Statement of Same Person for Apostille
Notarization & Apostille (Canada → China)
What to Do If Your Passport Name Does Not Match Your Chinese ID
👉 Professional Same Person Affidavit Services to Help You Successfully Handle Property, Banking, and Inheritance Matters in China.
When handling matters in China such as property transactions, banking, inheritance, or legal procedures, many Canadians and immigrants encounter a surprisingly common issue: the name on their Canadian passport does not exactly match the name shown on their Chinese ID card or Chinese documents.
Although this may seem minor, discrepancies in names can easily delay or interrupt transactions with Chinese land registries, banks, notary offices, or government authorities if supporting documents are not prepared in advance.
To resolve this issue, the most widely accepted solution is to prepare a Same Person Affidavit and complete an Apostille certification in Canada. This process confirms that the different names appearing on various documents all refer to the same individual.
Based in Toronto and Oakville, Melody Mei Legal Services provides professional Same Person Affidavit notarization and Apostille services for clients across Canada. Whether you have multiple passports, citizenship documents, name changes after marriage, or inconsistent spellings across documents, we offer a compliant and efficient one-stop solution to help ensure your documents are accepted by Chinese authorities, banks, and real estate offices.
The purpose of a Same Person Affidavit is to formally declare that multiple names appearing on different documents belong to the same person.
Common situations include:
The pinyin spelling on your Canadian passport differs from your Chinese ID name
The spelling on a property title or ownership certificate does not match your passport
A surname changed after marriage
Old immigration records or expired passports contain different spellings
Chinese banks, notary offices, or land registries request additional identity clarification
In these situations, verbal explanations are usually insufficient. Chinese authorities typically require a formal written affidavit that has been notarized and apostilled.
A properly prepared Same Person Affidavit intended for use in China generally includes:
All names appearing on different documents (passport names, Chinese names, former names, etc.)
Date and place of birth
Passport numbers, ID numbers, or other identifying details
A formal declaration confirming that all names refer to the same individual
To minimize confusion and reduce the likelihood of rejection in China, bilingual English-Chinese versions are commonly prepared.
The process generally involves the following steps:
1. Prepare Supporting Documents
Typical supporting documents may include:
Canadian passport
PR card
Citizenship certificate or immigration documents (if applicable)
Chinese ID card
Household registration (hukou)
Birth certificate
2. Sign the Affidavit Before a Notary Public
The affidavit must be signed before a licensed Canadian Notary Public, who will verify your identity and witness the signature.
3. Obtain Apostille Certification
After notarization, the document is submitted to Official Documents Services (ODS) in Ontario for Apostille certification.
The Apostille certificate is attached to the notarized document to verify the authenticity of the notary’s signature and authority, allowing the document to be legally recognized for use in China.
Not necessarily.
Minor differences involving capitalization, spacing, or punctuation may sometimes be accepted without additional documentation.
However, a Same Person Affidavit is strongly recommended if the differences involve:
Chinese and English name variations
Significant spelling differences between passports and property records
Name changes after marriage
Errors in immigration or birth records
Major inconsistencies across documents
If you are unsure whether your documents may be rejected in China, it is often safer to prepare the affidavit in advance to avoid delays and repeated submissions.
Once Apostille certification is completed, the Same Person Affidavit can be sent to China for use in:
Property sales and transfers
Inheritance matters
Banking procedures
Legal and notarial transactions
Chinese authorities generally recognize Apostille-certified documents as formally authenticated international documents and usually do not question their validity further.
In practice, many clients successfully complete property sales, inheritance procedures, and bank account matters in China through a Same Person Affidavit and Apostille process.
In some situations, Chinese authorities may also require an Apostille for the Canadian passport itself as additional identity verification.
If the affidavit is related to a property sale in China, a Power of Attorney Apostille is also commonly required so that an authorized representative in China can complete the transaction on your behalf.
Same Person Affidavit notarization: often completed the same day
Apostille certification (ODS): approximately 3 business days
International courier delivery: approximately 3–7 business days
The overall process typically takes about 1–2 weeks.
When Canadian identity documents and Chinese records contain inconsistent names, a Same Person Affidavit combined with Apostille certification is currently the most reliable and widely accepted solution for use in China.
By completing notarization and Apostille certification in Canada, you can avoid delays, rejected documents, and repeated requests for additional paperwork.
Melody Mei Legal Services can assist with preparing bilingual Same Person Affidavits, notarization, Apostille processing, and international document delivery — helping you handle Chinese property, inheritance, banking, and legal matters from Canada without needing to travel back to China.
If you are preparing documents or are unsure whether you need a Same Person Affidavit, feel free to contact us for guidance.
