Legalisation for China
For China use, start with official Companies House certificates — often a Certificate of Good Standing — then UK legalisation. Mainland China has been a Hague Apostille Convention party since 7 November 2023 (HCCH status table), so an FCDO apostille is often the UK step foreign clerks expect. Confirm paper vs e-Apostille and any Chinese translation with the named recipient. CH documents are buy-now; apostille, embassy extras and translations stay quote-only.
How a typical China document job runs
Three working-day steps — confirm the recipient’s written list first.
Confirm the recipient checklist
Get the bank, counsel or authority list in writing: exact documents, age window, paper vs e-Apostille, Chinese translation and whether any embassy/consular step is still named after China’s Hague accession.
Order Companies House originals (buy-now)
Order COGS, certified incorporation, articles or the pack from the UKCOGS catalogue. Standard CH aims ~10 working days; we then scan and send, typically within 1–3 working days of receipt. Official CH fees £22 / £65 are shown separately.
Request a legalisation / translation quote
If the checklist needs FCDO apostille (and any embassy or translation extras), submit a quote. We confirm whether we can fulfil before taking legalisation money. Official FCDO fees to cite: paper £45 · e-Apostille £35 (GOV.UK).
Hague Apostille and China — what the status table says
The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026) lists 130 Contracting Parties, including China (the People’s Republic of) with entry into force on 7 November 2023. Hong Kong and Macao SARs were already covered under earlier extensions. GOV.UK describes the FCDO apostille as the UK product for Hague destinations (Get your document legalised). For many China-facing recipients, an FCDO apostille is now the expected UK legalisation step on a Companies House certificate — replacing the older multi-step embassy legalisation chain that older checklists still mention. Confirm in writing. We will not invent embassy steps your checklist does not require.
Eligibility and honesty warnings
- Match the written list — banks, counsel and local processes can still ask for translation or extras even when Hague applies.
- Filings must be current for the COGS summary statement — overdue accounts or confirmation statement often mean a certificate of fact many counterparties reject.
- No shareholders or PSCs on the company certificate — ownership detail needs a different certified copy if asked for.
- Not an SRA certificate — this page is only for Companies House company documents, not solicitor or barrister certificates.
- Private agent only — not the FCDO, not Companies House, not GOV.UK, not the Chinese embassy. No FCDO partner claim.
- Paper vs e-Apostille is recipient-dependent — ask in writing; do not assume e-Apostille will be accepted.
- Apostille fulfilment awaits a contracted partner — quotes welcome; we confirm before taking legalisation money.
- No visa, immigration or bank-account-opening advice. No invented legal validity period for apostilles or COGS.
Official fees (last checked 23 September 2026)
Cite live GOV.UK figures — not agent mark-ups and not outdated £30 apostille prices. UKCOGS buy-now prices for Companies House originals sit beside these official fees, not instead of them.
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FCDO paper apostille (standard)Per document + courier/postage | £45 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| FCDO e-ApostilleEligible digitally signed PDFs | £35 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| Companies House company certificate / certified copy (standard)When ordering CH first | £22 | GOV.UK CH order guidance |
| Companies House same-day / express certificateWhere offered | £65 | GOV.UK CH fees |
| UKCOGS COGS agent handling (buy-now)Ex VAT — includes official CH fee | £79 / £129 | COGS product page |
| UKCOGS apostille / embassy / translation handlingLegalisation step | Quote only | Get a quote |
GOV.UK also lists business-only paper options (e.g. next-day registered business £40 and restricted-urgent £100) — confirm on the live page for your case. Pack pricing £249–£299 ex VAT is buy-now on the company documents pack page. Legalisation remains quote-only.
Paper versus e-Apostille — acceptance reality
You choose the type when you apply on GOV.UK, but the recipient decides what they will accept. Ask in writing for paper or electronic. e-Apostille is faster on GOV.UK’s published timescales (often up to about 2 working days) and costs £35; standard paper is £45 plus return courier or postage and usually takes longer (GOV.UK cites up to about 25 working days plus transit — confirm when you apply). Many overseas teams still want a wet-ink paper chain for company certificates. Guide: apostille vs e-Apostille vs embassy.
Typical company-document list (examples only)
Common checklist items include a Certificate of Good Standing, a certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles — sometimes further named filings. These are examples, not advice on opening an account, registering a branch, or visa/immigration work. Map the written list before you pay. Ambiguous wording? Use Which document?. If filings may be late, run a free filings check before ordering COGS.
