On March 8, 2023, China acceded to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (hereinafter referred to as the “Convention”). On July 29, 2024, Bangladesh acceded to the Convention.

In line with the Convention, public documents issued by Bangladesh within the scope of the Convention only require an Apostille from Bangladesh for use in Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and Macao SAR. They do not need to undergo consular legalization by the competent authority of Bangladesh or the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh.

Currently, Bangladesh is piloting the use of Electronic Apostilles (E-Apostille). If an applicant obtains an E-Apostille from the competent authority of Bangladesh, he or she does not need to proceed with consular legalization at the Chinese Embassy.

An Apostille issued by a country certifies the authenticity of the signature on the public document, the capacity in which the signatory acted, and, where applicable, the identity of the seal or stamp on the document. Obtaining an Apostille from the competent authority of Bangladesh does not guarantee that the public document will be recognized by the receiving authority in China. It is recommended that applicants consult with the relevant Chinese authority in the first place regarding its specific requirements for foreign public documents, including format, content, time limits, translations, etc., before completing the subsequent procedures.