Step 1: Obtaining the NWOHR (national without household registration) Passport

Update: Due to Covid-19 most offices do not allow for walk-ins and aren't responsive to phone calls. I recommend emailing the respective offices (emails can be found on the bottom of their websites), but don't expect them to answer all your questions as approvals are on a case by case basis. If you've already done background research, jump to Passport Requirements, Document Authentication, and Parent Passport Renewal. Note that notary services are usually provided free of charge at financial institutions (banks, brokerages, etc.) if you are a premium customer.

This step will involve working with TECO (Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office) and/or TECRO (Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office). TECO/TECRO is the de-facto Taiwanese/ROC embassy.

You will need to work with your local TECO/TECRO for the passport application, the office whose jurisdiction includes where your parents were married, and the office whose jurisdiction includes where you were born. A maximum of 3 offices and minimum of 1 office if you currently live in the same jurisdiction where you were born and where your parents were married. There are a total of 13 TECO/TECRO locations in the United States and 3 in Canada.

The jurisdictions of contiguous US offices:

San Francisco Office - Northern California (above Visalia*), Nevada and Utah
https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ussfo_en/post/90.html
*Visalia is between Fresno and Bakersfield and around the same latitude as King City; so Fresno, Salinas, and Gilroy are SF TECO. Bakersfield, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara are LA TECO.
Los Angeles Office - Southern California, State of Arizona and State of New Mexico
Seattle Office - Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming
Denver Office - Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota
Houston Office - Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
Miami Office - Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Dominican Republic
Atlanta Office - Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Chicago Office - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Washington DC Tecro Office - Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington DC
New York Office - Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
Boston Office - Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

Find the full list of offices below and figure out the offices you will need to work with.
List of locations in USA and Canada:
Full list of locations globally:


Passport Requirements: 

Refer to https://www.taiwanembassy.org/ussfo_en/cat/11.html for attachments and official requirements.

  1. A duly completed passport application form (see attachment No.2)
  2. A certified birth certificate (which must be authenticated by BOCA or ROC overseas missions if the document was not issued in the same jurisdiction)
  3. The parents' marriage certificate (which must be authenticated by BOCA or ROC overseas missions if the document was not issued in same jurisdiction)
  4. Two identical passport photos (1.77x1.38 inches, color) (see attachment No.1)
  5. The ROC passport of one of the two parents
  6. US passport or other photo ID, send in the original and a copy (passport is preferred)
  7. Other relevant certificates that may be required by BOCA or ROC overseas missions
  8. A fee of US $45. If the applicant is under 14 years old, the fee will be US$31.

My experience applying as an adult (over 20 years old) with the SF office is that only 2 passport photos are required (although you may want to just get 4 photos as I did and send them in if you are planning on obtaining household registration as you can probably reuse them). I did not apply for the exit-entry permit, but my passport came with the default 3 month entry-exit permit.

I was required to mail in an additional form and redone passport photos. They are somewhat picky so make sure to double check with the passport photo standards here: https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-140-467-29b1d-2.html

I recommend getting in contact with your local TECO/TECRO office if you have any questions and just mailing in all the documents even if you are somewhat unsure if you have everything. They aren't able to confirm much/ask for additional required documents until they have started working on your case.

I used USPS certified priority mail (flat rate envelopes) both ways for all the locations I was working with as that covered all requirements (and I didn't want to get mixed up). I needed to work with 3 locations due to residing in the SF jurisdiction, being born in another jurisdiction, and my parents married in yet another jurisdiction. Each location has different policies so check on the website of a specific location for their policies.

You are required to provide the return envelope for most locations, I just bought the two of the same for each shipment and put one envelope inside the other.

Some locations accept cash, some only personal checks, etc. so be sure to find out the policies for the location you are working with.

Expect a call during working hours if they require additional information. I received 3 calls total with the first regarding my parent's passport renewal which required additional documentation emailed, the second for authentication requiring additional documentation emailed, and the third for my passport application requiring an additional form (completed by my parent and requiring notarization) and better passport photos mailed in.

I recommend adding sticky notes with additional phone numbers/contact information who can pick up a call if the applicant may be busy during working hours (as you aren't really able to call back). I added my phone number to my parent's passport renewal and made sure to keep my phone with me whenever there were active applications.

Document Authentication:
You are required to authenticate your Birth Certificate and/or your Parents' Marriage Certificate if you were not born/your parent's weren't married in the same jurisdiction as you currently reside. I needed to authenticate both in different offices. Each office has different requirements so confirm on the website for the respective locations. Generally the requirements are:

  1. A completed document authentication application form
  2. Original passport or sometimes a drivers license is accepted. Other times a copy or notarized copy of passport/photo ID is accepted.
  3.  Sometimes parents' passport/photo ID copies or originals are also required
  4. Original document to be authenticated (the Birth Certificate or Marriage Certificate) and a copy
  5. The application fee

The application form can be found here: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ussfo_en/post/114.html

Note that they are required to staple and stamp your original document so if you need the intact document for something more important and urgent I recommend waiting until you can spare the original document for authentication. Some offices seem to allow for stamping a copy if provided an additional copy to the one required for filling, but I wouldn't count on it.

I recommend sending a copy/notarized copy of your passport in lieu of your original documents if allowed by the office location. It also helps when you are sending out multiple applications at once. I personally copied and notarized 3 copies of my passport along with my parents' passports which allowed me to apply to 3 offices at once for my document authentications and my parent's passport renewal.


Parent Passport Renewal:
My parent required a renewal of their passport so that I could apply for my passport. I applied for their passport while sending out my documents for document authentication. If you require all three steps, I recommend applying for your parent's passport first (as passport renewal and applications take longer to process than document authentication), then mailing the document(s) to be authenticated, and then finally emailing with your local office about questions you have about your passport application.

Refer to https://www.taiwanembassy.org/ussfo_en/cat/11.html for attachments and official requirements.

  1. A duly completed passport application form (see attachment No.2)
  2. Two identical passport photos (1.77x1.38 inches, color) (see attachment No.1)
  3. US passport or US permanent resident card or US visa, send in the original and a copy (passport is preferred)
  4. Other relevant certificates that may be required by BOCA or ROC overseas missions
  5. A fee of US $45

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