Chinese Passport Certified Copy – Same-Day Remote UK Solicitor Certification

Need a Chinese passport certified copy for a bank, company, lawyer, employer, KYC check or overseas authority?

Ginkgo Advisory provides an express remote UK solicitor service for certified copies of Chinese passports.

We can assist with the CHN-AO-05001 Chinese Passport, an E-series electronic ordinary passport issued by the People’s Republic of China.

Our remote verification process can include a clear passport copy, video inspection of the original physical passport and, where appropriate, electronic passport chip verification using a compatible NFC-enabled passport-reading application.

Same-day service is available where all required evidence is received and the solicitor is satisfied that the copy can properly be certified.

Chinese Passport Certification for CHN-AO-05001

The CHN-AO-05001 is an ordinary passport issued by the People’s Republic of China.

Its official title is:

PASSPORT

This document is an E-series electronic passport, or e-passport.

Key details include:

• Issuing country: People’s Republic of China
• Country code: CHN
• Document category: Passport
• Document type: Ordinary passport
• Document reference: CHN-AO-05001
• First issued: 2 February 2013
• Passport series: E-series
• Passport type: Electronic passport / e-passport
• Construction: Single booklet
• Size: approximately 88 × 125 mm
• Number of pages: 48
• Cover colour: Red
• Cover construction: Flexible
• Cover material: Plastic
• Cover design: Hot foil stamping
• Biodata page: Page 2

The passport incorporates physical, optical and electronic security features.

These can provide several different sources of information when the original passport is being assessed remotely.

What Does Chinese Passport Certification Mean?

A certified passport copy is a copy that a solicitor has checked against the original passport presented for inspection.

The solicitor then adds appropriate certification wording to the copy.

For example, the certification may state that the document is a:

true copy of the original document seen

The exact wording can depend on the organisation receiving the certified copy.

A solicitor-certified Chinese passport copy will normally include:

• the solicitor’s signature;
• date of certification;
• solicitor’s full name;
• professional status;
• firm or business details; and
• appropriate certification wording.

Before certification, please tell us who requires the document, the destination country and why the certified copy is needed.

Banks, lawyers, financial institutions, company service providers and overseas authorities can have different certification requirements.

Remote Chinese Passport Certification

You may not need to attend a solicitor’s office to obtain a certified copy of your Chinese passport.

In suitable cases, the verification can be completed remotely.

We may combine several forms of evidence so that the solicitor can assess both the original passport and the person presenting it.

1. Send a Clear Colour Copy of Your Chinese Passport

First, send us a clear colour scan or high-quality photograph of the passport biodata page.

The complete page should be visible.

The copy should clearly show information such as:

• your photograph;
• full name;
• nationality;
• date of birth;
• passport number;
• date of issue;
• date of expiry; and
• machine-readable zone, or MRZ.

The solicitor can compare this information with the original physical passport shown during verification.

2. Provide a Short Passport Verification Video

We may ask you to provide a short video showing:

• your face;
• the original physical passport;
• the passport biodata page;
• your passport photograph;
• the red passport cover;
• selected internal pages; and
• the passport being moved or tilted under the light.

This gives the solicitor more information than a static scan alone.

The CHN-AO-05001 incorporates optical security features whose appearance can change depending on the viewing angle.

Movement of the original passport can therefore provide useful supporting evidence.

3. Complete an NFC E-Passport Check

The CHN-AO-05001 is an electronic ordinary passport containing an embedded electronic chip.

Where appropriate, we may therefore ask you to scan the passport using a compatible NFC-enabled smartphone and suitable passport-reading application.

Depending on the application and the electronic security supported by the passport, an NFC check may provide information such as:

• passport data;
• MRZ information;
• facial image data;
• information retrieved from the electronic passport chip; and
• electronic authentication results supported by the application.

This provides another source of information that can be compared with the physical passport and scanned copy.

An NFC scan does not itself constitute solicitor certification.

Instead, it provides supporting electronic evidence for the solicitor’s assessment.

Why We Use Video and NFC Verification

A scanned passport page can show the information printed on the document.

However, a scan alone does not necessarily demonstrate that the customer currently possesses the original physical passport.

For suitable electronic passports, we can therefore combine several checks.

The process may include:

passport copy + original passport video + passport holder’s face + MRZ comparison + NFC passport chip information

This provides the solicitor with several different sources of evidence before deciding whether the passport copy can properly be certified.

The exact verification requirements may vary from case to case.

Electronic Chip in the Chinese E-Series Passport

China’s electronic ordinary passport contains an embedded electronic chip.

