I just read a slightly worrying article about a couple of Filipino guys that married Taiwanese women, got nationalised and conscripted and had nervous breakdowns from being in the army (whether they are faking or not I don’t know).
But it got me wondering, if I marry my girlfriend, am I in danger of being called up for military service just like that or is it after I’ve become a citizen… How far down along the line is that?
The article said people can be called up for duty before their 36th birthday, which means I’ve still got over a decade to go…
On a secondary note, what about my kids (when we have them)? How can I guarantee they don’t get drafted?
[quote=“ALT83”]I’ve got other things I’d rather be doing, like running my company…[/quote]So…you think you’re special? Are you talking Taiwan Military or UK military?
[quote=“ALT83”]Have you served?[/quote]Yes, US Army.[quote=“ALT83”] Have many other Forumosans?[/quote]There’s a few. Keep in mind the ‘nature’ of this web site.[quote=“ALT83”] What were your experiences like?[/quote]Just like life its ownself - Some good, some bad, some weird. Like life, its what you make of it.
I don’t think I’m special, but I think it is perfectly reasonable to say that not everyone wants or should serve in the military. I completely respect the work that those guys do and it is certainly an important job, but as I said there is “other” stuff I would rather be doing, I didn’t say it was “better”.
I wouldn’t mind doing the training if it were part-time or something, but if it’s going to take me away from my work for a year or two that’s pretty inconvenient.
You have to become a citizen. Your choice. They don’t just hand out citizenship after you’ve been around a while or sign you up as fresh meat for the grinder - you have to go through a torturous application process and (in most cases) renounce your original citizenship. So don’t become a citizen if you’re worried about military service. Either that, or wait until you turn 35.
Are you ethnically (at least part) Chinese? Just asking because that might complicate things.
Guarantee? Get them British citizenship (assuming you’re from the UK) and don’t sign them up for the ROC version.
You won’t have to serve if you get married, only if you renounce your own citizenship and take ROC nationality. As a mere spouse, you’re still very much a third-class non-citizen – no voice, no vote, just pay the taxes.
Hey, lighten up, TC. If he doesn’t want to serve, he shouldn’t have to.
To the OP, you will only be subject to service if you become a citizen. Do you want to become a citizen? Most Westerners here who marry locals choose not to become ROC citizens because they will have to give up their original citizenship, and traveling on an ROC passport is a pain in the ass. And then there’s that service thing, and most Westerners don’t want to serve in the ROC army.
As far as know (which isn’t very far, admittedly) if they’re born in Taiwan they don’t have the option – they’re automatically ROC nationals. You CAN still get UK nationality for them, but you have to apply for it – its not automatic.
I’m not sure if them living here on a UK passport (which requires them to have a valid ARC) prevents them from the draft or not though.
[quote=“Chris”][quote=“TainanCowboy”]Man-up and serve your chosen country.[/quote]Hey, lighten up, TC. If he doesn’t want to serve, he shouldn’t have to.[/quote]Chris -
Nothing to ‘lighten up’ about. He’ll do whatever the applicable law, if any and its enforced - a consideration here on the island specifies.
Sandman wrote:
[quote]Which could also be written as: “Swallow the bullshit and agree to be somebody’s pawn.”[/quote]Sandman -
It could also be interpreted as being responsible for your actions. Again, its what the laws says and if/how its enforced.
Be a married pawn w/3rd class status or…?
Anyway, I wasn’t trying to give the guy a hard time. Heck, I thought I was being downright cordial.
True. They’ve been cutting the length mandatory service pretty consistently over the past few years with the aim of eventually doing away with it. Last I recall, it was 18 months, but it may have already gone down to 14. Don’t recall if there is a time frame for abolishing it; I tend to think there isn’t. It just seems to become a political issue every year or so and the result is that the conscription period gets reduced by a few months.
You think probably the easiest thing to avoid all the paperwork is to go to the UK for births? But you guys are probably right that it won’t be compulsory by then…
But if I want to raise the kids in Taiwan, local government schools etc. I guess they need citizenship…
If conscription is still around in 18+ years or whenever they’re old enough, I guess they can always renounce their citizenship and just be British if they don’t want to do it…
Cheers, yeah by then Taiwan will probably have been fully absorbed by the Mainland (under the guise of increased economic and political cooperation) and it will be about us avoiding conscription into the PLA…
Maybe that’s a fiery topic I’ll save for my next thread
Guys, remember I posted a few months ago that the draft was going to be scraped? They are going to replace it with volunteers.
Yes, you, volunteer! Yeah, we do our part.
Personally, I dream about foreign women -mostly mothers and wives of New Taiwanese- forming a squad: the Mu lauju -the tigresses. That’ll teach’em. See us defend our kids!
You have to become a citizen. Your choice. They don’t just hand out citizenship after you’ve been around a while or sign you up as fresh meat for the grinder - you have to go through a torturous application process and (in most cases) renounce your original citizenship. So don’t become a citizen if you’re worried about military service. Either that, or wait until you turn 35.
[/quote]
According to the Taipei Times today they can call you up until 31 December of the year in which you turn 36. Best you wait until after that if you are considering ROC citizenship.
