Taiwan Document Legalization
LegalizationUsing US documents in Taiwan · Asia
Taiwan is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, so US documents need authentication plus embassy legalization. The chain: state or federal certification, then U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications authentication ($20/doc), then legalization at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).
| Hague status | Not a member |
|---|---|
| Embassy legalization needed? | Yes |
| State documents go to | The issuing state's competent authority |
| Federal documents go to | U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications ($20/doc) |
| Embassy | Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) — 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 · fee: confirm with embassy |
Your exact steps for Taiwan
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The full legalization chain, in order
- Get the correct base document (certified vital-records copy, or notarize the document)
- State authority certification — ask for an authentication for a non-Hague country, not an apostille (state documents only)
- U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — $20 per document
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), Washington D.C. — authentication of the U.S. State Department certification
Embassy details & fees
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) — 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016. Confirm the current consular fee directly with the embassy. TECRO can only authenticate documents issued within its service area (DE, MD, DC, VA, WV); documents from other states must go through the TECO office covering that state. Confirm the current authentication fee with TECRO. Embassy website →
Timeline & cost, worked out
For a state document: the state fee (roughly $10 in many states) + $20 federal authentication + the embassy's consular fee. Budget several weeks — federal authentication alone runs about 5+ weeks by mail.
Which documents does Taiwan usually ask for
- Diploma / degree certificate (state example: California)
- Marriage certificate (state example: California)
- Single status affidavit (state example: California)
- FBI background check (Identity History Summary) (federal)
- Corporate documents (state example: California)
State documents vs federal documents
The routing never depends on Taiwan — it depends on who issued your document. A birth certificate, diploma, or notarized paper is a state document, apostilled or certified by the issuing state. An FBI background check, IRS letter, or naturalization certificate is federal and goes only to the U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications.
Frequently asked questions
＋Does Taiwan accept a US apostille?
No. Taiwan is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, so an apostille is not accepted. US documents need authentication by the US Department of State and legalization at the Taiwan embassy.
＋What is the order of steps for Taiwan?
Get the correct base document, obtain the state or federal certification, have the US Department of State authenticate it, then legalize it at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO). Served through TECRO, not an embassy — the U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. TECRO authenticates the U.S. Department of State certification in place of an embassy legalization step.
＋How much does legalization for Taiwan cost?
The US Department of State charges $20 per document, plus the state fee for state documents. The Taiwan embassy sets its own consular fee — confirm it directly, as embassies change fees without much notice.
＋How long does the Taiwan legalization chain take?
Plan for several weeks. The federal authentication step alone runs about 5+ weeks by mail, and the embassy step adds more. Start early, especially for visa deadlines.
More country requirements
Sources
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor
Last verified: July 13, 2026 against the HCCH status table and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)(official page). See how we verify and how often on ourmethodology page.
This is informational, not legal advice. The receiving authority sets the final requirements — confirm with them and the office named above before you send anything.