The chip forms part of the passport’s electronic security system and stores passport and biometric information connected with the passport holder.

This electronic component provides an additional verification layer beyond the printed biodata page.

Where compatible technology is available, electronic passport information can be compared with information printed on the physical document.

For remote verification, this may provide useful supporting evidence concerning:

• the passport holder’s identity;
• passport data;
• the facial image;
• the machine-readable information; and
• the consistency between electronic and physical passport information.

The precise electronic information accessible through a third-party passport-reading application depends on the passport’s security controls and the application being used.

Security Features of the CHN-AO-05001 Chinese Passport

The CHN-AO-05001 Chinese passport contains a range of physical, optical and electronic security features.

These make the passport more difficult to reproduce or alter and can also assist when examining the original document.

Red Passport Cover

The passport has a flexible red cover.

The cover is made from plastic material and uses hot foil stamping.

The cover forms part of the overall construction and appearance of the original passport booklet.

Biodata Page

The identity information appears on page 2 of the passport.

The biodata page contains:

• biographical information;
• the holder’s primary facial image;
• a secondary facial image;
• security laminate;
• UV features;
• watermark features; and
• specialised printing techniques.

These elements provide several points of comparison when assessing the original passport.

Colour Facial Image

The holder’s principal photograph is a colour facial image.

The image is integrated using inkjet printing.

During remote verification, the solicitor can compare the person appearing in the video with the passport photograph and other biodata.

Secondary Ghost Image

The biodata page also incorporates a secondary facial image, commonly described as a ghost image.

This secondary image is produced using inkjet printing.

For this document version, the secondary image uses magenta and cyan colouring.

Having more than one representation of the passport holder’s face provides an additional identity and document-security feature.

Security Laminate

The passport biodata page is protected by a specialised security laminate.

The laminate incorporates several security elements.

These include:

• UV features;
• Kinegram technology;
• movement effects;
• colour-changing characteristics;
• national symbols; and
• security motifs.

The laminate provides both physical protection and optical security.

Kinegram Security Feature

The laminate incorporates a Kinegram optically variable security device.

A Kinegram can produce changing visual effects as the passport is moved or viewed from different angles.

The CHN-AO-05001 laminate incorporates several designs and effects.

These include:

• the country abbreviation CHN appearing as a movement motif;
• coloured squares containing Chinese characters;
• the national coat of arms;
• motifs and globe imagery; and
• colour-reversal effects.

Because these features respond to movement and viewing angle, video inspection of the original passport can provide information that a static scan cannot show.

Optically Variable Ink

The biodata page also incorporates optically variable ink, or OVI.

The feature is produced using screen printing.

Optically variable ink changes appearance depending on the viewing angle or lighting conditions.

For this reason, we may ask you to move or tilt the passport slowly during the verification video.

UV Features

The passport incorporates ultraviolet security elements.

On the biodata page, fluorescent overprinting is invisible under ordinary lighting but can become visible under appropriate ultraviolet light.

UV features are also present on internal pages of the passport.

These specialist security elements form part of the overall anti-counterfeiting design of the document.

Watermark on the Biodata Page

The passport biodata page incorporates a watermark security feature.

Watermarks are intended to be examined using transmitted light.

Unlike ordinary printed graphics, a watermark forms part of the document substrate itself.

This makes it more difficult to reproduce accurately using ordinary printing or copying methods.

Watermarks on Internal Pages

Internal passport pages also contain watermark security features.

For the CHN-AO-05001, watermarks are recorded across substantial sections of the passport booklet, including pages 6 to 45.

These provide another physical characteristic that may be relevant when examining the original passport.

See-Through Register

The internal pages incorporate a see-through register produced using offset printing.

A see-through register uses printed elements on opposite sides of a page that align when the page is viewed using transmitted light.

This provides another anti-counterfeiting security feature.

The effect is difficult to reproduce correctly using an ordinary photocopy or home printer.

48-Page Passport Booklet

The CHN-AO-05001 contains 48 pages.

Because security features extend beyond the biodata page, we may ask the passport holder to show selected internal pages during remote verification.

We may also ask you to turn through several pages so that aspects of the construction and continuity of the original booklet can be viewed.

Chinese Passport NFC Verification

Because the CHN-AO-05001 is an e-passport, electronic verification can provide an additional layer of supporting evidence.

Where appropriate, we may ask you to use a compatible passport-reading application to scan the passport.

The process can help compare:

• printed biodata;
• MRZ data;
• passport chip information;
• printed facial image; and
• electronically stored facial image information.

The electronic check complements rather than replaces physical examination.

