The purpose of document attestation is to verify that signatures and seals on documents are genuine. If you have any official documents that are used in the U.S. and plan to need them during your time in China, you will need to have those documents authenticated through attestation.
Notarize Your Documents
There are certain steps that must be followed during document attestation for China. The first step is to have your documents notarized. Local notary republics are qualified to perform this step.
Obtain County Authentication
If you live in certain states, you must have your documents authenticated by your county before they can be moved on in the document attestation process. These states include AL, TN, GA, NY, KY, and HI. County authentication can come from county clerks, circuit courts, probate judges, or superior court clerks.
Secure Certification by Secretary of State and U.S. Department of State
After your local authentications are done, your documents must be sent to the Secretary of State in the document's state of origin, and the office must certify the document. The next step involves sending the document to the U.S. Department of State.
Obtaining Authentication by Chinese Embassy
In order to complete the document attestation, you must have your documents authenticated by the Chinese Embassy in the United States. The consulate must be willing to state that the document is authenticated before you can use the document in China.
US Authentication Services helps U.S. citizens with the complicated nature of document attestation for China and can be reached at http://www.usauthentication.com.