Hi all, I’m a US citizen who is looking to get Taiwan dual citizenship via my parents.
I’m currently living in Taiwan on an ARC, which seems to make it difficult to get a US criminal record check.
Can I obtain a US criminal record check while I’m in Taiwan? Or do I need to go back to the US to get it?
I know I need the criminal check certified by the Taiwanese diplomatic mission in my country (TECO) and translate the document in Chinese. Is there any way to do all this from Taiwan?
There are quite a few authentication services for Chinese documents in the U.S. Find one closest to your place of U.S. residence. There are also plenty of companies that perform background checks. You can do the fingerprints in Taiwan - ask the U.S. consulate how.
Yes, what I mean is, can I get the US criminal record mailed to me in Taiwan, and certify it and translate it all while I am in Taiwan? Or do I need to go back to the US to do these things?
Yes, but it will be expensive. Less so than flying all the way back, though.
Yes, and it’s not that expensive.
Check you private messages.
Couple hundred bucks max. FedEx envelope costs US$30-50 one way. Can be done entirely in Taiwan.
Could you PM me the info as well? Thanks!
TECRO told me that If I bring the authenticated English FBI Background Check document to Taiwan, I can get a Chinese translation notarized in Taiwan. So I don’t actually need the translation authenticated by TECO/TECRO at all.
But, if you get the translation done in USA, you have to get it authenticated by TECRO/TECO. Which seems odd to me. Why would anyone get their translation done in the USA then, since it adds an extra step?
It depends. Is it cheaper to do it in usa or in taiwan. Then theres the hotel/motel stay cost and all that
Yes, but why do you need authentication for the translation when doing it in USA, but you don’t need authentication when done in Taiwan?
It still needs to be verified by MFA so process-wise verification is still needed, just a different option:
Quote:
(3) The original foreign-language police criminal record certificate issued (or verified) by the embassy or institution in the applicant’s home country should be re-verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with its Chinese translation authenticated by either a court notary or a private notary in the ROC.
Thats what the notary does in taiwan. Authenticates youe translation. Zo it abt the cost. Where is cheaper???
Authentication in Taiwan is done by a Taiwanese notary public. Most translation services in Taiwan also notarize their translations for an extra fee.
So you don’t have to renounce US citizenship ?
probably another passport vs nationality vs citizenship confusion…
To be honest it dont cost much to hire a certified immifration agent in taiwan. Around 40k or less twd in 2025.
Saves you all the trouble.
Seems a lot of perspectives on this thread…so let me add to them.
Based on my experience (twice) for the FBI Background check, translation from English to Chinese (in either the US or Taiwan) is not required. However, Authentication of the FBI Background check is required and can only be completed by TECRO in Washington D.C. Both times the TECRO Authenticated English version was sucessfully accepted by Immigration. I’m not sure about the procedures for other countries.