UK Certificate of Incorporation Authentication for Taiwan

A UK Certificate of Incorporation records a company’s formation, registered name, company number and incorporation date. A Taiwan bank, authority or transaction adviser may request it when a UK company opens an account, makes an investment or enters a commercial transaction.

If the recipient requires authentication by a Taipei Representative Office, start by confirming the correct Companies House document and the appropriate representative office. The document can then complete the required preparation, FCDO paper apostille and TRO authentication before delivery to Taiwan.

Ginkgo Advisory provides solicitor-led support with document review, suitable Companies House documents, solicitor certification where required, FCDO legalisation, TRO authentication and international courier arrangements.

Send your company name, company number, certificate and the Taiwan recipient’s instructions through WhatsApp on +44 7388 833283. We can review the requirements before you order or send the formal documents.

What is a UK Certificate of Incorporation?

A Certificate of Incorporation is issued by the Registrar of Companies when a company is registered at Companies House. It confirms incorporation and identifies the company by its registered number and formation date. UK Government company registration guidance

This guide focuses on companies, including the familiar private company limited by shares. If your entity is an LLP, limited partnership or a UK establishment of an overseas company, tell us its legal form so the correct document can be identified.

An incorporation agent, accountant or company secretary may help obtain the certificate. The issuing authority and official certification should still be checked on the document itself.

What information does the certificate contain?

Section 15 of the Companies Act 2006 specifies the certificate’s contents and requires the Registrar’s signature or official seal. It also gives the certificate conclusive evidential status regarding compliance with registration requirements. Companies Act 2006, section 15

Detail	What to check for the Taiwan application
Company name	Exact spelling and the registered company suffix
Registered number	Every character, including leading zeros and any letters
Incorporation date	The original formation date shown on the certificate
Liability	Whether limited or unlimited and, if limited, by shares or guarantee
Company type	Whether private or public
Registered jurisdiction	England and Wales, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, as stated
Official authentication	The Registrar’s signature or seal and any additional certification pages

The jurisdiction stated on an incorporation certificate is different from the company’s full current registered office address. Obtain current address information separately if the application requires it.

The company number is also different from a Corporation Tax Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) or VAT number. Use the identifier requested in each field of the Taiwan application.

When might a UK company need the certificate in Taiwan?

The certificate may be requested for:

• Corporate bank account and Offshore Banking Unit (OBU) applications.
• Know-your-customer (KYC) reviews and bank record updates.
• Investment by a UK company in a Taiwan business.
• Foreign company branch or representative office applications.
• Corporate shareholder identification.
• Financing, guarantees, acquisitions and share transactions.
• Due diligence by lawyers, accountants and commercial counterparties.

Ask the recipient for its written requirements. Confirm the accepted certificate or copy, required date, number of document sets, translation requirements and whether TRO authentication is necessary.

For example, a bank may require the incorporation certificate to identify the company, a recent document showing its standing, director information and a resolution approving the account opening. Preparing the complete list together helps align the names, dates and authority documents.

Which Companies House document should you use?

A downloaded filing, an electronic incorporation certificate and an officially certified document can contain similar information while having different certification formats.

Document available	Preparation to consider
Electronic incorporation certificate	Provide the original PDF for review and confirm the accepted paper format
Download from the filing history	Identify the certificate within the filing and whether formal certification is required
Companies House certified certificate or copy	Check the ordered content and original official signature
Solicitor-certified copy	Confirm the source, certification wording and recipient’s acceptance
Notarised copy	Confirm the notary’s requirements and the scope of the notarial certificate

Companies House states that a document submitted for FCDO legalisation must carry an original British public official’s signature. To obtain a document signed in person by a Companies House official, request the appropriate certified certificate or certified copy. Companies House certified-document guidance

Printing a downloaded PDF does not add that original official signature. Send the complete file, including any existing certification pages, so the suitable route can be confirmed.

How do you order a certified incorporation certificate?

Companies House offers company certificates with certified facts and certified copies of documents on the register. Orders can be placed through the company’s “More” tab in the Find and update company information service or through the Companies House contact centre. Companies House ordering guidance

Before ordering, confirm:

• The full company name and registered number.
• Whether you need a copy of the original incorporation certificate or a certificate with additional facts.
• The original official signature required for legalisation.
• Any name-change certificates needed to connect the historical and current names.
• The number of formal copies and their delivery address.
• The recipient’s deadline and any document-age requirements.

Check whether the order covers one certificate or a larger set of incorporation documents. The contents, page count and number of certificates can affect the later work and quotation.

If you already have a formally signed document, provide it for review before ordering another. An existing suitable version may meet the requirements.

Is solicitor certification or notarisation always required?

Additional certification depends on the document and the recipient’s instructions. A Companies House document with an acceptable original official signature may be eligible for FCDO legalisation on that signature. A copy or other document may require an appropriate UK solicitor’s or notary’s certification first. UK Government document legalisation guidance

Ginkgo Advisory provides solicitor certification and can coordinate notarial work where a Notary Public is specifically required. The certification must accurately describe the checks performed, such as verifying the source, certifying a copy or witnessing a signature.

