Apostille Documents

Key Takeaways

• Only documents signed by an authorised party are eligible for apostille.
• An authorised party is defined as a Government Officer, Notary Public, or Commissioner for Oaths.
• In Hong Kong, apostille certificates are issued by the High Court.
• The High Court verifies and authenticates documents under the Hague Apostille Convention.
• Apostilled documents are commonly required when opening overseas corporate bank accounts.

As a company owner in Hong Kong, you may need to acquire apostille documents, whether it’s for personal use, legal purposes, or opening a bank account in the country of your jurisdiction. Apostille documents are issued by the Hong Kong High Court only if the document submitted bears the signature of an official body, a notary public, or a commissioner for Oaths in Hong Kong. Navigating the Hong Kong High Court’s requirements can be confusing for business owners, and we are here to help.

What is an Apostille in Hong Kong?

The Hong Kong High Court issues Apostille documents. Two board categories of documents can be accepted for apostille service. They are public documents that bear the signature of an official party. If the document does not have a signature of an official party, then the document must bear the signature of a notary public or the commissioner for Oaths in Hong Kong.

An official party means that the signature is made by a Hong Kong Government officer. For example, the certificate of incorporation has the signature of the Companies Registrar. Hence, it will be accepted for apostille service.

However, customers shall note that not all company documents bear the signature of an official party. For example, the business registration license does not have any signature from the Inland Revenue Department. Similarly, the incorporation form NNC1 and the Articles of Association only have signatures of the directors and shareholders.

Since the business registration license does not have the signature of a government officer, we can liaise with the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department and ask them to prepare a certified copy document. Once the Government officer signs and certifies the business license, the document will become eligible for apostille service at the Hong Kong High Court. Similarly, if you need to have the incorporation form NNC1 apostilled, we can liaise with the Hong Kong Company Registry, and they can countersign it.

Not all apostille documents will look the same. However, they have the following elements. There will be a seal or stamp on the document. The seal will show the name of the authority. If you choose our service,  the stamp will be from the Hong Kong High Court. The document will further list out the issuing country, location, department, and the name of the person who issues the Apostille document. The Apostille document is normally valid for a period of 3 months.

Why Does One Need an Apostille Document?

An apostille document is often needed if you want to make an application overseas. For example, if you want to open a corporate bank account outside Hong Kong, they might ask you for an Apostille document. If the banker is not familiar with the practice in Hong Kong, he might find it difficult to verify the authenticity of a document. Hence, some banks outside Hong Kong will require your documents to be apostilled by the Hong Kong High Court. In general, apostilled documents are accepted by countries that are members of the Hague Convention. 

What is the Apostille Process in Hong Kong?

Most company secretary agencies can help you arrange the following Apostille documents:

1. Certified NAR1 (Annual Return)
2. Certified ND2A (Notice of Change of Company Secretary and Director)
3. Certified NNC2 (Notice of Change of Company Name)
4. Certified Name Change Certificate
5. Certified NR1 (Notice of Change of Address of Registered Office)
6. Certified Articles of Association (AOA)
7. Certified NNC1 (Incorporation Form)
8. Certificate of Incorporation
9. Certified Business License
10. Certified Particular search report
11. Certificate of Continuing Registration

Applying for an apostille document can be as straightforward. Firstly, prepare the documents you wish to be apostilled by the Hong Kong High Court. You may proceed to the apostille service counter once the documents are all prepared for stamping. For the high court to stamp, the documents must be accepted by countries that are members of the Hague Convention. The High Court will decline any document that is meant for countries outside of the Hague Convention. Once all preliminary documents are confirmed, you may pay the service fee for the apostillation of the documents, so you must prepare the fee beforehand to avoid any delays. Once the documents are apostilled, you may go back to the apostille service office for the collection of your documents. 

How long does it take to arrange Apostille documents?

Depending on the documents you need, the apostille document can be ready as fast as 1 – 2 weeks. If the document bears the signature of an official party, the process is faster. Conversely, if your document does not have any signature from an official body, i.e., an incorporation form NNC1, then the process might take slightly longer. Need help skipping the queue? We handle the entire Apostille process for you, starting at US$320. You can contact us at info@getstarted.hk. 

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Frequently Asked Questions