Other Services
Notary Services
Consular Officers perform notary services customarily provided by Notaries Public in the United States. Persons requiring such services should visit the Consular Section during our public hours. A fee of U.S. $30.00 for the first seal and $20.00 for each subsequent seal (or RMB equivalent) is charged per transaction. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of notarial services are available? The U.S. Consulate offers four types of notarial 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 notarial service if they have reason to believe that the document will be used for purposed patently unlawful or not in the best interests on the United States. In addition, consular officers can postpone a notarial 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?
If your document needs a witness you may be able to find someone in the ACS waiting room that is willing to act in that capacity. If no one is available in the waiting room to act as a witness, you may need to postpone the notary. The consular officer and local staff are not permitted to act as witnesses.
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.
Requirements for Notary Services
For Oaths:
For Acknowledgements:
Appear in person to state that the signature on the document in question is his/hers
Prove identity
Demonstrate understanding of the document’s contents
Indicate that she/he is signing of his/her own free will
General Information
Notary Services
