How a Florida notarized document is used in China
The Chinese Embassy's notice is blunt: an apostille confirms the signature and seal, but it doesn't guarantee the Chinese recipient will accept the document, so check format, content, time limits and translation in advance. For notarized documents, that means asking the Chinese side for its template or required wording before you sign. The Florida notarial certificate must be complete and in English, and the Chinese translation must cover everything, including the notarial certificate and the apostille, sealed by a translation agency.
Translation for China
China generally requires a full Chinese translation sealed by a translation agency, often one registered in China, or by the employer for work-permit files. A Florida translation, even certified, notarized and apostilled, may not be accepted, so ask the Chinese office first.
What your Florida notarized document must look like
Florida can only apostille a notary it can verify, so the document must be signed in front of a Florida-commissioned notary with a complete notarial certificate: the venue (State of Florida, County of …), the date, the signer's name, how the signer was identified, the notary's signature and the seal showing the commission number and expiration. A missing county, a missing date or a stamp without a signature means a rejection at the counter. Not signed yet? Add online notarization to your order and sign on video with a Florida notary — no office visit.
Step by step: notarized document apostille for China
- Order online — pick "Notarized document" and "China" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to China with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for China. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.