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Marriage in Taiwan: Acquiring a Single Status Certificate from Australia


Getting married in a foreign country is an unwelcome entry into the world of legalising documents. As an Australian in Taiwan, the key document you probably don't have but need is a document that proves you are unmarried. The current easiest way to acquire this and legalise it for use in Taiwan is from your state-based births, deaths and marriages registry, with legalisation at TECO in your state.

This post is part of a series on Marriage in Taiwan:
  1. Marriage in Taiwan: Document Requirements - the laws
  2. Marriage in Taiwan: Acquiring a Single Status Certificate from Australia
  3. Marriage in Taiwan: Document Requirements - Registration


As of 2019, Victorians living in Taiwan wishing to get married here should follow the below process (will also work for DFAT-issued CNI, and probably similar in other states):


  1. Apply online for a Single Status Certificate from Victorian Births Deaths and Marriages
    1. If online identity verification fails, mail certified copies of ID to Victorian Births Deaths and Marriages
    2. Standard Processing time is 1-2 months. If urgent, call +61 3 9613 5111 and request urgent processing
  2. Receive Single Status Certificate in Taiwan
  3. Photocopy passport or driver's license (does not need to be certified)
  4. Complete a TECO Australia Application Form for Authentication
  5. Call TECO Melbourne on +61 3 9650 8611 to get permission for postage service and find out the current price
  6. Go to the headquarter branch* of your bank to request a Bank Draft for the amount TECO requests
    1. The bank draft must be made out to Taipei Economic and Cultural Office
  7. Mail #2, #3, #4, #6 to TECO Melbourne
    1.  [Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Melbourne (Document Authentication) Level 46, 80 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC 3000]
  8. Receive the TECO notarised Single Status Certificate
  9. Translate the certificate into Chinese
  10. Take the translated certificate and the original to a Notary Public that can notarise translations and get it notarized

2024: Update from SA from Paul "Went to [get the Single Certificate] in Adelaide city. Needed the rush service. Took 10 mins. Cost 109.50AUD."


2019 Victoria:

Total cost is ~AUD 180.85, plus modest phone bill
  • Single Status Certificate - AUD 33
  • Postage of Single Status Certificate to Taiwan - AUD 52.80
  • Bank Draft Fee - TWD 300
  • Postage of Single Status Certificate to Australia - TWD 400
  • TECO Document Authorisation Fee AUD 22
  • TECO Urgent Processing AUD 11
  • Postage of Legalised Single Status Certificate to Taiwan - AUD 30.05


Processing times (best case): 30 days
  • Single Status Certificate - 14 days + 4 days postage
  • Bank Draft - 0.5 days
  • TECO Legalised Certificate - 1 day + 5 days postage


Processing times (worst case): ~3 months, 3 weeks
  • Single Status Certificate - 2 months + 20 days postage
  • Bank Draft - 2 weeks
  • TECO Legalised Certificate - 3 days + 20 days postage 


* A head office with an overseas banking unit can produce a bank draft in 3-4 hours. A branch office will take 1-2 weeks, due to needing to mail the forms back and forth.
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