info: I am British, my wife is Taiwanese. I am holding a British passport and ARC through marriage. My wife holds a Taiwanese passport only at this time.
Hi there. Got a Qn for you. I am having a baby boy. I understand that he can have dual citizenship by first becomming British (same as me) then becomming Taiwanese (not the other way around). If this is possible, then will he still be required to fullfil national service obligations as a Taiwanese mail once he has come of age. If so then if we don’t apply for his Taiwanese citizenship after his birth and only apply for the British, can he stay in Taiwan after he is 18 or 21 (which ever the age at which his millitary obligations must be fulfiled).
I apreciate the help and advice.
Yes. Being a British citizen does not free you from any obligations you may have as a citizen of another country. It actually says so inside your passport (see note 5 on page 2 of the passport).
That said, by the time your son is old enough to do military service, Taiwan will have a professional army and no conscription - it’s on the cards already. Taiwan may even have reunited with China by that time.
But I have one really lodged up there and it’s stuck. Ha ha! I didn’t realize you guys were all here too.
Southpaw… I’m thinking…No. I can’t remember. What’s your avatar??Maybe then I’ll rememmber.
Thanks for the congrats by the way. Just hope he really doesn’t have to go through that horrible time in the millitary then and I’ll make him Taiwanese!
Now I know you. How are you? Long time no see. I usually post on Taiwanho.com but they don’t have the legal advice that I can get here. I do apreciate that very much by the way. Thanks for the information guys
AFAIK the law now is that he can have both until he is 18 (20?), and then has to choose one or the other. At that point, if he chooses foreign citizenship he loses residency rights and becomes the same as any other foreigner.
I just got ROC citizenship for my three sons- I’m not too worried about military sevice ten years from now- and you’ll save NT$18,000 in ARC fees over the years:)
So does that mean that if he chooses a British citizenship, then he can still apply for an accompanying family visa??
If he can show sufficient funds and/or has been working for several years on an ARC, then can he apply for perminent residency like me as a foreigner?
SV, assuming you will be alowing him to acquire UK citizenship as well, then he would be in the same boat as returning TW citizens, leave the country once every four months and he will not have to serve, but never overstay that period, otherwise they can forcibly enrol.
Have two or three friends in the same position as this, and it is what they do.
BTW, you do not have to claim UK citizenship first, we did not for our child.
It is also highly likely that between now and the time he is 18 (21) then the rules will be changed, there is already talk of reducing the NS time to 3 months, and in another 18 years the military could be totally professional and no NS is required, would be inclined to worry about that nearer the time, but also bear in mind that changes in Immigration and visa policies could also affect this issue, need to keep abreast of all of them.
[quote=“sula_vaca”]info: I am British, my wife is Taiwanese. I am holding a British passport and ARC through marriage. My wife holds a Taiwanese passport only at this time.
Hi there. Got a Qn for you. I am having a baby boy.
So your wife isnt having the baby… damn thats a new one.
You son could hold both nationalities. However for him to avoid military service take him out of Taiwan and return with him using the UK Passoprt with a valid 2 month visitor visa and then get him an ARC.
He will then be treated as a foriegn resident even though he also has ROC ID number. This is because he came as a UK national thru immigration at the airport…
