UK Power of Attorney and Authorisation Letter Authentication for Taiwan: TRO London Signature Witnessing, FCDO Apostille and Postal Submission

If you need to use a UK Power of Attorney or authorisation letter in Taiwan, the Taipei Representative Office in the UK may need to authenticate it.

TRO London offers two main routes:

Route 1: in-person signature witnessing at TRO London

Route 2: postal submission after notarisation and FCDO paper apostille

The right route depends on whether the applicant can attend TRO London in person.

Route 1: In-Person Signature Witnessing at TRO London

Applicants who live within the TRO London consular jurisdiction may attend TRO London in person.

The applicant can visit the Taipei Representative Office at:

Ground Floor
48 Grosvenor Gardens
London

A consular officer can witness the applicant’s signature on the Power of Attorney or authorisation letter.

However, applicants must book an appointment first. TRO requires an appointment by email or phone for this service.

From 1 February 2023, applicants must book online in advance before attending.

Do Not Sign Before the Appointment

If you attend TRO London in person, you should leave the signature section blank.

You should sign the Power of Attorney or authorisation letter in front of the consular officer.

This allows TRO London to witness the signature directly.

No FCDO Apostille Needed for In-Person Signature Witnessing

If you attend TRO London in person and sign before the consular officer, you do not need to legalise the Power of Attorney or authorisation letter with the FCDO first.

This route may be more direct if you can attend the office in person and meet the appointment requirements.

Route 2: Postal Submission with Notarisation and FCDO Paper Apostille

If you apply by post, you must prepare the document before sending it to TRO London.

First, you should ask a Notary Public or solicitor to notarise the Power of Attorney or authorisation letter.

The Notary Public or solicitor must confirm that the applicant’s signature is genuine.

Then, you must send the document to the FCDO Legalisation Office for legalisation.

TRO London accepts paper-based apostilles only.

After the FCDO attaches the paper apostille, you can submit the document to TRO London for authentication.

Signature Wording Matters

For postal applications, TRO London requires the applicant’s signature on the Power of Attorney or authorisation letter to be notarised as genuine by a Notary Public or solicitor.

TRO will not accept the document if the notarisation does not confirm that the signature is genuine.

Therefore, the certification should clearly state that the signature on the Power of Attorney or authorisation letter is genuine.

Which Route Should You Choose?

You may choose the in-person route if:

• you live within TRO London’s consular jurisdiction
• you can attend the office in London
• you can book an appointment in advance
• you can sign the document before the consular officer

You may need the postal route if:

• you cannot attend TRO London in person
• you are already in Taiwan, Hong Kong or another overseas location
• you need a solicitor or Notary Public to certify the signature
• you need FCDO paper apostille before TRO London authentication

How Ginkgo Advisory Can Help

Ginkgo Advisory assists clients who need to use UK Power of Attorney documents or authorisation letters in Taiwan.

We can help with the UK-side process before and after TRO London submission, including:

• checking whether your Power of Attorney or authorisation letter needs solicitor or notary certification
• arranging signature witnessing or signature certification where appropriate
• preparing solicitor certification wording that confirms the signature is genuine
• arranging our 2 working days UK FCDO apostille service
• preparing the document for TRO London legalisation
• assisting with the TRO authentication application form
• assisting with the TRO authorisation letter where an agent submits for you
• arranging TRO London postal submission
• helping coordinate return courier delivery to Taiwan or another overseas address

This helps keep the process clear from the beginning, especially if you are already in Taiwan, Hong Kong or another overseas location and need UK-side handling.