Companies or individuals submitting U.S. issued or notarized documents to authorities in the People’s Republic of China (“China”) generally need to complete a cumbersome authentication procedure to demonstrate to authorities in China that the documents are genuine. This authentication procedure involves multiple steps, including with the U.S. issuing authorities and China’s Embassy or consulates in the U.S. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this procedure has become more difficult since many of the relevant offices are closed to the public or are operating under new constraints. This China Regulation Watch provides an overview of the authentication procedure for U.S. documents that will be submitted to authorities in China, including changes to those procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
