I. Download document authentication application form

• The requirements of the consulate are VERY strange, so PLEASE do follow instructions on this page carefully, to avoid mailing a revised application form to us later. Thanks!
• Download Authentication Application Form -- Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
• Download Authentication Application Form (for birth certificate) -- Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
• Download Authentication Application Form (for death certificate) -- Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
  (Please download the form to your computer first -- you may encounter issues when filling out or printing the form if you open directly in the browser)

II. Instructions for authentication application form

If you read Chinese, you MUST go to the Chinese version -- it contains information specific to your group.

1. The authentication application form must be filled out on the computer and then print out (or filled out using a type writer) -- hand filled with a pen is not acceptable.
   
2. Please use UPPER case letters only.
   2021/04/12 Note on the UPPER case requirement: From the very beginning we considered this requirement unnecessary and absurd. Now the consulate does not seem to reject applications using lower case letters, we will no longer bother you if you use lower case letters. However, since there is no official word of accepting lower case letters, we strongly recommend you using upper case letters. We will not be responsible if your application is rejected due to this -- you bear the full consequences!
   
3. Signature must use a pen -- no digital signature is accepted.
   Since original signatures are required by the consulate, scanned copy would not work -- please send in original signed copy.
4. Print options:
   • Print single-sided! (double sided form will not be accepted).
   • "Page Scaling": select "Fit to Printable Area" (make sure page number is printed -- Chinese Embassy in DC rejects application forms simply due to lack of page number!)
5. Section 1: for personal/individual (regular) applications only. For business documents, please leave this section blank.
   • If a field is not applicable (e.g. you have no home phone number), please put "N/A".
   • If you are currently not employed in US, please put N/A in "Name/address of employer/school" field. Please do NOT enter information about your employer in China or any other countries. This is a special requirement from the Chinese Embassy in DC.
   • [Chinese Embassy in DC] If you currently do not reside in USA, please use your last US address for "home address". This is a special requirement from the Chinese Embassy in DC.
   • Please use a US phone number even if you are not in US. You may use one from your friend, family, or your old US number. This is a special requirement from the Chinese Embassy in DC.
   • [Chinese Embassy in DC] For "Type of ID", need to specify country, i.e. "US PASSPORT" instead of "PASSPORT".
6. Section 2: for business applications only. If you apply for authentication of personal documents, please leave this section blank.
   • Please refer to the authentication page on who can serve as the "applicant" (legal representative).
   • [Chinese Embassy in DC] For "Type of ID", need to specify country, i.e. "US PASSPORT" instead of "PASSPORT".
7. Section 3: check all that apply.
8. Section 4: all applicants need to fill out. Check all that apply.
   • For authentication of diploma, criminal record, do NOT check "Visa"! check "Others", then specify "EMPLOYMENT" or "WORK PERMIT" instead.
   • For Destination of legalization, please put the city where you will be using the authenticated document.
   
9. Section 5: Please list the documents to be submitted to consulate ("document(s) to be authenticated" + major supporting documents, e.g.
         "DIPLOMA, PASSPORT COPY",
         "CRIMINAL HISTORY, PASSPORT COPY",
         "POWER OF ATTORNEY, PASSPORT COPY",
         "PASSPORT COPY, CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION, AUTHORIZATION LETTER".
   Only major ones, and there is no need to list everything. Don't worry if there is not enough space, just put as much as you can.
   In the "Copies" box, please enter the number of documents to be authenticated (not the number of supporting documents).
10. Section 7 (Agent):
    • [Chinese Embassy in DC] Most fields in this section are prefilled, leave the rest blank as they are. If they are all blank, please make sure you downloaded the form from this page. If they are still blank, please contact us.
11. Section 8: please sign using a pen and put the date here.
    • Please note that there are two places for you to sign.

III. Sample filled authentication application forms

• Regular (personal) page 1, Regular (personal) page 2.
• Business page 1, Business page 2.

IV. Questions and Answers

Question: Can I scan and email you the signed application form?

Answer: NO -- the new form introduced in November 2017 requires original signatures with a pen in hand. The consulate enforces this rule very strictly. The most recent case of denial was on April 9, 2021 by the embassy.

Question: I have multiple documents, do I need to attach an application form for each document?

Answer: No. No matter how many documents, as long as they all belong to the same applicant, you only need to provide one authentication application form. This was affirmed by the embassy through email in August 2020.