The solicitor remains responsible for determining whether the evidence available is sufficient for certification.

Same-Day Chinese Passport Certified Copy Service

Ginkgo Advisory provides an express same-day Chinese passport certification service.

Customers may require certified passport copies urgently for:

• KYC checks;
• AML checks;
• banks;
• financial institutions;
• investment accounts;
• company formation;
• company compliance;
• Companies House matters;
• property transactions;
• mortgage applications;
• employment;
• professional registration;
• university administration;
• legal matters;
• powers of attorney;
• inheritance matters;
• probate matters; or
• overseas applications.

To maximise the possibility of same-day completion, please provide all requested documents and verification evidence as early as possible.

Same-day service remains subject to successful verification.

The solicitor must be satisfied that the original passport has been adequately verified and that the copy can properly be certified.

Chinese Passport Certification in London and Across the UK

Our remote service means that you may not need to attend a solicitor’s office.

We can assist Chinese passport holders throughout the UK, including:

London, City of London, Westminster, Kensington, Chelsea, Hammersmith, Fulham, Richmond, Putney, Wimbledon, Kingston upon Thames, Ealing, Hounslow, Croydon, Surrey, Reading, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Southampton and elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Chinese nationals living outside central London can normally use the same remote verification process.

Chinese Passport Certification for Clients Outside the UK

You may also need a UK solicitor-certified copy of a Chinese passport while living or working outside the United Kingdom.

A certified passport copy may be required for:

• overseas banking;
• international KYC;
• investment accounts;
• company registration;
• property transactions;
• foreign lawyers;
• employment;
• professional applications;
• inheritance matters; or
• another overseas authority.

Depending on the recipient’s requirements, remote UK solicitor certification may be suitable.

Please tell us:

• where you currently live;
• who requires the certified passport;
• the destination country;
• the purpose of certification; and
• whether particular certification wording has been specified.

We can then consider the appropriate verification and certification process.

Chinese Passport Certified Copy for UK and Overseas Use

Chinese passport holders frequently require certified copies for use in the UK or overseas.

For many commercial, financial and professional purposes, UK solicitor certification may be sufficient.

However, requirements differ between countries and organisations.

Some recipients may require:

• notarisation;
• an apostille;
• embassy or consular legalisation; or
• specific certification wording.

Please therefore tell us the destination country and intended purpose before certification.

This can help avoid unnecessary repeat certification.

Chinese Passport Certified Copy for KYC and AML

A Chinese passport may be used as a primary identity document for KYC and AML purposes.

Banks, financial institutions, professional firms and companies may ask for a certified copy as part of customer due diligence.

Where UK solicitor certification is accepted, our remote process can combine:

• a clear colour passport copy;
• video of the passport holder;
• examination of the original physical passport;
• comparison of facial images;
• MRZ comparison; and
• electronic passport chip information where appropriate.

The organisation receiving the certified copy ultimately determines whether solicitor certification meets its own KYC or AML requirements.

Chinese Passport Certification for Company and Corporate Purposes

Certified Chinese passport copies may also be required for:

• company formation;
• corporate administration;
• accountants;
• lawyers;
• corporate service providers;
• beneficial ownership checks;
• directors and shareholders;
• banking;
• compliance departments; and
• other business purposes.

The exact certification requirement should always be confirmed with the recipient before the document is certified.

Certified Copy, Notarisation and Apostille: What Is the Difference?

These procedures are different.

Solicitor-Certified Chinese Passport Copy

A UK solicitor examines the original passport and certifies that the copy corresponds with the document presented.

This is commonly used for banking, KYC, AML, corporate and legal purposes where solicitor certification is accepted.

Notarised Chinese Passport Copy

A Notary Public carries out the certification.

Some overseas authorities specifically require a notarised passport copy rather than one certified by a solicitor.

If the receiving organisation requests notarisation, you should not assume ordinary solicitor certification will satisfy the requirement.

Apostille

An apostille is a separate legalisation procedure.

Where appropriate, it authenticates the signature or professional capacity of the UK professional whose signature appears on the certified document.

If the recipient requires an apostille, please tell us before the passport is certified so that the correct certification and legalisation route can be considered.

What We Need for CHN-AO-05001 Chinese Passport Certification

For a typical remote application, we may request the following.

Clear Passport Copy

Send a clear colour scan or high-quality photograph of the passport biodata page.

Short Video

Show your face together with the original physical Chinese passport.

Passport Biodata Page

Clearly show the original biodata page and passport photograph.

Passport Cover

Show the original red passport cover.

Tilt and Move the Passport

Slowly move and tilt the biodata page under the light as requested so that relevant optical characteristics can be viewed.

