Apostille Service

Documents Accepted for Apostille Service

Documents accepted for apostille service are broadly classified into the following two categories -

1. Public documents bearing the true signature of an official party such as a Hong Kong SAR Government recognized officer. For example,

   • - Marriage Certificate,ie. certificates signed by Deputy Registrar of   Marriage
     (For certificates signed by civil celebrants or issued by the church/temple, please obtain a certified true copy from the Record Office of the Marriage Registry)
   • - Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record
   • - Birth and Death Certificate
   • - Certificate of Registered Particulars
   • - Business Registration Certificate
   • - Certificate of Incorporation
     (With effect from 16 January 2012, applicant shall attach a print-out of the relevant company search made within 3 working days to each of the original copy of the ‘Certificate of Incorporation', 'Certificate of Change of Company Name', 'Certificate of Continuing Registration', or 'Certificate issued under section 305(1) of the Companies Ordinance', etc. issued by the Registrar of Companies to be apostilled. Photocopy of the print-out is acceptable.)

2. Documents signed by a notary public or a Commissioner for Oaths in Hong Kong. For example,

   1. (a) Notary Public
      • - Power of Attorney
        - Certified true copy
   2. (b) Commissioner for Oaths
      • - Declaration

Fees

Apostille service is provided at a fee of HK$125 per apostille. Please DO NOT send cash to the Apostille Service Office.

Processing Time

Normally only two working days (excluding Saturdays) are required to process the applications.

Application Procedures

In person

1. (1) To submit the application, the applicant should bring along the document requested for apostille service to the Apostille Service Office, High Court Registry at Room LG115.
2. (2) If the document is accepted for apostille service, the applicant then would have to pay the fee (by cash, EPS or cheque payable to “Government of Hong Kong SAR”) at the High Court Accounts Office at LG211 subject to acceptance and a receipt would be issued to him/her.
3. (3) On returning to the Apostille Service Office at LG1 and producing the payment receipt for checking a collection receipt would be issued for collecting the document which is submitted then.
4. (4) If the applicant is unable to collect the apostilled document personally, he/she may authorize a person to collect it.

Overseas Applications

1. (1) For applicants residing outside Hong Kong, they could send a person in Hong Kong to bring along the document and pay the fee in cash in person and collect the apostilled document on behalf of him/her.
2. (2) Alternatively, they could mail to the Apostille Service Office, High Court Registry the document and a bank draft for the processing fee ($125 per apostille) (in Hong Kong currency) payable to ‘Government of Hong Kong SAR’. The bank draft must be specified that it can be drawn in Hong Kong. Moreover, the applicant should bear any additional bank charges for the transaction.
3. (3) The apostilled document will be sent to the applicant normally by ordinary air-mail. In a more secure way, the applicant may request to have the document sent by registered air-mail at his/her own expense at an additional HK$15.5. In this case, the applicant should include this charge net into the bank draft.