An official incorporation certificate is issued by the Registrar. A director should not add a personal signature to the certificate as though issuing it. Any separately required company declaration should be prepared and signed in its own right.

Does incorporation evidence establish current good standing?

The original certificate establishes incorporation. A request for current standing, directors or ownership needs the corresponding evidence.

Document or record	Main purpose
Certificate of Incorporation	Records formation and the company’s identity at incorporation
Company certificate with a summary statement	Addresses continuous existence and the absence of current strike-off action within its wording
Companies House search information	Shows the information available on the register when checked
Director or incumbency evidence	Addresses the appointments or particulars expressly covered
Shareholder and ownership documents	Supports the ownership information requested
Board resolution or Power of Attorney	Records the relevant approval or authority for the proposed action

Companies House now calls its former good standing statement a “summary statement”. It is available subject to eligibility conditions. Certificates cannot include PSC, shareholder, shareholding or statement-of-capital information. Companies House guidance on additional certified facts

If a Taiwan checklist uses “Certificate of Good Standing”, confirm the wording the recipient accepts for a UK company before ordering. A newer copy of the original incorporation certificate does not itself provide a summary statement.

What if the company has changed its name?

Supply the relevant Certificate of Change of Name alongside the original incorporation evidence. Where there have been several changes, provide the sequence for review so the documents can be connected to the current application.

Preserve the names printed on the historical certificates. Use supporting documents to explain the change and check that the company number is consistent throughout the set.

Tell us which name the Taiwan bank or authority is using and whether it needs each certificate authenticated separately. This should be settled before certification and legalisation.

Does an incorporation certificate expire?

Its incorporation date records a historical event. The practical question is whether the document you hold meets the recipient’s requirements for the present application.

If the recipient asks for a document issued or certified within three months, establish which document and date it means. It may require a recently certified copy, a current company certificate or separate standing evidence.

For a company incorporated in 2010, a copy certified in 2026 still records incorporation in 2010. The certification, apostille and TRO authentication dates identify later stages; they do not change the formation date or add a statement of current standing.

Should the documents go to TRO London or Edinburgh?

Taiwan’s representative offices divide consular work between London and Edinburgh. The published jurisdiction guidance directs applications from northern Britain, including Durham, Cumbria and Scotland, and the Isle of Man to the Edinburgh Office. Taipei Representative Office consular jurisdiction

For a company-document case, provide the registered jurisdiction, the full certificate and certification pages, the certifier’s details and the applicant’s location. We can then check the appropriate office’s requirements before the documents are prepared for submission.

Using a London courier address does not itself determine which office should authenticate the document. Each office’s applicable forms and submission instructions should be followed.

Is an FCDO apostille enough for Taiwan?

If the recipient requires TRO authentication, complete that stage after the apostille. FCDO legalisation checks the relevant signature, stamp or seal and attaches an apostille; it does not approve the company’s bank account or underlying transaction. UK Government document legalisation guidance

For TRO London’s business-document service, arrange a paper apostille. Its guidance accepts paper-based apostilles only. A printout of an e-Apostille is not an FCDO-issued paper apostille. TRO London business document authentication

If you already have an apostille, send the complete certificate and attached pages for review. The signature authenticated, document format and condition of the set all matter.

How to authenticate a UK Certificate of Incorporation for Taiwan

Step 1: Confirm the Taiwan recipient’s requirements

Obtain the written checklist, intended use and deadline. Confirm the required documents, copies, dates and translations. Ask whether the recipient will retain the formal papers and whether it needs a separate authenticated set for each application.

Step 2: Review the company and existing certificate

Send the company name, complete registered number, registered jurisdiction and all certificate pages. Include existing certification, apostilles and any name-change evidence. We will identify the document version and information needed for the next stages.

Step 3: Confirm the representative office and document format

Check the London or Edinburgh arrangements before ordering and certifying the papers. Confirm whether an officially signed Companies House document or an appropriately certified copy meets the requirements, together with any separate company declaration.

Step 4: Obtain the suitable Companies House document

Order the agreed certificate or certified copy with the required official signature and number of copies. Allow for dispatch and delivery to the nominated UK address. Review the documents when they arrive to confirm that the order matches the intended application.

Step 5: Complete any required preliminary certification

Where solicitor certification or notarisation is needed, complete the appropriate checks using the required source documents. A suitable official document can proceed on its official signature where accepted. Review accompanying private company documents separately for their signing requirements.

Step 6: Arrange the FCDO paper apostille

Submit the eligible document for paper legalisation. Once the documents are ready, required certification is complete and the submission is accepted, Ginkgo Advisory’s express FCDO stage normally takes approximately two working days. Check the returned apostille and attached document before onward submission.