Buy-now Companies House prices (ex VAT)
- COGS — £79 std (CH £22) · £129 express (CH £65)
- Certified incorporation — £49 (CH £22)
- Documents pack — £249–£299 (typical £279)
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Express COGS follows the before-11am CH rule where offered. Official CH fees are included in those product pages and shown separately.
Freshness and translation
Companies House prints no legal expiry. China-facing recipients often want documents within about 90 days — recipient practice, not UK law. Check age with the freshness helper. Chinese translation is recipient-specific and quote-only — confirm language, certification and sequence in writing.
Related pages
- COGS buy-now · Pack · Incorporation
- FCDO apostille & legalisation hub · Apostilled COGS (quote)
- Embassy legalisation hub · UAE · UAE destination notes
- Filings check · Pack builder · Quote form · Order
- FCDO fees guide
Who we are
PASECOM GROUP LTD / Pasecom Group Ltd · 17139327 · 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, IP28 7DE · ICO ZC117546 · pete@pasecom.co.uk. Trading as UKCOGS. Private agent — not Companies House, not the FCDO, not GOV.UK, not the Chinese embassy.
Sources checked the week of publish: HCCH Apostille Convention status table (cid=41, last update 30 June 2026; China EIF 7 November 2023); GOV.UK “Get your document legalised” (FCDO fees paper £45 / e-Apostille £35); GOV.UK Companies House fees and order-certified-copies guidance (£22 / £65). Fees last checked 23 September 2026. Page last updated 23 September 2026.
FAQ — UK documents for China
Confirm every answer against the recipient’s written checklist. Last updated 23 September 2026.
Is China a Hague Apostille Convention party?
Yes. The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026) lists China (the People’s Republic of) with entry into force on 7 November 2023. Hong Kong and Macao SARs were already covered earlier. That usually means an FCDO apostille can replace the old multi-step embassy legalisation chain — but always match the written checklist. Some older templates still say “embassy legalisation”.
Do I still need Chinese embassy legalisation after an apostille?
Often no for Hague-route public documents when the recipient accepts an apostille. Some banks, counsel or local processes may still ask for translation, notarisation wording or other extras. Share the written list; embassy and consular stages remain quote-only if named. We will not invent steps your checklist does not require.
What Companies House documents do China-facing recipients commonly ask for?
Examples often include a Certificate of Good Standing (company certificate), a certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles — sometimes further named filings. Examples only; match the written list. Not bank-account, branch-registration, visa or immigration advice.
What are UKCOGS prices for the Companies House stage?
Buy-now ex VAT: COGS £79 standard / £129 express (official CH £22 / £65 shown separately), certified incorporation £49 (CH £22), pack £249–£299 (typical £279). Confirm official fees on GOV.UK — last checked 23 September 2026.
How much do official FCDO apostille fees cost?
Last checked 23 September 2026 on GOV.UK: paper (standard) £45 per document plus courier or postage; e-Apostille £35. Never use stale £30 figures. UKCOGS agent handling for legalisation is separate and quote-only.
Paper apostille or e-Apostille for China?
Ask the recipient in writing. Paper still dominates for many overseas company-document jobs. e-Apostille is only for eligible digitally signed PDFs and is not universally accepted. We will not choose for you as legal advice — share the written preference and we quote what we can fulfil.
Do I need a Chinese translation?
Sometimes. Language and certified-translation rules are set by the bank, counsel or authority. Translations are quote-only. Do not assume an English-only Companies House certificate will pass without checking.
How fresh should the Certificate of Good Standing be?
Companies House does not print a legal expiry date. Overseas recipients often ask for documents issued within about 90 days — sometimes shorter. That is recipient practice, not UK statute. Use the free document freshness helper and confirm the written window.
How long does the process take in working days?
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. FCDO guidance (week of 23 September 2026): standard paper often up to about 25 working days plus courier; e-Apostille up to about 2 working days. Embassy extras, if quoted, add time. Not a same-day legalisation promise.
Are you the FCDO, an FCDO partner, Companies House or the Chinese embassy?
No. UKCOGS is a private document agent operated by Pasecom Group Ltd (17139327). We do not claim FCDO-listed or partner status and we are not a government service.
Ready for a China document route?
Order Companies House originals now. Request a quote for FCDO apostille and any translation or embassy extras — quote-only, no apostille buy button.