Document Legalization Act for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Missions Article 12
In the conduct of document authentication as stipulated in Paragraph 1 of Article 8, the Ministry shall compare and verify whether the signature or seal of the authorized signatory on the original copy or its exemplification conforms to the signature or seal on file.In conducting document authentication as stipulated in Subparagraphs 1-5 of Paragraph 1 of Article 9, an overseas mission shall compare and verify whether the signature or seal of the authorized signatory on the original copy or its exemplification conforms to the signature or seal on file. Where there is no signature or seal on the document or no file to compare with, the overseas mission may request that the applicant submit the document for authentication to the superior authority of the document’s issuing authority or to the competent authority which has provided its specimen signature or seal to the overseas mission; or it may verify the existence of the document in form by other appropriate means.An overseas mission may conduct document authentication as stipulated in Subparagraph 6 of Paragraph 1 of Article 9 by the following means:1. When authenticating the validity of an applicant’s signature or seal on a private document, the overseas mission shall request that the applicant sign the document in person or acknowledge the signature or seal as his or her own in front of a consular officer or other person designated by the head of the overseas mission.2. When authenticating other private documents, the overseas mission may request that the document be notarized, attested to, or authenticated by a notary public or relevant competent authority in its consular jurisdiction before being submitted to the overseas mission; or it may verify the existence of the document in form by other appropriate means.When conducting authentication of photocopies of documents as stipulated in Paragraph 2 of Article 9, an overseas mission shall compare and verify whether the signature or seal of the authorized signatory of the issuing authority or its superior authority, which certifies photocopies of the documents as true copies, conforms to the signature or seal on file. Where there is no signature or seal to compare with, the overseas mission may request that the applicant submit the document for authentication to the superior authority of the document’s issuing authority or its competent authority which has provided its specimen signature or seal to the overseas mission; or it may verify the existence of the document in form by other appropriate means.
中文原文 外交部及駐外館處文件證明條例第12條
主管機關辦理第八條第一項之文書驗證，應比對查驗該文書原本或正本上之有權簽字人簽章是否與經保存之該等人員簽章式樣相符。
駐外館處辦理第九條第一項第一款至第五款之文書驗證，應比對查驗該文書原本或正本上之有權簽字人簽章是否與經保存之該等人員簽章式樣相符；文書上無簽章或其簽章無簽章式樣可供比對者，得要求申請人將該文書先送請有簽章式樣可供比對之文書製作單位上級或主管機關驗證；或以其他適當方法查證後，核驗該文書形式上是否存在。
駐外館處辦理第九條第一項第六款之文書驗證，得依下列方式為之：
一、驗證申請人本人簽章屬實之私文書，應請申請人親自於領務人員或駐外館處館長指定之人員面前，於文書上簽章或承認為其簽章。
二、驗證其他私文書，得要求申請人將該文書先送請有簽章式樣可供比對之領務轄區當地公證人或主管機關公證、認證或驗證；或以其他適當方法查證後，核驗該文書形式上是否存在。
駐外館處辦理第九條第二項之文書影本驗證，應比對證明該影本與其原本或正本相符之原核發機關或其上級機關有權簽字人之簽章是否與經保存之該等人員簽章式樣相符。
其簽章無簽章式樣可供比對者，得要求申請人將該文書先送請有簽章式樣可供比對之上級或主管機關驗證，或以其他適當方法查證後，核驗該文書形式上是否存在。
駐外館處辦理第九條第一項第一款至第五款之文書驗證，應比對查驗該文書原本或正本上之有權簽字人簽章是否與經保存之該等人員簽章式樣相符；文書上無簽章或其簽章無簽章式樣可供比對者，得要求申請人將該文書先送請有簽章式樣可供比對之文書製作單位上級或主管機關驗證；或以其他適當方法查證後，核驗該文書形式上是否存在。
駐外館處辦理第九條第一項第六款之文書驗證，得依下列方式為之：
一、驗證申請人本人簽章屬實之私文書，應請申請人親自於領務人員或駐外館處館長指定之人員面前，於文書上簽章或承認為其簽章。
二、驗證其他私文書，得要求申請人將該文書先送請有簽章式樣可供比對之領務轄區當地公證人或主管機關公證、認證或驗證；或以其他適當方法查證後，核驗該文書形式上是否存在。
駐外館處辦理第九條第二項之文書影本驗證，應比對證明該影本與其原本或正本相符之原核發機關或其上級機關有權簽字人之簽章是否與經保存之該等人員簽章式樣相符。
其簽章無簽章式樣可供比對者，得要求申請人將該文書先送請有簽章式樣可供比對之上級或主管機關驗證，或以其他適當方法查證後，核驗該文書形式上是否存在。