Step 7: Prepare the TRO application and authorisation

Complete the applicable application form and prepare identification, company information and the required originals and copies. Where an agent is appointed, use the prescribed Letter of Authorization and complete the required signature certification. We can help organise the submission set.

Step 8: Complete representative-office authentication

Submit to the confirmed office, respond to any request for additional information and arrange collection. If the case is urgent, confirm whether an express service is available and suitable before relying on a completion date.

Step 9: Send the completed documents to Taiwan

Check the complete set, retain a scan and arrange tracked international courier delivery to the designated recipient. Preserve all original attachments, bindings and seals. Provide the Taiwan address and any appointment or transaction deadline when arranging the service.

What should you prepare for the application?

Your checklist will depend on the representative office and document route. For initial review, provide:

• The incorporation certificate and all attached certification pages.
• Any existing apostille and relevant name-change documents.
• The company’s registered details.
• The Taiwan recipient’s instructions and intended use.
• The applicant’s name, role and location.
• The required number of sets, deadline and delivery destination.

Once the route is confirmed, prepare the required application form, identification copies and agency authorisation. TRO London’s instructions address the Letter of Authorization and accompanying documents. TRO London application requirements

The company representative, person signing a separate declaration and agent handling submission may be different people. Identify each person’s role so the forms and authorisations correspond.

Do you need a Chinese translation?

Ask the Taiwan recipient whether it accepts the English documents and, if a translation is needed, what certification it requires. Confirm whether the translation must include the certificate alone or the complete authentication set.

The translation should preserve the company name, number, incorporation date and legal form. “Certificate of Incorporation” should not be translated as a business licence or good-standing certificate. A UK public company is not necessarily a listed company.

Where the company already uses a Chinese name for the application, coordinate that wording with the Taiwan adviser while retaining the original English name for identification. Translation and authentication requirements should be agreed before commissioning the translation.

How long does the service take, and what affects the cost?

The full timetable includes document ordering and delivery, any preliminary certification, FCDO legalisation, representative-office processing and courier delivery to Taiwan. Translation or additional company documents can add further stages.

Approximately two working days is Ginkgo Advisory’s express FCDO-stage estimate once the document is ready and accepted. Companies House dispatch, preparation, TRO processing and delivery are additional. FCDO signature checks or requests for further documents can extend the timetable.

A quotation should identify the document-ordering, certification, apostille, representative-office, agency, translation and courier work included. Send the full scans, number of sets and deadline so the scope can be confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

1. Who issues a UK Certificate of Incorporation?

The Registrar of Companies issues it through Companies House. A formation agent or adviser may obtain it for the company, but the certificate’s official source should remain clear.

2. Can I use a free Companies House PDF?

Send it for initial review. A downloaded file may need an appropriate certified version or further preparation before legalisation. Its content alone does not establish that it has the signature required for the proposed process.

3. Must a notary certify the certificate first?

That depends on the accepted route. An appropriately signed official document may be legalised on the official signature. A copy may need solicitor or notarial certification, and any specific recipient requirement must be satisfied.

4. What if I have lost the original certificate?

An appropriate certificate or certified copy can be ordered from Companies House. Confirm the required contents and legalisation signature before ordering so the replacement is suitable for the Taiwan application.

5. Can it replace a Good Standing certificate?

The original incorporation certificate does not provide the same evidence. If the recipient needs current standing, check whether a Companies House certificate with a summary statement meets its requirements.

6. Does it show the current directors and shareholders?

The standard incorporation certificate records formation particulars. Director information and ownership evidence should be obtained in the form requested. Do not assume that an incorporation certificate includes the company’s current ownership structure.

7. Can every UK company use TRO London?

The representative offices have separate jurisdictions. Confirm the appropriate office using the company, document and certification details before submission, particularly where Scotland or northern Britain is involved.

8. Can I use an e-Apostille for TRO London?

Its business-document guidance requires a paper apostille. If you already have an e-Apostille, send the complete electronic set so the necessary paper preparation can be assessed. TRO London business document guidance

9. Can several company documents be processed together?

Yes, they can be reviewed as one proposed package. Confirm whether each document needs separate certification, an apostille and authentication, and whether each recipient needs its own formal set. Keep official certificates and privately signed documents clearly identified.

10. Can you handle the process while I am in Taiwan?

We can help coordinate the agreed UK stages and courier delivery. The company representative must still complete the required identification, application and signing arrangements. Remote review can begin with scans, while the formal process may require paper originals.

Arrange UK company document authentication for Taiwan

Ginkgo Advisory can help prepare your UK Certificate of Incorporation for Taiwan banking, investment and corporate applications. We review the document and recipient’s requirements, confirm suitable certification and representative-office arrangements, and coordinate the FCDO paper apostille, TRO authentication and delivery.

Send the certificate, company number, any supporting name-change documents, the Taiwan checklist and your deadline through WhatsApp on +44 7388 833283.