Marriage certificate for China, issued in Saint Petersburg: apostille step by step
The chain of steps with authorities, fees and timescales. Change the fields and the route is recalculated.
Marriage certificate for China, issued in Saint Petersburg
One apostille stamp obtained in Russia is enough. No consulate is involved.
- What the apostille goes on
- On the original
- Second apostille on the translation
- Not required
- Translation
- A Russian notarised translation is accepted
- Under the treaty
- Legalisation is not required by treaty, but is asked for in practice
- 1
Check the marriage certificate before you apply
The stamp is only affixed to an original of the established form and in good condition. A laminated document, a Soviet-era form or one with corrections will not be apostilled: you need a duplicate first.
Under the treaty no legalisation is required
The 1992 treaty between Russia and China on legal assistance in civil and criminal matters is in force between Russia and China: formally the document must be accepted without a stamp. In practice institutions in China ask for an apostille, and an apostille is always accepted. The route is therefore built with one; if the receiving institution confirms in writing that no stamp is needed, the apostille step can be skipped.
- 2
Have the apostille affixed to the original
The apostille on the marriage certificate is affixed by Комитет по делам записи актов гражданского состояния Санкт-Петербурга, отдел апостиля. The state fee is paid in advance and the receipt is attached to the application.
Комитет по делам записи актов гражданского состояния Санкт-Петербурга, отдел апостиляСанкт-Петербург, Фурштатская улица, д. 52 · metro ЧернышевскаяMon–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat 10:00–16:00, lunch break 14:00–15:00, closed Sunday+7 (812) 273-37-17Authority website- The head office of the committee is on Таврической, 39, while the apostille is affixed at a separate address, on Фурштатской, 52
- It works on Saturdays, which is rare among the authorities that affix apostilles
- 3
Have the document translated into Chinese and notarised
The translation is bound to the document and the translator's signature is certified by a Russian notary. Such a translation is accepted in China.