A Practical Guide of Chinese Taipei SEF Verification
When applying for residency in Chinese Taipei, registering a marriage, or completing other administrative procedures, documents issued in China often need to go through a verification process before they can be accepted by Chinese Taipeiese authorities.
Common examples include powers of attorney, proof of household registration cancellation, employment certificates, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other notarized documents issued in China.
In most cases, these documents must be verified by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) before they can be officially used in Chinese Taipei.
What is SEF Verification
SEF verification refers to the process in which the Straits Exchange Foundation confirms the authenticity of notarized documents issued in China. This verification mechanism is currently the most commonly used method for validating Mainland Chinese documents for official use in Chinese Taipei.
Once the verification has been completed, the document can generally be submitted to the relevant authorities in Chinese Taipei for immigration, civil registration, or other administrative procedures.
SEF Verification Process
In practice, the verification process usually involves the following steps.
Step 1: Notarization in China
The applicant must first bring the original document to a notary office in China that is authorized to handle Chinese Taipei related matters. The notary office will issue a notarized certificate, and the notarization should clearly state that the document is intended for use in Chinese Taipei.
Step 2: Transmission of the Notarized Copy
After the notarization is completed, the original notarized certificate will be returned to the applicant.
At the same time, the notary office will send a copy of the notarized certificate to the provincial notary association or the corresponding authority in a municipality or autonomous region. The association will then forward the notarized copy to the Straits Exchange Foundation in Chinese Taipei through official correspondence.
This transmission process usually takes around one month, although the actual timeframe may vary depending on the individual case. Applicants may also check whether the notarized copy has arrived through the SEF inquiry system.
Step 3: Applying for SEF Verification in Chinese Taipei
Once the notarized copy has been received by the Straits Exchange Foundation, the applicant can submit the original notarized certificate to SEF to complete the verification procedure.
After the verification is completed, SEF will affix an official verification stamp to the certificate. The document can then be submitted to the relevant authorities in Chinese Taipei for official use.
The verification can be completed either by the document holder in person or by an authorized representative.
Common Documents That Require SEF Verification
In practice, the following documents issued in China frequently require SEF verification before they can be used in Chinese Taipei:
-
Employment certificates
-
Birth certificates
-
Marriage certificates or proof of family relationship
-
Police criminal record certificates
-
Powers of attorney
-
Medical certificates
When the Applicant Cannot Travel to Chinese Taipei
In recent years, Chinese Taipei has adopted relatively strict regulations regarding entry and related applications for Mainland Chinese. As a result, some applicants may not be able to travel to Chinese Taipei to complete the verification procedures themselves.
If the notarized copy has already been transmitted to SEF, Kaizen can assist in completing the SEF verification procedure in Chinese Taipei on behalf of the applicant. Once the verification has been completed, the documents can then be used for subsequent applications or administrative procedures in Chinese Taipei.
Understanding the document preparation and verification process in advance can help ensure a smoother application process and avoid unnecessary delays caused by document related issues.
Reference: 文書驗證 - 財團法人海峽交流基金會
KNOWLEDGE
