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San Diego · San Diego County · Southern California

San Diego Apostille Service for Documents Used in China

Private mail-in assistance for San Diego, San Diego County, and Southern California residents. We identify the correct state or federal route, review eligible documents, submit, track, and securely return them.

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Private mail-in document assistance — no Apostille for China walk-in office in San Diego

San Diego Bay skyline at blue hour representing California Apostille document assistance
All 50 states and eligible federal documentsReview before submissionStatus trackingSecure returnEnglish and Chinese support

California Apostille

China Apostille update

The Apostille Convention took effect for mainland China on November 7, 2023. Eligible U.S. public documents generally use an Apostille from the competent state or federal authority instead of the former Chinese consular-legalization chain. An Apostille authenticates a signature or seal, not the truth of the content or acceptance by a recipient.

  • The issuing office, issuing state, notarizing state, and state-or-federal status determine the authority—not the customer's address.
  • California birth, death, marriage, and court records generally need the proper certified copy; hospital keepsake certificates are not eligible vital records.
  • Check the official name and title printed at the bottom of a California birth or death certificate. A Local Registrar or Health Officer signature may need county-clerk certification, or a new qualifying copy from the County Recorder or California Department of Public Health.
  • Do not add county-clerk certification to every California document. It is required only for signatures that need that authentication step.
  • Private documents generally need a complete California notarial certificate. Another-state and eligible federal records follow their own authorities.
California Secretary of StateCalifornia Apostille FAQsSan Diego CountyU.S. Department of State

Mexico-issued documents follow a different route

Documents issued in Mexico are not eligible for a California Apostille. Baja California, Tijuana, and other Mexico-issued records generally require the competent Mexican authority. Living or mailing from San Diego does not change the issuing country.

Document Authority Checker

Which authority may handle your document?

Choose the document source for general routing guidance. A case review is still required.

Document services for life, study, family, and business

The issuing office and signature determine eligibility. Every category below remains subject to document review and the receiving organization's requirements.

Declarations and identity evidence

Residence, single-status, no-spouse, same-person, domicile, proof-of-life, property gift, inheritance renunciation, and general declarations.

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Powers of attorney

General, property sale or purchase, bank account, child foster-care, criminal-record application, and custom powers of attorney.

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Vital, identity and court records

California birth and death certificates, San Diego County marriage records, divorce decrees, court orders, probate, name-change, and eligible identity copies.

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Education and professional records

Diplomas, degrees, transcripts, enrollment letters, school records, notarized education documents, and eligible professional licenses.

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Business, trade and IP records

California formation and status filings, resolutions, bylaws, contracts, banking, technology, port, trade, and eligible intellectual-property documents.

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Federal and FBI documents

FBI identity history summaries, federal court and agency records, naturalization documents under the proper procedure, and other eligible federal records.

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A clear mail-in process

  1. 1

    Identify the issuer

    Confirm the record, issuing office, notarization state, and intended use in China.

  2. 2

    Determine the authority

    California, another U.S. state, and federal documents use different competent authorities.

  3. 3

    Prepare the right document

    Obtain the eligible original, certified copy, or correctly notarized document.

  4. 4

    Complete signature certification

    For vital records, complete county-clerk certification only when that specific official's signature requires it.

  5. 5

    Create an order

    Choose Standard, Expedited, or Express service on the secure main site.

  6. 6

    Wait for case instructions

    Use the mailing address and document checklist shown in your account.

  7. 7

    Mail the documents

    Send documents only to the case-specific address displayed in the customer account.

  8. 8

    Review, submit, track, and return

    We review eligibility, submit, track, and securely return completed documents.

Create an order before mailing originals. Use only the case-specific address shown in your account.

Registrar review

Southern California education documents

Diplomas, transcripts, and registrar letters may need school certification and California notarization before an Apostille. School names identify possible record sources only; Apostille for China is not affiliated with or endorsed by any listed institution.

University of California San Diego · San Diego State University · University of San Diego · California State University San Marcos · Point Loma Nazarene University · National University · San Diego Mesa College · San Diego City College · Southwestern College · Palomar College · MiraCosta College

Transparent service pricing

Return shipping: one flat $25 fee per order.

Processing estimates begin after complete, acceptable documents arrive. Government processing and shipping may change and are not guaranteed. Service fees are separate from government and third-party fees.

Serving San Diego County and Southern California

Browse all 18 incorporated cities in San Diego County, City of San Diego neighborhoods, major unincorporated communities, and nearby Orange, Riverside, and Imperial County areas.

  • Balboa Park
  • Barrio Logan
  • Carmel Valley
  • City Heights
  • Clairemont
  • Convoy District
  • Downtown San Diego
  • Gaslamp Quarter
  • Hillcrest
  • Kearny Mesa
  • La Jolla
  • Little Italy
  • Mira Mesa
  • Mission Valley
  • North Park
  • Ocean Beach
  • Old Town
  • Pacific Beach
  • Point Loma
  • Rancho Bernardo
  • Rancho Peñasquitos
  • San Ysidro
  • Scripps Ranch
  • Sorrento Valley
  • University City
All Southern California service areas →

  • Carlsbad
  • Chula Vista
  • Coronado
  • Del Mar
  • El Cajon
  • Encinitas
  • Escondido
  • Imperial Beach
  • La Mesa
  • Lemon Grove
  • National City
  • Oceanside
  • Poway
  • San Diego
  • San Marcos
  • Santee
  • Solana Beach
  • Vista
All Southern California service areas →

View all San Diego service areas

San Diego Apostille questions

Prepare the eligible original, certified copy, or correctly notarized document, create an order, and follow the mailing instructions in your account. Eligible California signatures generally use the California Secretary of State.

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Local guidance, one secure application

This San Diego site provides localized preparation guidance. Accounts, payments, uploads, and applications remain on ApostilleforChina.com.

San Diego guidance→ApostilleforChina.com→Case instructions

Ready to prepare a document for China?

Create the order first; your account will show the case-specific mailing instructions.

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Confirm the receiving requirements before ordering

Requirements can vary by government office, school, bank, court, or other recipient in China. Confirm the required document version, translation, issue date, and attachments before ordering. Any sample is for reference only and is not an official Apostille.