An additional certificate is a verification certificate issued by the competent authority designated by the issuing country for official documents, which has the fixed content required by the Convention on the Cancellation of the Certification Requirements for Foreign Official Documents (hereinafter referred to as the Convention). It includes four information related to the document: the issuing country, the signatory, the identity of the signatory, and the name of the seal, as well as the place of issuance, date of issuance, issuer, and additional certificate number The seal and signature of the issuing authority provide a total of 10 elements of proof information. To facilitate the use of official documents abroad, additional certificates are generally available in two or three languages, including English, French, and the domestic language. After attaching an additional certificate to the official document, it can be directly sent to the contracting countries of the Convention for use, without the need for traditional consular authentication. Each additional certificate has a publicly registered number, which can be verified through verification channels provided by the country where the document is issued.

The additional certificate has the same function as the consular authentication certificate, only proving the authenticity of the last seal and signature on the official document, and is not responsible for the authenticity and legality of the content of the official document itself. The authenticity of the content of the official document still follows the principle of "whoever issues it is responsible".

1、 What documents require additional certificates?

When Chinese citizens want to study, work, reside abroad, or apply for an overseas visa in China, they usually need to use foreign notarized certificates issued by certain domestic notary offices, such as birth notarization, notarization without criminal punishment, notarization of power of attorney, contract notarization, etc. These notarized certificates may require additional certificates before being sent to a contracting party to the Convention for use. Due to the needs of overseas economic and trade activities, enterprises often need to apply for certificates of origin, invoices, packing lists, etc. from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, or apply for certificates of origin, animal and plant export quarantine certificates, etc. from entry-exit inspection and quarantine institutions. The above-mentioned documents may require additional certificates before being sent to the contracting parties of the Convention for use. The list of contracting parties to the Convention can be found on the China Consular Service Network（http://cs.mfa.gov.cn/）Related column queries. Individuals or enterprises of citizens who go abroad to handle affairs or engage in economic and trade activities, foreign embassies and consulates in China or relevant departments of the country usually request consular authentication or additional certificates from the parties involved. You should prepare corresponding documents according to the requirements of the other party.

2、 Do foreign notarization certificates require additional certificates?

In general, foreign-related notarized certificates issued in China are sent to contracting countries of the Convention for use. If relevant national language institutions require additional certificates, they should be processed in accordance with relevant requirements.

3、 How to obtain additional certificates for documents sent from mainland China for use abroad?

If additional certificates are required for the use of notarized certificates or other supporting documents issued by the mainland of China in relation to foreign affairs, they should be applied for from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a local foreign office entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

4、 What should the parties pay attention to when applying to a foreign-related notary institution for the issuance of documents?

The foreign-related notarization certificate is issued by the foreign-related notarization institution and has special regulations in terms of testimony, format, paper usage, translation, etc. When applying to a foreign-related notary institution for the issuance of a document, the parties involved should clearly inform the country (region) where the document is intended to be sent, the purpose of use, and other relevant information, so that the relevant institution can issue the certificate in a targeted manner.

5、 Can I apply for an additional certificate from the Foreign Affairs Office of Province B for the foreign-related notarization certificate issued by the notary office of Province A?

No way. Because the local foreign office entrusted to handle the additional certificate only has the seal or signature of the foreign-related notary institution or other issuing institution within the province (city, district), it cannot handle the additional certificate for documents issued by other provinces (city, district).

6、 How do I know whether to apply for an additional certificate or a consular authentication certificate?

In general, documents issued in China that are sent to contracting parties to the Convention for use should be accompanied by additional certificates in accordance with relevant regulations. For use by non-contracting parties to the Convention, consular authentication documents should be processed in accordance with relevant regulations.

7、 What are the requirements of foreign countries for processing documents with additional certificates?

（1） Different countries have different requirements for the documents to be sent to that country for use. When applying for a foreign-related notarization certificate or other certification document from a foreign-related notary institution or other issuing institution, you should clearly inform the country where the document is intended to be sent for use, the purpose of use, and other relevant information, so that the above-mentioned institution can accurately issue the certificate.

（2） Each country has different regulations on the validity period of various notarial certificates, such as Italy requiring a validity period of 3 months for marriage notaries, the Netherlands requiring a validity period of 6 months for all notaries, and Austria requiring a validity period of 1 month for those who have not been subjected to criminal punishment. Based on this, please apply for additional certificates in a timely manner according to relevant requirements and needs, and use them as soon as possible after processing. （3） The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs timely releases and updates the "Compilation of Regulations on Consular Certification/Additional Certificates of Foreign Missions (Representative Offices) in China" based on the latest notifications from foreign embassies in China. Applicants or personnel can visit the China Consular Service Network (website: http://cs.mfa.gov.cn/ ）Related columns, or call 010-65889761 to obtain specific requirements for notarization certificates from various countries. Because the relevant information was compiled based on notifications from foreign embassies in China, there may be situations where it has not been updated in a timely manner due to various reasons, for reference only. For the latest information, it is recommended to browse the relevant websites of foreign embassies in China.

8、 Why should documents used for processing additional certificates be accompanied by relevant translations?

Due to the need to send documents for additional certificates for use abroad, in general, when handling foreign-related notarization certificates or other supporting documents, a translation of the language required by the country of use of the aforementioned documents should be attached. It is recommended that the applicant first confirm with a foreign language agency whether relevant translations are required.

9、 Do foreign embassies and consulates in China need to apply for additional certificates from the competent authorities in China for documents issued by their own citizens to be used within China?

In principle, foreign embassies and consulates in China do not need to apply for additional certificates from China for documents issued by their own citizens and used within China.