Confused about the Overseas Chinese Taiwan Passport

[blummer102]

A few questions about applying for the Overseas Chinese Taiwan Passport. For reference, I am an ABC--my mother is Taiwanese but I was born in America. I currently have American citizenship.

1) I heard when you go to apply for the passport, they want to see proof of the relative's status as a Taiwanese person. I can bring my mother's old Chinese passport and identity card, only problem is that both have expired since my mother has not returned to Taiwan in many years. Would these still be valid enough?
2) My understanding is that if you were not born in Taiwan and have no household registration there, even if you acquire an Overseas Chinese passport and enter Taiwan on it, you are not conscripted for military service as long as you do not overstay the 183 days per year rule (I was born after '84.) Is this correct? Also, if you try to leave Taiwan with this Overseas Chinese Passport, what's this about needing an "exit permit" to leave without completing your military service?
3) Does a typical Overseas Chinese Passport contain details of the bearer's other passport inside of it?
4) If I get my Overseas Chinese Passport and enter Taiwan on it, would customs ask to see my American passport as well?

Sorry for all the questions, a lot of this information is confusing. Thanks in advance.

[r3dl4b3l]

I'm not sure about #1 or #2 but can answer the other two for you.

#3 - your Taiwanese passport does not indicate whether or not you have a passport from a different country but when you fill out the application for the passport it will ask you if you have another passport from another country.

#4 - do not show your American passport if you are entering with your Taiwanese passport, upon exiting you need to leave with your Taiwanese passport but can ask if they can stamp your American passport. They may or may not stamp it. It's not a big deal and up to the customs officer if they will stamp both.

I can answer partial of #2 about the exiting permit. You can fill this out online at nas.immigration.gov.tw it is item #3. Just fill it out prior to leaving.

[blummer102]

I can answer partial of #2 about the exiting permit. You can fill this out online at nas.immigration.gov.tw it is item #3. Just fill it out prior to leaving.

Thanks for that. But about this form--it says that I have to fill in my ID number. But I don't have one, because I wasn't born in Taiwan. What should I do then?

[justreal]

why do you want a Taiwan passport?

[Icon]

Blummer, please clarify your inquiry:

1. Ther eis an Overseas Chinese ID given by the government in the Republic of China (Taiwan). With this you get special privileges -education, jobs, etc.- and no conscription. This is usually requested at the Overseas Chinese office closest to you abroad. They make a study and determine if you are eligible. This is not a passport, just an ID.

2. Then there is the proper request of a "Taiwanese ID and passport", which refers to ordinary citizens of the Republic of China (Taiwan). This is something else. This has to be requested in Taiwan, and yes, it probably entitles you to a stint in the army.

Many people have two passports and use one to avoid that. You can also delay conscription if you are studying.

Anyway, it depends if you want to come back long term and have your ID, but don't delay as there is an age limit to presenting you paperwork for hukou or household registration -you would be under your parents/family registration, they would have to help you on this.

[blummer102]

Okay, thanks for the help. I'll clarify my situation a little: I originally came to Taiwan over a year ago after applying to a part time work/study fellowship in America. Unfortunately, the university that I applied to the fellowship through screwed up and sent me over here on a student visa, not a work one, and the government found out about it and naturally told me that receiving income on a student visa is illegal. After a long period of deliberation, they also told me that when my current ARC runs out I'll have to leave the country and wont be able to come back in for about 3 years. This is very distressing, especially because when I applied for my fellowship I put my trust in the university and they obviously made a big mistake. (For clarification, the school also got fined too, but the individual people involved who were teaching here still have to be punished, which is why the government is making me leave.)

I'm searching for possible ways to stay in Taiwan/re-enter in a relatively short period of time. I want to do this mainly because I was studying Chinese pretty intensely here, and also because I have a grandmother here. When discussing this over with some immigration people, they actually suggested that I just go back to America and apply for this Overseas Chinese Passport. This was the first time I'd heard of this option. When I asked them for further details, they said if I got this type of passport, I wouldn't have to do military service.

1. Ther eis an Overseas Chinese ID given by the government in the Republic of China (Taiwan). With this you get special privileges -education, jobs, etc.- and no conscription. This is usually requested at the Overseas Chinese office closest to you abroad. They make a study and determine if you are eligible. This is not a passport, just an ID.

2. Then there is the proper request of a "Taiwanese ID and passport", which refers to ordinary citizens of the Republic of China (Taiwan). This is something else. This has to be requested in Taiwan, and yes, it probably entitles you to a stint in the army.

I'm very confused about the particulars of this Overseas Chinese thing. I always assumed that if I applied for a Taiwanese passport, I would become a citizen and be obligated to serve. So actually it's just an Overseas Chinese ID, not an actual passport? And even if I got this ID, wouldn't it have to have some proof on it that I'm an American citizen, like my American passport number? My American passport number is the one that's blacklisted in Taiwan currently as a result of my work fiasco, so if that information is presented, it wouldn't do much good for me trying to re-enter Taiwan.

Ultimately I'm thinking I'm just probably going to have to head back home to America and figure things out there. The immigration people I talked to said I should be able to do this with no problem if I wanted to come back to Taiwan, but it seems like it's a lot more complicated than what they made it out to be.