Our client is a Russian entrepreneur who established and operates a company in Shanghai. She needed to submit the company’s Chinese Business License for an official corporate procedure in Russia.
Because the Business License was issued in Chinese, the document had to be prepared in a form that could be reviewed by the Russian receiving authority. For this case, the complete process included Russian translation, Chinese notarization and a China Apostille.
Preparing the Business License for Russia
The Business License was first translated from Chinese into Russian. The translation covered the company name, unified social credit code, legal representative, registered address, business scope, registration authority and other information shown on the licence.
The document was then submitted to a Chinese notary office. Clear scanned copies were sufficient for this case, so the client did not need to send us the original Business License.
Certifying the Russian Translation
This case required more than a notarial certificate relating to the Business License itself. The notary office also issued a separate certification confirming that the Russian translation corresponded to the Chinese original.
The Russian wording used in the notarial certificate stated:
“Conformity of the translation to the original text.”
For documents intended for use in Russia, Chinese notarial certificates commonly include a separate certification confirming that the Russian translation conforms to the Chinese original. This is a standard part of the document format used for Russian submissions.
What Was Included in the Notarial Certificate?
The completed document package was quite comprehensive. It included a copy of the Chinese Business License and its Russian translation, followed by the notarization of the Business License and a Russian translation of that notarial wording.
The certificate also contained the separate notarization confirming that the Russian translation conformed to the Chinese original, together with a Russian translation of this second notarial statement. After the notarial process was completed, the China Apostille was added to the document package.
In practical terms, the client received one complete set containing the Chinese corporate document, Russian translations and the relevant Chinese notarial certifications. This format made it easier for the receiving authority in Russia to review both the original company information and the certified Russian-language content.
Documents Required for the Application
For this case, the main documents included the company’s Business License and the passport of the legal representative. We also prepared a Certificate of Identity of the Legal Representative, which was stamped with the company’s official seal.
The notary office may request additional supporting materials depending on the company and the purpose of the notarization. Applicants should therefore provide any supplementary corporate documents requested during the notarial review.
China Apostille for Use in Russia
After the Chinese notarization was completed, the notarial certificate was submitted for a China Apostille. Since November 7, 2023, the Apostille Convention has applied between China and Russia, so Chinese public documents within the scope of the Convention can generally be used in Russia after receiving a China Apostille, without further legalization by a Russian embassy or consulate in China.
The Apostille authenticates the relevant signature, official capacity and seal on the Chinese public document. The Russian receiving authority still decides whether the content and form of the document meet the requirements of the particular procedure.
