Here is a new twist on the Military duty question

[sandman]

The US consulate took away my US passport and Naturalization papers, I have nothing to show that I am American. Would an old photocopy work?

Sounds to me like you didn't think things through properly. Of course they took your passport and papers away. You're not American.
Maybe an old photocopy would work -- if the Taiwanese authorities were still back in the 1960s.
Why don't you just go to the Zhonghua travel service in the Lippo building and ask them what to do?

[Buttercup]

Interesting. A very 'modern' take on citizenship! Cherrypick the bits you like and dislike about a culture and change your citizenship.

You know that most people on this forum can't get dual citizenship because the ROC government doesn't allow 'foreigners' to get this, don't you? Can't blame people for not being very sympathetic to your case.

Just suck it up and do your military service, if you want to be a Taiwanese man.

[sulavaca]

I would rather donate the money to a worthy cause than to some welfare recipient who curses me to leave the US you "f***ing immigrant."

Well actually your income tax would pay for nothing at all, just the interest on the loans that the government takes from the Fed which only ever compound. In other words, you are correct in your ways. Giving money to charity is "getting more for your buck" as they say.

I think people here are being too hard on the guy ( I assume guy). What's wrong with changing citizenship? It's done all the time for all sorts of reasons. I think people are being far too judgmental. Is there something wrong with keeping money earned all of a sudden? If you ask me I'd rather a huge portion of any tax I have paid in Taiwan didn't go to the military, but then I don't even have a choice where my tax goes because I'm allowed no say in the matter. Surely a person making honest money should have the right to decide or understand how its being spent shouldn't they? I mean seriously we have the U.S. as a case in point here and how many tax dollars have gone to fund wars and killing people, and how many don't go to fund health care and saving people in the U.S.A.?

I'm simply saying that there's nothing wrong with practicing one's right to stop supporting a government because one doesn't support them. In some countries this is known as a democracy. Looking after oneself and the people one cares about may be selfish, but that's how the world goes around, and funnily enough its how most people go about their lives. Why do many of us live in Taiwan again?

[TainanCowboy]

I am in the range you just mentioned, and have hired a big 4 accounting firm to structure everything. Paying an extra 200K usd a year in taxes with marginally benefits doesn't strike me as a good trade. In four years I become a Chinese citizen with a HK Passport, but if I want to retire in Taiwan without fear of military duty before that, I have to apply for Dominca Or St Kitts citizenship. These citizenship by investment programs cost 100-200k USD, and I was hoping to save that amount by finding an alternative way to get a exit stamp.
You assume too much with the greedy me me me Taiwanese stereotype. I usually 5 percent of my income to charity, higher than five this year because of the Sichuan earthquake. John Templeton, the famous Mutual Fund Manager gave up his US citizenship, and in the end donate most of his money to charity. I would rather donate the money to a worthy cause than to some welfare recipient who curses me to leave the US you "f***ing immigrant."

Deltaneutral -
Bully for you, your accomplishments and foresight.
You seem well aware of your options. And Sir John, recently deceased I believe, is a role model for many in his charitable largess.
I also favor personal donations to a cause of my own choosing, however I have never made such a large decision based upon the mindless rantings of a stranger of dubious mental ability.
So best fortune to you in your PRC citizenship and your later retirement to Taiwan. Road map to the future and all that ....huzzah huzzah!

[Buttercup]

I'm simply saying that there's nothing wrong with practicing one's right to stop supporting a government because one doesn't support them. In some countries this is known as a democracy. Looking after oneself and the people one cares about may be selfish, but that's how the world goes around, and funnily enough its how most people go about their lives. Why do many of us live in Taiwan again?

Point taken, but why not vote or stand for local office or get involved in some other way? It's pretty undemocratic to refuse to take in the process because it's not going the way you want.

[sulavaca]

No offense but has anyone managed to change the U.S. system for the better in the last erm...I don't know how many years.

Of course some things even if few may have changed for the better in the U.S. but largely its run by businessmen. I think many people have already given up hope that the place will revert back to being democratic once again and that people suffering in hard times will somehow be supported in their hour of need. In the U.S. this rarely happens under the government's power. Charities do have much more of an immediate effect. It's a shame really. The U.S.A. was once a very great country.

If deltaneutral had come from France however then he may have had much more influence over the powers that be if he had decided to take up his case with them.
He would have been paying higher taxes than in the U.S., but he would have been receiving much more for his money and others would have benefited much more for much less money.

He's spreading his wealth. He's in Taiwan now and he'll surely be spreading some of it around here now. What's to complain about? Perhaps he may even get bored and take up Taiwan politics.

On the other hand, is that such a good idea? I don't want to spoil it for him immediately. He's only just got here.

[deltaneutral]

The good news is that you are able to extend it without problem. I did it in Taichung and they just gave me another year without question. By the end of that period I will be to old to serve anyway.

[Buttercup]

You sound GREAT.