Home>Questions and Answers

How does a foreigner, a foreign enterprise or organization prove their identity in civil actions?

Updated: 2019-06-20

According to Article 523 of the Interpretations of the Supreme People's Court on the Application of the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China, to participate in litigation proceedings, a foreigner shall submit to the competent people's court his/her passport or other documents in proof of his/her identity. The identity documents submitted to the competent people's court by a foreign enterprise or organization for participating in litigation proceedings shall be notarized by a notary public office in the country of the party's domicile, and be certified by the embassy/consulate of the People's Republic of China in the said foreign country, or be subject to certification procedures prescribed in the relevant treaties signed by and between the People's Republic of China and the said foreign country.

The person who represents a foreign enterprise or organization in litigation proceedings shall submit to the competent people's court proof that he/she has the power to participate in litigation proceedings as a representative. Such proof shall be notarized by a notary public office in the country of domicile of the foreign enterprise or organization, and be certified by the embassy/consulate of the People's Republic of China in the said foreign country, or be subject to certification procedures prescribed in the relevant treaties signed by and between the People's Republic of China and the said country. For the purpose of this Article, the country of domicile refers to the country of establishment and registration of a foreign enterprise or organization, and may also refer to a third country in which the foreign enterprise or organization has handled business registration formalities.


BACK TO THE TOP