apply

1. You may either walk in to submit the application and get it back or entrust someone else or travel agents to do it for you.

2. No appointment is needed.

3. If necessary, applicants should come in person for an interview as required by the Chinese Embassy (or Consulate General).

V. Processing Time

1. Regular service: N +3 working days (N is the date of submission). It does not include the time for submitting supporting materials, consulting or verifying information with China, or delays caused by force majeure.

2. Express service: N+2 working days (N is the date of submission).

VI. Fees and Payment

1. After an legalization certificate is issued, the applicant may come with the Pick-up Form (the pink slip) to the Embassy to pay the relevant fee and get the certificate on the pick-up day or after. If a certificate is not picked up 6 months after the pick-up day, the Chinese Embassy will no longer keep it and the applicant is solely responsible for any consequences arising therefrom.

2. Regular service:

Civil documents for Chinese, Cypriot Citizen: €2 per document;

Civil documents for Third-country Citizen: €20 per document;

Commercial documents (Companies registered in Cyprus and China): €2 per document;

Commercial documents (Companies registered in Third-country): €40 per document;

3. Express service: an additional fee of €21 per document will be charged.

4. Please pay by Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard only). Cash or personal checks are not accepted.

VII. Other Important Information

1. According to regulations of China, a single status affidavit used for marriage registration in China is valid for only 6 months from the date of issuance. If an applicant needs to use it after it has been issued for 6 months, he or she needs to obtain a new single status affidavit.

2. Documents for use in China for adoption affairs, such as statement of marriage, health status, proof of finance, income, no criminal record, can only be authenticated if the period between the notarized date and the adoption registration date (excluding the processing time taken by China Center for Adoption Affairs) does not exceed 6 months.

3. Consular officials of the Chinese Embassy will review the documents to be authenticated. If there is any problem, such as uncompleted process, wrong document format, illegal contents, or alteration or substitution of the document, the application will be rejected.

4. Consular officials reserve the right to request additional documents from the applicant.

5. A document that has been authenticated by the Chinese Embassy shall not be willfully bound, unbound or altered. An applicant is solely responsible for all consequences and legal responsibilities arising from his or her unauthorized binding, unbinding or altering of the document.