Legalisation & Certification in Hong Kong
Banks, foreign registries and counterparties rarely accept a plain photocopy. We certify, notarise, apostille and legalise your Hong Kong corporate documents — and choose the right route so they are accepted first time.
The right certification, for the right recipient
Sooner or later every Hong Kong company needs to prove its existence and its documents outside Hong Kong: to open a bank or payment account, register a branch or subsidiary abroad, sign a contract with a foreign partner, take part in a tender or appoint a representative. Each of these recipients has its own idea of what a “certified” document is — and a document certified the wrong way is simply rejected.
Hong Kong offers several distinct levels of certification: a certified true copy by a Hong Kong CPA, official copies issued and certified by the Companies Registry or the Inland Revenue Department, notarisation by a Hong Kong notary public, an apostille from the High Court for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention, and consular legalisation for countries outside it. Each step adds legal weight — and cost and time — so choosing the minimum level the recipient will actually accept matters.
Intergroup handles the whole chain for you: we confirm exactly what the receiving bank or authority requires, order the official documents, arrange certification, notarisation, apostille and consular legalisation, and send the finished set to you wherever you are.
certification & legalisation routes under one roof
CPA certified true copy, per document
Hague Convention countries accept an apostille
online company extract, ready to send
Need documents certified?
Tell us which documents you need and where they will be used — we will confirm the route, the price and the timeline.
+852 5803 1008Certification and legalisation options in Hong Kong
From a quick certified copy for your bank to a fully legalised set for a foreign ministry — these are the routes we arrange for our clients. Many document sets combine several of them.
CPA Certified True Copy
A practising Hong Kong Certified Public Accountant compares the copy against the original, then signs, stamps and dates it as a true copy. It is the most widely accepted certification for day-to-day compliance purposes.
- Certificate of Incorporation, Articles, registers, IDs and passports
- Certified by a licensed Hong Kong CPA
- Usually the quickest certification route available
Typically used for
Bank, EMI and payment-provider KYC, onboarding with exchanges and brokers, due diligence by business partners.
Official documents from the Companies Registry & IRD
We order certified copies of your company’s filings directly from the Companies Registry (CR) and certificates from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and its Business Registration Office. The authority itself certifies the document — the strongest proof of your company’s corporate record.
- Certified copies of NNC1, Articles of Association, NAR1, ND2A and other filings
- Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Change of Name, Business Registration Certificate
- Certificate of Resident Status (tax residency) issued by the IRD
Typically used for
Foreign company registries, courts, tenders, banks that require documents “certified by the registrar”, tax treaty claims.
Notarisation by a Hong Kong notary public
A Hong Kong notary public — a senior solicitor admitted as a notary — verifies the document, the identity and authority of the signatory, and issues a notarial certificate. Notarisation is the usual first step before a document can be apostilled or legalised for use abroad.
- Notarial certified copies of corporate documents
- Witnessing and verification of signatures by directors and officers
- Notarial certificates on company status, officers and shareholders
- Or a declaration at the Home Affairs Department, where the recipient accepts it
Typically used for
Registering a subsidiary or branch abroad, foreign court and property matters, powers of attorney, opening accounts with foreign banks.
Apostille for international use
Hong Kong applies the Hague Apostille Convention. An apostille issued by the High Court of Hong Kong authenticates the signature and seal of the notary or official on the document, so that it is accepted in other member countries without further legalisation.
- Issued by the High Court of Hong Kong
- Applied to notarised documents and to official documents certified by the Companies Registry or IRD
- One apostille per document — no consular step for member countries
Typically used for
Official use in Hague Convention countries, including most of Europe, the United States, the UK, Russia, Singapore, Australia and many more.
Consular legalisation
Countries that are not party to the Apostille Convention — for example the United Arab Emirates — require consular legalisation. After notarisation and authentication in Hong Kong (usually by apostille), the document is legalised by that country’s consulate in Hong Kong. We manage the submission, the forms and the consular fees.
- Consulate submission and collection handled by our team
- Consular fees included in our quote
- Guidance on any further stamps required in the destination country
Typically used for
Registering or licensing a company in the UAE and other non-Hague jurisdictions, government tenders, visa and licensing applications.
Corporate Power of Attorney (POA)
We prepare a power of attorney issued by your Hong Kong company, together with the board resolution that approves it, and arrange its proper execution by the directors or under the company’s common seal. Where the POA will be used abroad, we have it notarised and then apostilled or legalised.
- Drafting of the POA and the approving board resolution
- Execution by the directors, or as a deed under common seal
- Notarisation, apostille or consular legalisation for foreign use
Typically used for
Appointing a representative abroad, signing contracts, operating a bank account, real estate transactions, customs and licensing matters.
Corporate documents we order and certify
These are the Hong Kong corporate documents most often requested by banks and foreign authorities. We obtain them from the issuing authority, certify them at the level your recipient requires and combine them into one ready-to-use set.
