Age is 36 According to TECO

[Traveling_G]

Went to visit the local TECO office asking about how I can renew my passport since its been years since I've used it last. They gave me the instructions on how to do so, and asked me how old I am. Told them 37, and they asked if that's the reason why I'm renewing my passport. I asked them what were they talking about, and TECO explained that I am no longer eligible for the draft.

According to TECO, you are eligible for the military conscription if you're between the age of 18 and December 31st of your 36th birthday. Apparently, this has been changed very recently because I was under the impression the maximum age was 40.

In addition, they mentioned a Overseas Chinese can visit Taiwan for a maximum of 183 days without being drafted. Afterwhich, OCs within the military age can be drafted.

Its been awhile since someone posted in this topic, so I thought I'd share this info. If its not correct (though I can't see why TECO would be wrong), please feel free to post the correct information.

[Goose Egg]

I was just talking to friends last night about the upper limit for military conscription. My friend received (reclaimed, actually) her ROC citizenship in Taipei last August, and she had a careful look at the form - the age listed for men to avoid conscription was 40

I'm not trying to argue with you - I'm grateful you posted about this. If you can cite, link or somehow post any kind of documentation, it would help those who will need to argue with the various TECO

(though I can't see why TECO would be wrong)

I actually can see why. I've actually been in a situation where a TECO office and the MOFA disagreed over implementation of a policy, as the wife and child of a colleague languished in their home country waiting for a decision. Over the course of a week, this disagreement seemed to change into a face issue between that TECO and MOFA. And the TECO pervailed! (well, the MOFA officers my organization was talking to gave up trying)

This sad episode happened a long time ago (over 10 years), so hopefully much has changed. A lot of other things have changed for the better in Taiwan in this time. But I wouldn't be surprised if left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

[Traveling_G]

No worries! I asked TECO for a copy of the regulation citing what they had said, but the officer said they didn't have one and the only one they had was the old one (with the 40 age limit). Again, TECO said it was changed recently so I'm not sure if the law was changed before August.

I'll ask some relatives back in Taiwan to see if they can look into this so we can get a definitive answer. The one article my cousin sent me also said 40, but now with TECO I am in doubt as to which is the real age. I'll post once I hear something.

[ABC-Law]

The age limit for military conscription is 36. I am a returning overseas and on my Taiwanese passort, there was a stamp which required me to get permission before I could leave Taiwan. This is because I had not served in the military. Well, I turned 36 last year and yesterday I went to the MOFA and had them put another stamp in my passport invalidating the previous stamp.

I asked them about the age limit for clarification and was told that it was 36.