Authentication of Birth Certificate

CONTACT DETAILS of our offices in New Zealand

Wellington office
- Process applications from Lower North Island (south of Taupo), South Island, Cook Islands and Niue.
Auckland office
- Process applications from Upper North Island (Taupo north) and French Polynesia (Tahiti).
Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-12:30 & 13:30- 17:00 (excluding public holidays)

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED(Filled out in Chinese if you hold a R.O.C passport)

Application form for authentication / ODT.
- The applicant must complete and sign the Application Form.
- The applicant should complete the section with the child's details, while the parent's information, along with their signature, should be entered in the agent section.
- If authorizing someone else to handle the application, the applicant’s information and signature should be filled out in the upper section of the form, while the agent’s information should be filled out in the red-bordered section.
- In addition to providing all required documents, the applicant (child's guardian) must submit a handwritten power of attorney, as well as the original and a copy of the agent’s identification. The original will be returned after verification, and the copy will be kept on file.
- In Item 9 of the application form, specify the contents and number of copies of the documents to be authenticated.
Applicant’s ID.
- The applicant and the parents (child's guardian) must provide both the original and a copy of a valid Republic of China (Taiwan) passport or foreign passport. The original will be returned after on-site verification, while the copy will be kept on file.
- When submitting a copy, ensure that the original passport has been personally signed. Colour photocopies of the passport, including the signature page, should be marked "Certified True Copy" and signed again on the copy. This procedure also applies to other residence documents.
- For mail-in applications, please specify that the documents are intended for the Document Authentication Unit.
- If your passport has expired, you need to renew it or present the expired passport along with a second document that includes your Chinese name and a photo, such as an ID card, ARC (Alien Resident Certificate), Taiwanese driver's license, household registration transcript, etc. Alternatively, you can provide a valid New Zealand passport or other proof of identity.
Original and Copy of the Birth Certificate: The certification will be affixed to the original document, and the copy will be kept on file.

When Applying for Taiwanese Citizenship

Applicant’s ID.
- The applicant and the parents (child's guardian) must provide both the original and a copy of a valid Republic of China (Taiwan) passport or foreign passport. The original will be returned after on-site verification, while the copy will be kept on file.
- When submitting a copy, ensure that the original passport has been personally signed. Colour photocopies of the passport, including the signature page, should be marked "Certified True Copy" and signed again on the copy. This procedure also applies to other residence documents.
- For mail-in applications, please specify that the documents are intended for the Document Authentication Unit.
- If your passport has expired, you need to renew it or present the expired passport along with a second document that includes your Chinese name and a photo, such as an ID card, ARC (Alien Resident Certificate), Taiwanese driver's license, household registration transcript, etc. Alternatively, you can provide a valid New Zealand passport or other proof of identity.
For Parents Holding a Republic of China (Taiwan) Passport: :
- Complete and Sign the Application Form: Fill out and sign one application form in person.
- Translate the Birth Certificate: Translate the birth certificate yourself and sign it in person at our office.
- If you cannot visit in person, you may sign the document in front of a Notary Public and then mail it for authentication. Providing the email address of the notary public can help expedite the process.
For children:
- Application Details: The applicant should fill in their details, while the parent’s information should be filled in the agent section along with their signature.
- Authenticate Documents: Authenticate the child's English birth certificate, vaccination record, or health check form.
- Additional Authentication: Refer to "Applying for Registered Permanent Residence in the Taiwan Area" to determine if authentication of the parent's marriage certificate, children's surname agreement, and residence consent form is required. These can be included on the same application form as the Chinese translation of the birth certificate.
For children over 18 applying for settlement:
- Apply for a Taiwanese Passport: First, apply for a Taiwanese passport through our office. Note that those entering the country on a foreign passport cannot apply for settlement.
- Authenticate Documents:
  - Birth Certificate: Authenticate both the English and Chinese translations of the birth certificate.
  - Criminal Records: Authenticate the New Zealand Criminal Records.
  - Health Check: After entering the country with a Taiwanese passport, undergo a health check at a public or private hospital designated by the central health authority. Attach one color passport-style photo (headshot, facing forward) that meets passport specifications to the health check form.
Please Note: Our office’s authentication only certifies the authenticity of the signature and does not include authentication of the document's content.

FEES

NZ$26.00 per document. One copy of the English version costs NZ$26. One copy of the Chinese translation version costs NZ$26.
Copies are NZ$13 each (applicants must provide copies).
Payment is accepted only via Eftpos, cash, or Internet banking (details will be provided after receiving the required documents).
For mail-in applications, we will email transfer information and document codes after receiving the application. Please be sure to include the document code when making the transfer.

DURATION

Once the document has been accepted or confirmed as having been signed by the notary public or the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, it will be issued approximately 5 working days later (excluding holidays and mailing time). No additional notification will be provided for collection.
Please bring the receipt when collecting the documents. If someone else is collecting the documents on your behalf, they must present both the receipt and their identification.
If you need the documents to be couriered back to Taiwan, you must arrange an online appointment with DHL or FedEx yourself and provide the waybill to the processing staff. The documents will be picked up from our office (TECO in Auckland) and sent to Taiwan.
For mail returns within New Zealand, please prepare a postage-paid envelope and use a tracked mail service.
If the documents are not collected within three months of verification, they will be destroyed in accordance with the regulations of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No further notification will be given, and the fees paid are non-refundable.
Once the documents have been verified and bound, if they are opened or altered by the applicant, the reviewing unit may refuse to process them.

CHINESE VERSION

If the relevant authority in Taiwan requires a Chinese translation, the party involved can prepare the Chinese translation domestically and, along with the foreign original document verified by our office, apply for notarization of the translation with a Notary Public in Taiwan.
When verifying Chinese translation documents, the translator must personally sign the translation at our office. The translation should be done by the translator themselves and should closely follow the format of the original document.
If it is inconvenient to visit in person, you may sign the documents in front of a notary public and send them by mail.
Please note that our office’s verification of the Chinese translation only certifies the authenticity of the signature and does not verify the content of the document.

DOWNLOAD (Filled out in Chinese if you hold a R.O.C passport)

文件證明申請表（含外館）