Authentication of Marriage Certificate

Item	Description
Consular Jurisdiction	Our office provides document authentication services for documents issued in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. We are unable to process documents issued outside of our jurisdiction. Please contact the appropriate Taiwan overseas mission for verification. If you are unsure which office has jurisdiction, please refer to the Jurisdiction Inquiry Page.
Application Methods	By Mail: Please choose a reliable courier service and send via registered mail. Address: 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2006, Houston, Texas 77046 (please indicate "Document Authentication Section"). In-Person: Please refer to our office hours. Through a Representative: The applicant must complete a Power of Attorney, have it notarized, and sign in person. The representative must present the notarized document, a Valid ID, and all required paperwork when applying on behalf of the applicant.
Required Documents	Completed Document Authentication Application Form Applicants must submit one original and one photocopy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) passports for both spouses (please ensure that the signature page is signed). The originals will be returned after verification. For applications submitted by mail, only photocopies of the ROC passports are required. ※If one spouse does not hold ROC nationality, their identification documents must first be notarized. If the non-ROC spouse cannot provide a document containing their Chinese name and only possesses a foreign-language identification document (e.g., a U.S. passport), then the Chinese translation of the marriage certificate can only include their foreign name. ※ If the marriage certificate is to be used for marriage registration at a Taiwan household registration office, and a Chinese name translation is required, the spouse holding a foreign passport must also apply for a “Declaration for Using Chinese Name, which must first be notarized. Applicants must submit one original English marriage certificate issued by the competent government authority of the jurisdiction where the marriage took place.Chinese Translation of the Certificate: If a Chinese translation of the document is required, applicants may proceed in either of the following ways: Option 1: Use the English document authenticated by this office, have it translated into Chinese either in Taiwan or by a translation agency, and then have the Chinese translation notarized by a Notary Public. Once the Chinese translation has been notarized in Taiwan, no further verification by this office is required. Option 2: Prepare a complete Chinese translation in advance, either through a local translation agency or by the applicant. Then have the translation notarized by a Notary Public under this office’s jurisdiction, with a signed declaration in front of the notary stating that the Chinese translation accurately reflects the meaning of the English original, e.g.: “I hereby declare that this translation is a true and correct Chinese version of the attached original to the best of my knowledge and belief.” After notarization, the Chinese translation can then be submitted to this office for authentication. ※In accordance with regulations, this office cannot accept applications for the authentication of the English photocopy of the marriage certificate alone.
Issuance / Pick-up Time	In-person application or application submitted by an authorized representative: Processing time is five (5) business days. Application by mail: The authenticated document will be mailed within one month after this office receives the application.
Fees	USD $15 per document. Payment accepted via cash, money order, or cashier’s check. Personal checks are not accepted. Please make sure the check is payable to "TECO in Houston."
Pick-Up Options	In-Person or by Representative: Please bring the receipt. Documents not collected within 3 months will not be stored by our office. Mail-in Applicants: In-person pick-up is recommended. You may pick up documents during counter hours after receiving a notification. Return Mailing in the U.S.: If you cannot pick up documents in person, you may authorize our office to mail them to a U.S. address. We do not mail documents to Taiwan. Our office only assists with mailing by dropping documents into a postal box. We are not responsible for damage, delays, or loss during mailing and will not reissue lost documents. Before mailing documents to us, please: 1. Prepare a return envelope with proper postage 2. For USPS, use Priority Mail Express® Flat Rate Envelope ($33). Clearly write the recipient's name and address using a Priority Mail Express® Label 3. If you are requesting our office to purchase postage stamps, payment must be made by a separate check If the applicant is in Taiwan and has no one in the U.S. to collect the documents, please prepare an international return mail envelope (e.g., USPS Priority Mail Express International, $76) and include the recipient’s full name and address in both English and Chinese. If using other courier services (UPS, FedEx, DHL): Do not include our office information on the shipping label. The sender’s address must be that of the applicant or a family member. If the return envelope does not meet our or USPS requirements, you will be asked to provide corrections or pick up the documents in person.
Important Notice	According to the Household Registration Act of the Republic of China (Taiwan), marriage registration must be completed within 30 days after completing authentication of the marriage certificate at this office. Failure to do so may result in penalties for late registration.
Pre-submission Checklist	□ All required documents □ Authentication fee: $15 per document □ Return envelope with sufficient postage (not needed if picking up in person)