Notary Services
Consular Officers perform notary services customarily provided by Notaries Public in the United States. All notary services require an appointment. Click here to make an appointment to obtain a notary. The Consulate charges a fee of U.S. $30.00 for the first notary seal and $20.00 for each subsequent seal (or RMB equivalent). All documents to be notarized must be in English and must be intended for use in the United States. The Consulate cannot provide translation services or notaries for documents that will not be used in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens may obtain notaries for use in the United States, but must provide a passport for identification. The Consulate will not accept Chinese National ID cards as identification.
Requirements for Notary Services
For Oaths:
Make an appointment
Appear in person
Provide proof of your identity
Swear or affirm after indicating a basic understanding of the penalty for perjury
Sign in the consular officer’s presence
For Acknowledgements:
Make an appointment
Appear in person to state that the signature on the document in question is yours
Provide proof of your identity
Demonstrate your understanding of the document’s contents
Indicate that you are signing of your own free will
For documents to be used locally in China, you may also choose to consult a local notary public, many of whom keep hours that may be convenient for you. Please note that the Consulate cannot assume responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the firms or persons. The following notary services can be performed by a local Notary Public:
Marital status、Kindred relationship、Adoption relationship verifications
Criminal records checks
Certification of True Copies
Contracts
Inheritances
Wills、Powers of attorney、Affidavits、Bestowals
Divisions of property
Shanghai Notary Public Offices
Shanghai Jing An Notary Public Office
Add.: Room 801-804 No. 418 Jiang Ning Road (Jing An District), Shanghai
Tel: 021-62159911 Fax: 021-62671785
Email: jingannotaryshcn@hotmail.com
Shanghai Dong Fang Notary Public Office
Add.: No. 660 Feng Yang Road, Shanghai
Tel: 021-62154848, 8006204848
Shanghai Foreign Affairs Service Center
Add.: Rm. 338, 3rd Flr. Jiu An Plaza, No. 258 Tongren Rd., Jing An District, Shanghai
Office Hours: 1:30—5:00 p.m. Mon, Wed, and Fri
Tel. No. 62470833,
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of notary services are available?
The U.S. Consulate offers four types of notary services:
Oath (Affidavit): An oath is a written statement or declaration sworn to, or affirmed before, a consular official.
Acknowledgement: An acknowledgement is the consular officer’s declaration that the named individual appeared before him/her and has acknowledged that the signature of a document is his/her own signature, that s/he understands the document, and has signed of his/her own free will.
Authentication: An authentication is the certification of the genuineness of a signature of a notary or government official. Documents that may require an authentication include legal instruments notarized by foreign notaries.
Certification of True Copies: A document that has been verified as a complete and accurate reproduction of an original.
Why was my notary refused?
Consular officers can refuse to perform a notary service if they have reason to believe that the document will be used for purposed patently unlawful or not in the best interests of the United States. In addition, consular officers can postpone a notary if the customer cannot demonstrate that he or she understands the nature and language of the document and comprehends the significance of the act, or in cases where the signatory is acting under duress.
What happens if my document requires a witness?
The consular officer and local staff are not permitted to act as witnesses. If you did not bring witnesses with you, you may ask some of the other patrons in the waiting room if they are willing to witness your document.
How do I get a document authenticated?
Authentication is required when you wish to certify Chinese documents intended for use in the United States. To permit authentication, a Chinese notary public office at city or county level must first notarize the documents. Then, the foreign affairs office of the provincial government, which has jurisdiction over the city where the documents were notarized, should authenticate the documents. Once that has been done, the consular officer can authenticate the signature of the provincial foreign affairs official. We can only authenticate the signatures of the Chinese provincial-level foreign affairs officials within our consular district, which includes Shanghai and the provinces of Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu.
General Information
Notary Services
