Client lives in California, but was born in Macau (think Hong Kong). Client needs to have his Macau birth certificate certified for some reason. To do this, Macau needs his mom to sign off on the certification.

Client's mom is in her 90s and is in frail health so client does not want her to travel to Macau to just sign one form. Client can get his mom to sign the form in California and then get the form notarized, but is not sure if this has any meaning for documents used internationally.

I am a China lawyer and here is my understanding according to official information available.

First question we are to ask: Is this for the purpose of using in the US? If it's immigration related, for example, they need to get the proper document issued by the relevant authority in that country. You can find country specific information here, and learn whether and how such a document can be obtained:
Scroll past the visa issuance fees and down to the relevant document.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html

First, though, the key is finding out for what purpose is this document being used? US purpose? Macau purpose? Other? and what purpose exactly? US immigration? Travel? Financial? Etc..

If it's a US document, here is additional info to peruse on authentication and apostilles (and Hague Convention members) ...
Authentication and Apostilles:
http://travel.state.gov/law/judicial/judicial_701.html

Also, here is general judicial assistance info by country.
http://travel.state.gov/law/judicial/judicial_2510.html#M

This is a very simple statement by a China lawyer, but one that I cannot stress enough as the absolute truth. If you have been charged with any type of crime, immediately seek legal representation. Do not wait to “see how things play out.” Do not believe that you can aggressively represent yourself. Just find a good defense attorney and let them do their job.

How To Find A Good Criminal Defense Attorney

There are specific things you should look for when you are trying to hire a defense attorney. The following tips should help you find the type of representation that you need.

• Look For Specialty Lawyers- When you have a medical condition, you do not go to any type of doctor. You look for a doctor that specializes in that type of ailment so that you receive the best medical care. The same applies to legal representation. Look for an attorney that handles your specific type of charge, so that you receive the best representation.

• Research Firm- You want to know if the firm, and attorney, that you have selected is qualified to handle your type of case. Read their bios on their website and research the firm on the Internet. See what is out there about them to determine if they are what you need. Many times you can get the type of insight that you need about the attorney, such as their win ratio, from their bios.

Probably, there is nobody who could understand the significance of having a good China lawyer handling criminal defense matter beside more than the person who is charged with the criminal case and is about to get punished for the offense that he did not commit. This is particularly true if you are faced with a drug crime that you know for yourself that you are really innocent.

Locating a reliable criminal defense attorney might look more difficult as compared to facing the court trial. However, you no longer have to worry because with the help of the best tips for finding the finest  China criminal defense lawyer, you will be given the best resolution to your problem. There are several ways that you can use in order to help you search for the most reliable defense lawyers you can find within your locality. The following are few of the helpful ways you can consider to meet the best defense attorney, who can help you, free yourself from the dispute you are faced upon.

You do not want to have to learn how to find a good China lawyer after you are the subject of a lawsuit. Even if you're the one bringing the case rather than defending it, learning how to find a good lawyer increases your odds of winning at trial and saves you money. Here are a few tips to help you with your search for a competent China attorney.

First: It is not what you know; it is who you know

Trustworthy people usually recommend a more trustworthy China lawyer. With that in mind, ask the people you trust most for a recommendation. Friends, family, and colleagues all make good initial prospects for getting a solid recommendation.

Second: Contact your state licensing authority and Bar Association

If the Bar Association does not have any good leads, maybe Uncle Sam does. Government licensing bodies usually help you determine whether a given lawyer has a disciplinary history or any negative action taken against him or her. Your local Bar Association also helps you determine whether a given attorney's specialty meshes with the type of case you have and whether he or she is board certified.

Third: No substitute for face time

Once you narrow down your list of possibilities to a few China lawyers, set up face-to-face consultations with each. After an hour with each candidate, you have a better idea which of them meshes better with your personality and goals. In large firms, make sure the lawyer you meet is the one that actually works on your case. Finally, watch out for shady practices. If a lawyer does not put his or her fees in writing, that is a red flag.