Certificate of Incorporation
Companies Registry
Articles of Association
Companies Registry
Incorporation Form (company limited by shares)
Companies Registry
Annual Return
Companies Registry
Notice of Change of Company Secretary and Director
Companies Registry
Notice of Change of Company Name
Companies Registry
Certificate of Change of Name
Companies Registry
Particulars Search Report (company extract)
Companies Registry
Business Registration Certificate
Inland Revenue Department
Certificate of Resident Status (tax residency)
Inland Revenue Department
Certificate of Incumbency
Company secretary
Significant Controllers Register, Registers of Directors and Members
Company secretary
Need a document that is not listed — share allotments, resolutions, financial statements, deregistration documents? Ask us: if it exists in your company’s record, we can obtain and certify it.
Which certification do you actually need?
Over-certifying wastes time and money; under-certifying gets documents rejected. The receiving party always has the final word, so we confirm its requirements before starting — but these are the routes that apply in most cases.
Not sure which applies? Send us the recipient’s request — we will tell you the minimum certification level that will be accepted.
- Bank, EMI or payment-provider KYCCPA Certified True Copy
- Official use in a Hague Convention countryNotarisation + apostille, or a Companies Registry certified copy + apostille
- Official use in a non-Hague country (e.g. the UAE)Notarisation + apostille + consular legalisation
- Official use in Mainland ChinaAttestation by a China-Appointed Attesting Officer (CAAO), not an apostille
- Someone must act for your company abroadCorporate POA + board resolution, notarised and apostilled or legalised
Transparent pricing
Fixed fees from our current Hong Kong price list, in US dollars.
Certified true copy by a Hong Kong CPA
US$50 per document
Company extract / Particulars Search Report — online
Ready in about 30 minutes.
US$50
Company extract — certified by the Companies Registry
US$150
Apostille of a single document
US$150
Certificate of Incumbency
US$200 per certificate
Single official document + apostille
CR/IRD-issued documents only (CI, AA, NNC1, PSR, BRC, etc.); US$150 without apostille.
US$300
Tax Resident Certificate (Certificate of Resident Status)
US$300 per year of application
Home Affairs declaration + apostille (set)
US$500
Notarised set of documents + apostille
Includes 1 document; +US$50 per additional document.
US$750
Consulate legalisation
E.g. UAE consulate, including consular fees; +US$150 apostille per document.
from US$630
Corporate powers of attorney, board resolutions and other bespoke documents are quoted individually, depending on the drafting involved and the certification route required.
See the full price listNeed documents certified?
Tell us which documents you need and where they will be used — we will confirm the route, the price and the timeline.
How it works
Tell us the destination
Share which documents you need, who will receive them and in which country. If you have the recipient’s written requirements, send them too.
We confirm the route & quote
We define the certification chain — CPA copy, official copy, notarisation, apostille or consulate — and give you a fixed quote and timeline.
Documents are ordered & certified
We order official copies from the Companies Registry or IRD, arrange signatures, notarisation and apostille, and handle consulate submission where required.
Delivery worldwide
You receive scans for approval, then the original certified set by courier — or collect it at our Hong Kong office.
Why clients use Intergroup for document legalisation
One point of contact
CPAs, notaries, the Companies Registry, the IRD, the High Court and consulates — we coordinate them all, so you do not have to.
The right route, first time
We check the recipient’s requirements before we start, so documents are not rejected and you do not pay twice.
Fixed, transparent fees
Prices come straight from our published price list, and consular fees are included in our legalisation quotes.
Your company record at hand
If we act as your company secretary, we already hold your corporate documents — certification can start immediately.
Remote-friendly
Most sets can be prepared without you travelling to Hong Kong; we guide you through any signature that must be made in person.
Delivered anywhere
Finished originals are sent to you by courier, with scans shared in advance so you can check everything first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a certified true copy and notarisation?
A CPA certified true copy confirms that a copy matches the original and is accepted by most banks and payment providers. Notarisation is performed by a notary public, carries greater legal weight and is internationally recognised — it is usually required by foreign registries and courts, and is the basis for an apostille or consular legalisation.
Do I need an apostille or consular legalisation?
It depends on the destination country. If it is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille from the Hong Kong High Court is sufficient. If it is not — for example the UAE — the document must additionally be legalised by that country’s consulate. We confirm the requirement before starting.
Can documents from the Companies Registry be apostilled directly?
Yes. Official documents issued by the Companies Registry or the IRD — such as the Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Association, NNC1 or BRC — can be apostilled without first going to a notary, which is often the quickest and most economical route for official use abroad.
Does the Companies Registry issue a Certificate of Good Standing?
Not as such. When a foreign authority asks for a certificate of good standing for a Hong Kong company, a certified company extract from the Companies Registry, a Certificate of Incumbency or a notarial certificate is typically provided instead. We will advise which one your recipient will accept.
Can I get documents certified without coming to Hong Kong?
In most cases, yes. Corporate documents can be ordered and certified remotely. Where a director’s signature must be notarised — for example on a power of attorney — we will explain the options available to you.
How long does the process take?
A CPA certified copy is usually the quickest option, and an online company extract is ready in about 30 minutes. Notarisation and apostille take longer, and consular legalisation longer still, depending on the consulate. We give you a timeline with every quote.
Get your documents accepted the first time
From a single certified copy to a fully legalised set with a power of attorney — send us your request and we will take care of every step.