- Taiwan files are legalized by TECRO in Washington, DC, or by the TECO office covering the issuing state.
- US Department of State authentication is required before TECRO legalization for federal and state-issued records.
- Traditional Chinese translations are commonly requested for civil records and academic documents.
Embassy Legalization · TaiwanTaiwan Embassy Legalization & Attestation
Taiwan is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille will not be accepted there. Every US document destined for Taiwan has to be legalized step by step — notarized where required, authenticated by the issuing state, authenticated by the US Department of State, and finally legalized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO). Our Philadelphia team runs the entire chain and ships the finished file back to you.
- Legalizing office
- Washington, DC
- Chain stages
- 5 stages
- Typical timeline
- 3–6 weeks
5 stages to a legalized Taiwanese file.
Every stage has to happen in order, and every stage can send the file back. Select a stage to see exactly what happens and who signs.
Notarization
Documents you sign — powers of attorney, affidavits, single status declarations, corporate resolutions — are notarized first, with complete commission wording the state will accept. We handle this at our Chestnut Hill office, by mobile notary, or by secure online notarization. Government-issued vital records skip this step because they are already certified.
What the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) expects.
- 01An apostille was attached instead of a legalization chain — apostilles are not valid for this country.
- 02The notary's commission or expiration wording was incomplete, so the state refused to authenticate.
- 03The state authentication was attached but the US Department of State page was missing.
- 04The document was a photocopy rather than a certified original from the issuing authority.
- 05The signature on the document did not match the authorized signer on file with the issuing office.
- 06The Traditional Chinese translation was missing, incomplete, or not formatted page-for-page with the original.
Personal records and commercial files.
Personal documents go straight through the chain. Commercial documents follow the same chain, with corporate certifications pulled from the issuing state first.
One service fee, government fees at cost
Our fee covers document review, notarization coordination, state authentication, US Department of State submission, consular submission, and tracked return delivery. Government and consular fees are passed through at cost — the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) changes its schedule without notice.
Single Document Legalization
One document carried through every stage to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), including courier handoffs and tracked return shipping.
Full File — Multiple Documents
Family files, employment packages, and corporate sets and certified Traditional Chinese translation. Priced per document with a written quote before anything is filed.
Government and consular processing times are outside our control. Requirements at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) can change; we confirm current requirements before your file is submitted.
One Philadelphia team. Every stage.
12 E Highland Avenue, Suite 203
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Taiwan legalization handled from Chestnut Hill
Our office at 12 E Highland Avenue serves Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, and Bucks counties, plus South Jersey and Delaware. Walk your documents in, or send them by courier and we take it from there.
Embassy legalization for Taiwan, explained
Taiwan is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so Taiwanese authorities do not accept a US apostille. Instead, a US document must be authenticated in the United States and then legalized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which confirms the US authentication so the document can be used officially in Taiwan.
Requests for Taiwan most often come from students and graduates proving their US credentials, families handling marriage and property matters, and companies setting up subsidiaries or appointing representatives. Offices in Taiwan generally expect a Traditional Chinese translation of the legalized document, so we plan the translation when we review your file.
The typical steps
- 1Notarization
Privately signed documents — affidavits, powers of attorney, corporate resolutions, and copies of diplomas — are notarized first so the state can verify the notary. Public records such as birth or marriage certificates are instead ordered as certified copies from the issuing office.
- 2State authentication
The Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state where the document was notarized or issued certifies the notary's or official's signature. For Taiwan, this is a certificate of authentication, not an apostille.
- 3US Department of State authentication
The US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, DC, then certifies the state's seal. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) will not legalize a document without this federal step.
- 4Embassy legalization
Finally, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) legalizes the document, confirming the US Department of State authentication. Once returned, the document is ready for official use in Taiwan.
Common document types
Corporate files for Taiwan typically include certificates of incorporation, certificates of good standing, articles, board resolutions, powers of attorney for a local representative, and commercial invoices or certificates of origin.
Diplomas, transcripts, and degree verification letters used for employment, licensing, or further study in Taiwan are notarized as registrar-certified copies, then authenticated and legalized, usually with a Traditional Chinese translation.
Birth, marriage, and divorce records (as certified copies), single status affidavits, FBI background checks, and powers of attorney are the personal documents most often legalized for Taiwan.
What you need to send us
- The original document — a certified copy from the issuing office for vital records and court records, or the signed original for affidavits and agreements.
- Unsigned documents that still need to be notarized, so the signature can be witnessed (in our Philadelphia office, by travel notary, or online).
- A copy of a valid government photo ID for each signer.
- Who will use the document in Taiwan and for what purpose, so we can confirm any translation or format requirements.
- Your return delivery address and preferred contact details.
Typical turnaround
A complete file for Taiwan typically takes 3–6 weeks from the time we receive your documents. State and US Department of State authentication are fairly predictable; the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)'s processing time varies, and we update you at each step. Rush handling is available at the stages where an office allows it.
Ready to legalize your documents for Taiwan?
Request a quote online or call us at (215) 892-2680.
Request a quoteTaiwan embassy legalization questions

Order your Taiwan legalization
Tell us what the document is and where it is going. We confirm the current Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) requirements, quote the full chain, and run it end to end.