Apostilles? Authentication? Legalization? When do I need to do for documents to use in Hong Kong?

Ontario Apostille Certificate

When an official document needs to be used overseas, it is usually necessary to first obtain apostilles/authentication at the place where the document is issued. If the country or region issuing the document and the overseas country or region where the document is to be used are both signatories to the Convention on the Exemption of the Requirement of Consular Authentication for Foreign Public Documents (Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents) (referred to as the “Hague Convention”), then after the official document has been authenticated by the competent authorities of the contracting parties to the Convention, the authenticity and validity of the document can be verified, and it can be used in all the Hague Convention countries and has legal effect. Apostilles or authentication is widely accepted by the international community and is currently recognized by 120 countries or regions around the world.

More than 100 countries around the world have signed the Hague Convention. Canada has become a signatory to the Hague Convention since January 11, 2024. Therefore, if you have documents to be used for othe countries that are also members of the Hague Convention, such as China, Hong Kong and Macau, Canadian documents need not be authenticated and then legalized anymore like the old days but just simply after need to be apostilled.

If you need to handle inheritance matter of your relative’s assets in Hong Kong, you should send the death certificate for apostille as soon as possible. Note: it has to be a death certificate issued by the Canadian government, not by the funeral home. As for commercial documents such as sale and purchase of company shares, shares transfer, or property sale, or land title transfer documents, they can be signed before Katherine Lam. Since she is a practicing lawyer in Hong Kong, the signed documents can be sent back to Hong Kong for use immediately (Please refer to the article How to sell a Hong Kong property without travelling there?).

If you would like to arrange for apostille of a death certificate, birth certificate or marraige certificate issued in Canada; or if you want to know whether the documents you need to use in Hong Kong need to be apostile, or can be signed before Katherine Lam and sent back to Hong Kong for use immediately for use, you can call 437.900 .1688 or email to klam@lamlawfirm.ca for enquiries with Lam Law Firm.

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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact Lam Law Firm Professional Corporation for legal advice.