1. On 8 March 2023, China acceded to the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (hereinafter referred to as the Convention). The Convention will enter into force between China and Slovenia on 7 November 2023. The Convention will continue to apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of China.

    2. From 7 November 2023 onwards, the public documents  produced in Slovenia within the scope of the Convention need to be issued a Slovenian apostille (see Attachment 1) before being used in China, without the need for consular authentications anymore.

    The public documents produced in China within the scope of the Convention need to be issued a Chinese apostille (see Attachment 2) before being used in Slovenia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China is the competent authority for issuing the apostille for public documents produced in China.

    Entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, some foreign affairs offices of relevant local governments in China can issue the apostille for public document produced within their respective administrative regions (see Attachment 3).

    The apostille can be verified online by visiting this website: https://consular.mfa.gov.cn/VERIFY/. For specific procedures and requirements for applying for the apostille, please visit the China Consular Service website (http://cs.mfa.gov.cn/) or the websites of relevant local Foreign Affairs Offices.

    3. From 7 November 2023 onwards, the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia will cease consular authentication services. For documents produced in Slovenia intended to be sent to Chinese mainland, please apply for the apostille from the Slovenian competent authorities, for specific procedures and requirements, please visit: https://nasodiscu.si/mednarodne-overitve/.

    4. According to the Convention, apostilles issued by the country of origin is to certify the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document acts and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which it bears. The public documents with an apostille onto them may not necessarily be accepted by relevant Chinese authorities requiring the documents. It is suggested that applicants fully understand the format, content, time limit, translation and other specific requirements regarding foreign public documents from the Chinese authorities where the documents are to be used before applying for an apostille. 

                        Chinese Embassy in Slovenia

                        24 October 2023