Apostille Service Facilitates International Recognition of Hong Kong Documents
The Apostille service provided by the High Court of Hong Kong is the official mechanism for certifying public documents issued in Hong Kong, enabling their legal recognition in jurisdictions that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. This process removes the need for further legalization by foreign embassies or consulates.
An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates public documents, including incorporation papers, business registration certificates, and court judgments. Documents bearing a Hong Kong Apostille are recognized in over 120 countries under the Hague Convention. The Registrar of the High Court is the designated authority responsible for issuing Apostilles in Hong Kong.
The Apostille service supports Hong Kong enterprises in expanding into overseas markets. By simplifying compliance procedures, reducing administrative costs, and ensuring the international validity of official documents, the service provides a reliable foundation for companies to establish operations and partnerships abroad. Apostilled documents are widely accepted in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas, offering assurance and confidence to enterprises engaged in cross-border trade and investment.
With effect from 1 September 2025, the High Court of Hong Kong commenced the issuance of e‑Apostilles, providing an optional alternative to the existing paper‑based process. The e‑Apostille service is available for applications through registered notaries public in Hong Kong.
The presentation of the paper Apostille and the e‑Apostille is largely the same, except that a paper Apostille is sealed with a wet‑ink High Court stamp, while an e‑Apostille is sealed with a system‑generated stamp. For the e‑Apostille service, applicants will receive a digitally signed PDF document containing both the e‑Apostille and the original underlying document.
All Apostilles issued in Hong Kong on or after 1 September 2014 are available for verification through the Judiciary’s e-Register service at:
http://www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/apostille_verification.html
List of Contracting Parties to the Apostille Convention, at:
https://www.judiciary.hk/doc/en/court_services_facilities/hc/eAPOS_Contracting_Party.pdf
