In the old country we also have that birthright citizenship thing. It helps for example abandoned babies, which at least gives them a citizenship, when they are found within our borders. In Taiwan, those babies exist in limbo, no ID, no chance at education or access to healthcare. This issue has been partially addressed but still it is a problem.
Now in the US the nationality by birthright has been abused. Bring such a business, especially by people of means who would have other venues to achieve the same goal, Iâd also support a constitutional amendment voted in Congress that such birthright would extend say to children of legal residents only, not tourists. Dreamers born in the US before the law is voted in are given citizenship being the last ones benefited by this legal hole. Asylum seekers could be considered legal residents if their petitions are in the system, but being a can of worms maybe this would need more legal considerations.
Those missionaries should have been given honorary citizenship anyways, years ago. That the ROC government would not give it to them without forcing them to give up their original nationality and that the government uses this new law to pat itself in the back by doing something it should have done out of simple decency decades ago is rather disgusting, not to say the least.
That would be fair. I totally agree. The people flying there to just deliver the babies spend quite a lot just with all the medical expenses etc, they are not in need of it whatsoever.
Although the numbers are still small, many more applicants were approved this year than in 2017. To the best of my knowledge the MOI is letting through anyone who gets prior approval from a ministry or other authorized recommendation body. And some people are now getting through who arenât missionaries, Tai-Da professors, celebrities, or high-tech experts.
The question is whether the authorities think that this shows theyâre already doing plenty, or if they are moving toward further liberalization. Iâm reasonably optimistic about the situation being the latter, with things on track to change for the better.
After reading through this thread, Iâm with C-L. Yes, much much more can and should be done. But I must say that this administration has done more regarding residency rights than the previous democratically elected administrations combined. (Iâll leave CKS and CCK out of this, even though their race-based policies are at the root of many of the problems non-Chinese residents of Taiwan face!) In short, things are shifting in Taiwan and it is undeniably for the better, at a time when the situation is getting worse for non-citizen residents in many other places around the world.
It wouldnât be hard to do better . 91% of immigrants being female is really weird too. Anyway the idea of a special class of foreigners who can be dual citizens is just wrong at heart. But so is the situation where Taiwanese can be dual and immigrants cannot.
Are you blaming people for being pessimistic ?
I will try it sometime see how I get on. I reckon I have a 50:50 chance or a 90:10 chance depending if I can get a public school professor or person of standing to write a recommendation letter.
Even if I get it I think the policy is still not fair and too limited to make any kind of significant impact economically or culturally.
Why is this citizenship so important ? I could get hk citizenship if I applied, but havenât bother.
Wouldnât it be easier if they just extended all the same benefits to aprc holders as an ID card holder has ?
In hk I got all the same rights(including I cannot be deported or denied entry) as citizens due to me having a permanent ID card there, with the exception some high government positions are off limits(legislator and such l)
Thatâs the biggest issue, Taiwanese companies and banks treat the APRC with the same level of respect as an ARC ⌠that is none
Tstar tel as one example. You need an cosigner. I have APRC. Doesnât matter still a foreigner.
No Shenfenzheng youâre not a person here.
Other things include some land purchases are still off limits, some vehicles foreigners canât buy, the 20% withholding tax still hits APRC holders, still needing to apply for an open work permit
This issue doesnât happen in Korea, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong once one has permanent residence.
Taiwan permanent resident means didly squat. If APRC meant same rights to services so that I can be a functional member of society Iâd be happy enough with that.
It seems like the only advantage an APRC has over a regular ARC is that you donât have to keep renewing it. And permanent residence isnât even permanent. You can lose it at any time for not meeting residence requirements.
Cynical me thinks the reason all the roadblocks are in place is so that foreigners come here to fill a need for industry such as English teachers, foreign labourers, but then you are expected to leave so that a fresh boatload of fobs show up that donât know any better to do the work.
The ones that are here long enough to figure stuff out get lost before they can do any damage by virtue of the roadblocks.
In other words welcome but donât get too comfortable. Hereâs your hat and coat, whatâs your hurry?
