I emailed TECO several times and spoke with an agent once, but last week I got a missed call so a voicemail was left. In her response to my emailed questions, she spoke English with a heavy accent so I couldn’t understand what she said, hence my dilemma.
I’m hoping some of you may have experienced this or a similar process and are willing to help guide me in the right direction.
I’m trying to apply for a Taiwan passport during the pandemic, shelter in place. My last and only Taiwan passport was from when I was a young child, prior to becoming a US citizen. Unfortunately, it’s since been lost. Now, I need several documents showing my name changes to prove to TECO I am indeed who I claim to be.
A local, notary public suggested I ask TECO if my notarized document copies needed to be authenticated by apostille. The notary public fee plus apostille fees will be quite expensive for the amount of documents I need to mail to TECO.
Thanks in advance for any help you may wish to share.
@tando, I appreciate your input. I have called TECO numerous times over several days but all my calls went straight to a recording telling me to email them, instead. I’ve emailed again, but haven’t gotten a reply yet. I know it’s only been a week and I should be patient, as I’ve been doing before. But at this point, I posted this inquiry out of sheer frustration. And I was simply hoping someone on this forum might have gone through a similar, Taiwan passport application experience within the last few months to better shed light on this apostille matter.
Seriously, if that TECO agent had answered with clear “yes” or “no”, rather than her heavily accented mumbling, I would not be here talking about this.
I’m also ranting as so many selfish Americans are still unwilling to cooperate with wearing face masks over their nose AND mouth (if they’re wearing any, at all) to help stop the spread of covid-19 and thus allowing businesses such as TECO to open again so I can apply in person.
If there are any straight yes or no answer to my apostille question, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, I’ll post an update if I ever get a clear answer from TECO… in case there are other Americans in the US who may need this info.
I can’t tell if you’re being sincere or sarcastic. I appreciated your help in my initial question about applying for a Taiwan passport in another sub. But if you’re being mean-spirited in commenting to my frustration, I really don’t need the extra stress added to my current situation.
I applied for and received Taiwan passports for my U.S. born kids. (Their mom is a Taiwan citizen.) I completed the whole process in the U.S., by submitting documents to a TECO office.
I never needed or obtained any apostille.
In legal terms, apostille is only recognized by those countries which are signatories to the Hague Convention of 1961. Taiwan is not one of those countries, so I am doubtful that you need any apostille.
I have submitted documents to Taiwan for various reasons (marriage, passports, etc) and all of my documents were certified by either the U.S. federal government, U.S. state government, or “authenticated” by a TECO office. Not apostille.
Having said all that, your situation is a little different than mine, and I have no idea what your TECO is asking for in this coronavirus era. I hope my anecdotal experience will set your mind at ease.
Thanks for your thoughtful anecdotes, @jmee. It’s made me think that I may wait until California’s pandemic shelter in place has been lifted. What you said about Taiwan not being part of the Hague convention of 1961 signatory countries was enlightening. Plus, from what I read about apostille authentication fees, it’s a bit costly.
If the San Francisco TECO office have been operating under normal circumstances, I would’ve gone in person as I live in the San Francisco bay area.
unless you say exactly what is the document for what purpose, I don’t think you could get a straight yes or no answer.
FBI Identity History Summary issued through a Channeler should be authenticated by the Office of Authentication of the US Department of State before it is authenticated by TECO.
If it doesn’t need to be authenticated by TECO, it doesn’t need to be authenticated by the USDoS either, I guess.
Thanks for some of the anecdotes and advice I’ve gotten here and through PM; they’ve been most helpful. Due to the extra difficulties and hurdles from covid-19 in the US/California, I’ll wait until San Francisco’s TECO office is opened again for business so I can file my documents in person.
The helpfulness of TECO staff can vary by office and by person. If you find a way to send your emails in Chinese you may find that TECO will respond faster.