Good for Taiwan’s universities, and good for Taiwan moving forward. More of this, please!
Guy
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Fellow forumosans, I ask for your advice.
As some of you will know, I am one of the 100+ folks who have received a Plum Blossom APRC as a specialized professional since this scheme was introduced back in 2009.
One of the perks associated with this card is the possibility to gain citizenship in Taiwan without renouncing one’s original citizenship.
I am at the beginning point of considering this possibility. The tangled maze of gaining ROC citizenship, as expressed in some excellent recent posts, along with the astonishing web of complexities here in the legal forum, have however made me pause.
Has any forumosan made the move from a Plum Blossom Card to dual citizenship? Was it worth it? Any and all advice would be welcome. Thank you in advance.
Guy
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If I had to guess, this is in reference to the @Fuzzy_Barbecue saga. He doesn’t have dual and renounced his Pakistani citizenship. Much of his mess came from renouncing citizenship as well as his marriage to a non-national and then untangling the demands of three governments with respect to his wife and child.
Most of which might not apply to you.
As to whether or not it’s worth it? It’s definitely worth it if you want rights here and intend on settling here.
Certainly @Fuzzy_Barbecue 's extraordinary recent post is part of the mix, underlining the unmistakable racism embedded in the process.
Going through the tangled regulations in countless other threads is also part of the mix.
The process looks utterly confused and confusing.
I will however attempt to learn more on my own, and in consultation with my district’s Household Registration Office, which apparently—I learned from the NIA—holds the keys here.
Guy
Perhaps there are others. I am simply trying to find out more.
Guy
On the forums? I think @fifieldt is the only one. Plum Blossomers are rare and dual citizen awardees.
My pragmatic side wants to tell you yes, do this cause it’s worth it and you don’t know if the law will change. My family, many of whom put off their applications for their Italian citizenship asked me throughout the pandemic how to have it recognised.
Well… Italy tightened it. Now there is a €300 fee and tougher requirements to learn Italian if you are a spouse of a citizen.
I told them so…
My idealistic side wants me to tell you to go through the process up until you meet the important bigwigs and tell them to bleep (edit by olm)
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Some good points here on timing. The Tsai government has been by far the most open administration we’ve seen to liberalization and change, even as this change remains in so many ways imperfect. Put otherwise, I read your post as “seize the day.”
I’ve heard that part costs extra. If I have a chance, I’ll let them know that @Marco asked. 
Guy
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It’s a good thing you know how to translate marconian.
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Not the only one 
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The hardest part was getting the letter of recommendation, which you don’t need since you’ve got Plum Blossom. Other than that, it’s just a regular medical, a Chinese test, police check from your passport country (notarized by TECO), and then a bunch of waiting. Probably the slight annoyance is leaving the country while your application is under assessment is not advised.
After getting citizenship, it’s just about changing the identity on all your accounts. If your ARC number switched to the new format you already know that pain
On the whole, worth doing and as a plum blossom you’ll avoid most of the insanity.
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Excellent news. We need more of this!
One detail that may not be clear to all forumosans is the way that this Indians researcher (there are many in Taiwan) has broken the glass ceiling to get into an assistant professor position. Most are caught in the graduate student / postdoctoral researcher categories. As important as the PB Card is, breaking this barrier may be even more important.
Guy
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I’m curious why this professor didn’t just directly apply for citizenship as presumably they are already on an A(P)RC. Being an associate+ professor is one of the few reliable ways to navigate that approach.
I’m guessing because they didn’t want to renounce their original citizenship
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India doesn’t allow dual citizenship. So it’s moot.
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This route doesn’t require renunciation.
I know a few dual India/Taiwan passport holders. If it’s anything like Japan it’s don’t ask don’t tell.
The plum blossom card is intended for professionals not already in Taiwan as a fast track to permanent residency. I don’t see the point of giving an already long-term resident a slightly different kind of APRC, so if citizenship isn’t the goal I must be missing something here.
Yeah. That’s not a don’t ask don’t tell, it’s just simply illegal and they haven’t caught on yet.
Once they do catch on, they will be stripped of their citizenship.
The “Indian” that you know probably Pakistani.
Pakistan allows dual citizenship.