Apostille stamp... required?

[crybllrd]

Is it required to get an apostille stamp on my diploma? I read on the list of countries that must recognize it, and Taiwan is not on the list. Just People's Republic of China (didn't see Republic Of China). The reason im asking is that ill have to shell out US$400 for the stamp, since my degree was obtained in the UK (studied abroad). In Taiwan, is it required or just reccomended, or not needed at all?

[superemma]

I have no idea what an apostille stamp is, nor do I have one on my degree for that reason. However, I'm still working here, and I'm legal. So...I'd have to infer that it must be okay to be here without one and that they aren't mandatory in any case.

[Lord Lucan]

An apostille is a piece of paper attached to a document to prove it is genuine, usually done for government documents. Why this would cost US$400 beats the hell out of me. And the UK govt won't attach an apostille to a UK degree because degrees are not issued by the UK government. So I don't understand the question. The FCO in London charges £10 for apostilles for marriage certificates etc.

[StuartCa]

I read on the list of countries that must recognize it, and Taiwan is not on the list. Just People's Republic of China (didn't see Republic Of China).

Doesn't that answer your own question? Taiwan isn't on the list of needing one therefore you don't need one.

But from experience you don't need one. I've had various jobs here from Teaching to Tech writing and have never been asked for one with my certificate from a British Uni

[Hartzell]

In regard to the "apostille" issue, this is a procedure under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents ..... to which (by the way) Taiwan is not a party.

More information is here --
http://travel.state.gov/law/info/judici ... _2545.html

For Taiwan, the procedure is in two parts: (1) Get the document in question examined and stamped by the nearest overseas Taiwanese Representative Office.

Then (2) when the document is brought to Taiwan, you submit it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Bureau of Consular Affairs (MOFA BOCA) for re-examination and re-stamping.

At this point the document should be considered valid for use in Taiwan.

NOTES:
(a) A "diploma" is not considered to have an expiry date, so that simplifies matters considerably. Some documents have expiry dates, for example (in the view of Taiwanese officialdom) a CCRD is only considered valid for three months after issuance.

(b) Documents in English should not require a Chinese translation. However, if the documentation is in some other language the overseas Taiwanese Representative Office may require a Chinese translation. The more official looking the translation is, the better .....

[Tobiasgar]

I think it's always better to have two variants.. never knows what you can be asked ..