How to get Taiwanese ID Card (Under 20, ABC)

Legal Dual Nationality
1

I am under 20 (turning 20 at the end of the summer, so in a bit of a rush trying to figure stuff out). Also worried because covid. Both parents are Taiwanese citizens, but married in US. Am US citizen. Not worried about conscription.

From talking to people while I was in Taiwan, I gather you need to:

  1. apply for a Taiwanese passport without an ID number (at TECO in NY? cannot for the life of me find the link in English on how to do this)
  2. use that passport to enter Taiwan
  3. get myself registered for hukou under one of my relatives?

I found this instruction thing in Chinese (https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ussfo/post/170.html), but my (written) Mandarin is really bad and I’m not sure what to do.

?: if I get the Taiwanese passport before I’m 20, will I still be able to register for the ID card after I’m 20 without having to live there first? Or do I have to do passport AND ID card registration before I turn 20?

Does anyone have the English instructions for how to get a Taiwanese passport, and then the procedure for getting the ID card? Specifically for those under 20, because I know if I turn 20, I’ll need to live there for awhile. Any help would be greatly appreciated; I’m very lost.

EDIT: Thanks for the replies; I am certain I want to get the ID card w the full responsibilities/rights.

1 Like
2

Hi,

I was in the same predicament you were in several years ago. You may be eligible for a R.O.C. passport by applying (in person or by mail depending on TECO office). Also, by R.O.C. law you are automatically a R.O.C. National by birth. Personally, if you are staying in Taiwan for less than 90 days, I would just use the US passport to enter and exit Taiwan. I wouldn’t register for hukou immediately unless you’re very certain, because that could mean you might not be seen as an ABC in the future, although if you register for Hukou you have more assured residency and voting rights.

3

@tando @cshu or anyone who knows: how do I go about getting the actual ID card? So far, what I’ve been able to read is:

  1. Get Taiwan passport without ID # and entry permit
  2. Enter Taiwan on that passport
  3. 定居(ding ju) I think in English this is the equivalent of getting a TARC? this achieves me household registration.
    Note - I am under 20, and my parents cannot come with me because of the coronavirus, but I have relatives in Taiwan that can help. My parents have active household registrations.

Afterwards, I don’t know what to do to get the ID number/card? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I’m reading that I need a FBI background check for the residency part - is this true?
Other question: I am 19 by US age calculations; I heard in Taiwan they calculate age differently (ie you’re 1 when you’re born). Would this disqualify me from using the under 20 loophole to apply?

Thanks so much.

4

no, 定居(establishing HHR ) is different from TARC, and you can skip TARC if you are under 20.

After you register your HHR, you apply for ID card at the same office.

Under 20 is exempted from FBI check, and age count in the same way.

Here is the English instruction.

Notices for the Submission of National without Registered Household in Taiwan Area for Application of Residence in Taiwan Area – under age 20

https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141465/141808/141948/

The same instruction in Chinese
https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5385/7244/7250/7281/定居/36430/

5

Thank you very much for your prompt reply, detailed and helpful information. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me. A very big thanks for both the English and Chinese instructions.

One last clarification: does 定居 effectively mean I 有戶籍 (have huji) and therefore have a number forever? (My understanding is that getting the registration number = the ID card number, which means you’re effectively a citizen with all the rights)

Thank you so much!

6

yes

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4 posts were split to a new topic: How to get Taiwanese ID card (not under 20)