Selected Internal Pages

Show selected internal pages and turn through portions of the passport booklet where requested.

NFC E-Passport Scan

Where appropriate, scan the electronic passport using a compatible NFC-enabled passport-reading application and provide or demonstrate the results.

Additional Evidence

The solicitor may request further evidence if any part of the document or verification requires clarification.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CHN-AO-05001?

CHN-AO-05001 is an ordinary electronic passport issued by the People’s Republic of China.

It is an E-series e-passport.

When was CHN-AO-05001 first issued?

The document version was first issued on 2 February 2013.

Is CHN-AO-05001 still valid?

Yes.

The document version is recorded as valid, although the validity of an individual passport depends on the information and expiry date shown in that particular passport.

Can a UK solicitor certify a Chinese passport?

Yes.

A UK solicitor can certify a copy of a Chinese passport where the recipient accepts solicitor certification and the solicitor is satisfied with the verification process.

Can you certify CHN-AO-05001?

Yes.

We can assess a CHN-AO-05001 Chinese E-series passport for remote UK solicitor certification.

Can I get my Chinese passport certified online?

In suitable cases, yes.

Our remote verification process can use passport images, video inspection of the original physical passport and electronic passport chip information where appropriate.

Do I need to visit a solicitor’s office?

Usually not for a suitable remote case.

The verification process can normally be completed remotely.

Do I need to post my original Chinese passport?

Usually not.

Instead, we can ask you to demonstrate possession of the original physical passport through video.

Is CHN-AO-05001 a biometric passport?

It is an electronic ordinary passport or e-passport.

China’s electronic ordinary passports contain an embedded electronic chip storing passport information and biometric data.

Does the Chinese E-series passport contain an electronic chip?

Yes.

Chinese electronic ordinary passports incorporate an electronic chip.

Can the Chinese passport chip be checked using NFC?

Where the passport and passport-reading application are compatible, an NFC-enabled smartphone can be used to read electronic passport information.

The precise information available depends on the passport’s security controls and the application being used.

Why do you request an NFC scan?

An NFC check can provide another source of electronic passport information to compare with the physical document.

It therefore provides supporting evidence for remote verification.

Is NFC verification the same as solicitor certification?

No.

Electronic passport verification provides supporting evidence.

The solicitor makes the final professional decision about whether the passport copy can properly be certified.

Why do you ask me to tilt the passport?

The CHN-AO-05001 incorporates optically variable security features, including Kinegram and optically variable ink effects.

These can change appearance depending on the angle of observation.

Moving the original passport can therefore reveal information that a static scan cannot show.

Why do you ask me to show internal pages?

The passport contains security features on internal pages as well as the biodata page.

These include watermarks, UV characteristics and see-through-register printing.

Showing selected pages can also help demonstrate possession of the complete original passport booklet.

Can you provide same-day Chinese passport certification?

Yes.

We provide an express same-day Chinese passport certification service, subject to successful verification and receipt of all required evidence.

Can the certified copy be emailed to me?

Where the receiving organisation accepts an electronic copy, a scanned copy of the completed certification can normally be provided electronically.

If the recipient requires the original wet-ink certified document, a physical copy may also be required.

Can I use the certified Chinese passport copy overseas?

Possibly.

Some overseas organisations accept UK solicitor certification, while others require notarisation, an apostille or additional legalisation.

Always check the recipient’s requirements.

Is solicitor certification the same as notarisation?

No.

A solicitor and a Notary Public perform different professional roles.

If the recipient specifically asks for a notarised passport copy, solicitor certification may not satisfy that requirement.

Express Chinese Passport Certification by UK Solicitor

Ginkgo Advisory provides a fast remote service for customers who require a Chinese passport certified copy.

Our service can include:

• certified copy of Chinese passport;
• CHN-AO-05001 passport certification;
• Chinese E-series passport certification;
• Chinese e-passport certification;
• UK solicitor-certified Chinese passport;
• remote Chinese passport certification;
• same-day Chinese passport certification;
• video passport verification;
• electronic passport verification;
• NFC passport chip checks;
• MRZ comparison;
• original passport inspection;
• Chinese passport identity verification;
• certified Chinese passport for KYC;
• certified Chinese passport for AML;
• certified Chinese passport for banks;
• certified Chinese passport for company purposes; and
• Chinese passport certification for UK or overseas use.

If you need a Chinese passport certified copy, send us a clear colour copy of the passport biodata page and tell us who requires the certification, the destination country and the intended purpose.

We can then confirm the appropriate verification and certification process.