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
- Application form for authentication.
- The applicant must complete and sign the Application Form.
- 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 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 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.
- Provide the original English marriage registration certificate and a copy.
- The original document must be verified by our office. Certification will be affixed to the original document.
Returning to Taiwan to Register for Marriage
- For Applicants Holding a Republic of China (Taiwan) Household Registration:
- Complete and Sign the Application Form: Fill out and sign one application form in person.
- Marriage Certificate: Provide the original English marriage registration certificate and a copy, along with a Chinese translation of the marriage certificate that you have translated yourself. The translation must be signed in person at our office.
- Note: Without the authenticated original English certificate, we cannot authenticate the Chinese translation.
- Signature Requirement: The Chinese translation must be signed in person at our office. If it is not possible to 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 Foreign Spouses:
- Authentication of Chinese Name Declaration: If the foreign spouse cannot return to Taiwan for marriage registration and has authorized our office to handle the entry and residence certificate, the Chinese Name Declaration must be authenticated (signed in person at our office or notarized beforehand).
- Application Form: The foreign spouse must also complete and sign one application form.
- Passports: Provide the original and a copy of the valid Republic of China (Taiwan) passport or foreign passport for both parties. The original will be returned after being checked on-site, and the copy will be kept on file.
- Mailing Option: You may choose to mail either the original or a copy of the identification documents. For copies, ensure that the original passport is personally signed. Colour photocopies of the passport, including the signature page, should be marked as "Certified True Copy" and signed again on the copy. This applies to other residence documents as well. Clearly indicate that the documents are for the Document Authentication Unit when mailing.
- Clearly indicate that the documents are for the Document Authentication Unit when mailing.
- Additional Notes:
- After the documents are authenticated by our office, you have 30 days from the date of authentication to register with the household registration office to avoid penalties for late registration.
Please do not submit the Copy of Particulars of Marriage.
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 deems it necessary to provide 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 must 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 then mail them to us.
- Please note that our office’s verification of the Chinese translation only certifies the authenticity of the signature and does not include verification of the content of the translation.
DOWNLOAD
Chinese Translation of Marriage Certificate
Declaration of Chinese Name (for foreign spouse)