China's Accession to Hague's Apostille Convention Expected to Streamline EB-5 Processing

On March 8, 2023, China officially acceded to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the “Apostille Convention”. The Apostille Convention is an international treaty that simplifies the process of authenticating public documents for use in foreign countries.

Prior to China's accession to the Apostille Convention, Chinese nationals who were applying for EB-5 visas were required to have their documents authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate in the United States. This process could be time-consuming and expensive, and it often led to delays in the EB-5 application process.

With China's accession to the Apostille Convention, Chinese nationals will no longer be required to have their documents authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate. Instead, they will be able to obtain an apostille from a designated Chinese authority. This will simplify and streamline the EB-5 application process, and it will make it easier for Chinese nationals to obtain EB-5 visas.

 

The following are some of the benefits of China's accession to the Apostille Convention for EB-5 processing:

  • Reduced processing time: The Apostille Convention will reduce the time it takes to process EB-5 applications from China. This is because the apostille process is typically faster and more efficient than the embassy or consulate authentication process.
  • Reduced costs: The Apostille Convention will reduce the costs associated with EB-5 processing from China. This is because the apostille fee is typically lower than the embassy or consulate authentication fee.
  • Increased transparency: The Apostille Convention will increase transparency in the EB-5 application process from China. This is because the apostille process is more transparent than the embassy or consulate authentication process.

Overall, China's accession to the Apostille Convention is a positive development for EB-5 processing from China. It will simplify, streamline, and reduce the costs of the EB-5 application process, and it will increase transparency in the process.