Full attestation chain for China work visas, teaching, study, and business
Chinese embassy attestation is the process of getting your South African documents officially verified by the Chinese embassy in Pretoria. It is required because China is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which means a standard apostille is not accepted for documents going to China.
Instead of a single apostille, documents destined for China must go through a multi-step attestation chain. The Chinese embassy attests documents only after they have been authenticated by DIRCO (Department of International Relations and Cooperation). We handle the entire chain so you do not need to visit any office yourself.
Since China has not signed the Hague Convention, a standard apostille will not be accepted. You need the full embassy attestation chain instead. If your documents are going to a Hague country (UK, Australia, EU, etc.), you need an apostille.
The China attestation chain follows a strict sequence. Each authority verifies the signature from the previous step before adding their own stamp. We manage the entire process from start to finish.
Private documents are first notarised by a Notary Public. Government-issued documents such as birth certificates and police clearance certificates skip this step as they already bear official signatures.
The High Court authenticates the notary's signature. This step confirms that the notary who certified your document is a registered South African notary.
DIRCO issues a Certificate of Authentication, confirming the High Court stamp is genuine. This is the step that precedes embassy submission and typically takes about one week.
The Chinese embassy in Pretoria verifies the DIRCO authentication and stamps your document. Standard processing has no embassy fee. Expedited processing is available for approximately R300 per document.
Transparent pricing with no hidden fees. The Chinese embassy does not charge a fee for standard processing, making it one of the most affordable embassy attestations.
| Service | Our Fee (ZAR) | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Full China Attestation Chain Notarisation + High Court + DIRCO + Chinese Embassy |
R3,150 per document | 2-3 weeks |
| Chinese Embassy Attestation Only Documents already authenticated by DIRCO |
R1,500 per document | 3-5 working days |
| Chinese Embassy Fee (Standard) Normal processing within 3-5 working days |
R0 (no charge) | 3-5 working days |
| Chinese Embassy Fee (Expedited) Faster processing |
~R300 per document | 1-2 working days |
| Local Courier | R250 | 1-2 working days |
| International Courier (to China) | R1,100 | 3-5 working days |
Note: The Chinese embassy does not charge a fee for standard processing. Expedited processing (~R300) is optional. Prices shown are our service fees.
China requires attested documents for Z visas (work permits), study visas, and business registration. These are the most common documents we attest for clients going to China:
We handle the entire China attestation chain so you do not need to visit any office. Contact us for a same-day quote.
The full China attestation chain takes approximately 2-3 weeks: notarisation (1 day), High Court authentication (3 days), DIRCO authentication (~1 week), and Chinese embassy attestation (3-5 working days). If your documents are already DIRCO-authenticated, the embassy step alone takes 3-5 working days.
The Chinese embassy charges R0 for standard processing (3-5 working days). Expedited processing is available for approximately R300 per document. This makes China one of the most affordable embassy attestations. Our service fee is R3,150 for the full chain or R1,500 for embassy attestation only.
Yes. To obtain a Z visa for teaching English in China, you need attested copies of your degree or diploma, police clearance certificate, and TEFL/TESOL certificate. All three documents must go through the full attestation chain ending with Chinese embassy attestation. Most TEFL schools in China will guide you on the specific requirements.
Yes. We offer a nationwide courier service. You can send your documents to us from anywhere in South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, etc.) and we handle the entire attestation chain on your behalf. We return your fully attested documents by courier.
The Campus, Bryanston
Gauteng 2021, South Africa
Monday - Saturday
08:00 - 18:00