When do you need a document to be certified ?
1. Opening bank accounts in Hong Kong or overseas
2. Set up a company in Hong Kong
Who is qualified person to do a certified true copy to Identity or company documents ?
Generally, lawyer in public practice or Certified Public Accountant (Practising), are eligible and mostly accepted by authorities as qualified certifier.
In Hong Kong, in light of Companies Ordinance, only Solicitor, Practising CPA and Chartered Company Secretary are statutory certifiers for Hong Kong company’s documents (Such as NAR1, Certificate of Incorporation).
Wording normally used in Certified True Copy
Example 1
https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications
‘I certify that this is a true likeness of [title and full name of adult or child who is getting the passport]
Example 2
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/on-paper/certified-copy
Certify copies
• Make a copy of the original document.
• Take the original document and your copy to the certifier.
• They will check your copy is the same as the original.
• On a single-page document, the certifier must write or stamp, ‘This is a certified true copy of the original as sighted by me’
• On documents with more than 1 page, the certifier must write or stamp ‘I certify this and the following [number of pages] pages to be a true copy of the original as sighted by me’ on the first page and initials all other pages.
• The certifier must also write or stamp on the copy:
o their signature
o their full name
o their occupation
o their phone number
o the date
o their address (optional)
Example 3
HSBC UK
https://www.hsbc.co.uk/help/security-centre/hsbc-safeguard/faqs/documents-and-certification/
A. For your documents that contain a photo:
I [full name of certifier] confirm that this is an accurate copy of the original and the photo is a true likeness of the person concerned.
B. For your documents that don’t contain a photo:
I [full name of certifier] confirm this is an accurate copy of the original.
They should also write:
• their signature and full name, printed on the document
• their occupation, company (or professional) address and phone number
• their professional registration number (if they have one)
• the date of certification