šŸ˜· COVID - PCR test for NWOHR (National Without Household Registration)

Iā€™m NWOHR (National without household registration), which means I got TW passport without ID. Do I still have to present PCR Test to travel Taiwan or IĀ“m exempt as well?

Nope. As youā€™re a citizen, you wonā€™t have to take a test.

Not so fast! NWOHR have throughout the pandemic been treated as nonresidents of Taiwan, with high profile cases of folks being denied entry. So unless the OP has an ARC in hand, Iā€™d be very careful here.

Guy

You canā€™t have both an ARC and Taiwanese passport can you?

Well, an ARC can be acquired through a personā€™s other passport(s)ā€”perhaps Nicaraguan if I remember the OPā€™s story right.

The Taiwan ā€œpassportā€ available to NWOHR seems to be effectively worthless. :neutral_face:

Guy

Thatā€™s the one you need to get in if you want to have citizenship and not be stuck on the even more useless ARC.

One should have a TARC if they can to move into Household Registration.

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ItĀ“s not very clear if NWOHR are considered exempt of PCR Test. The news says only taiwaneses, residents, TW passport holders, even transit passengers.

You can have a TARC and a Taiwan passport, if you are a national without household registration. The TARC (Taiwan Area Resident Certificate) is used instead of the national ID card in such cases. It looks similar to an ARC and issued by the same people (national immigration agency). People usually have a Taiwan passport without household registration if they are Taiwanese born/raised overseas, or they have recently naturalized and have not yet completed their at least 1 year in Taiwan to get household registration.

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Correct. They are overseas nationals.

I asked this exact question of TECO San Francisco. I asked:

ā€œHi TECO, I understand that PCR requirements have now been lifted for ROC nationals. I am in the process of renewing my NWOHR passport and its accompanying entry visa. I intend to visit Taiwan and apply for a TARC in November. If I hold a valid NWOHR passport with an entry visa, do I count as a national, exempt from the PCR testing requirement? Or do I remain a foreigner for the purposes of the PCR test requirement?ā€

They responded:

ā€œYou donā€™t need PCR test.ā€

I used the wrong language in the email - itā€™s an entry/exit permit, not an entry visa - but it sounds like as long as you have the passport + permit, you can enter the country and donā€™t need a PCR.

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Can you share a screenshot of that Embassy reply, please? You can omit your personal info.

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Thanks, just one little favor. Can you share the response as well, please?

Yup, I just edited it. It should now include both.

Thanks, youĀ“re the best

Interesting. I made the same question to TECO from San Francisco and Taiwan Embassy in Honduras and received opposite answers.

What should I do? Is there a main office where I can make that consult?

If I intended to travel now, Iā€™d get PCRed anyway. Itā€™s just not worth the risk of being wrong.

Yeah, I donĀ“t have any option. The penalty is high.

However, the Embassy in Honduras took many weeks to reply my Email. TECO in SFO just a couple of hours. I believe the staff in Honduras is new in this topic.

You mentioned youĀ“re going to apply for TARC. Cool. Do you know if papers can be authenticated in Tw or need to be from TECO offices?