If you could easily reacquire your citizenship, would you become a Taiwanese?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Last weekend my wife and I met a Filipino who had lived in Taiwan for many years. She was married to an American foreigner and got an APRC from her former marriage.

Sadly she was cheated on by her former husband and subsequently filed for a divorce.

We had a great conversation and the conversation somehow took a turn onto how I am a Taiwanese. She was shocked that one could even become a Taiwanese. She has been told by everyone that you can only have one citizenship in Taiwan which is just completely untrue.

My wife showed her the process and how easy it would be for her to do the same. Now this lady who has lived in Taiwan for many years not knowing that the Philippines lets them easily reacquire their citizenship is finally becoming a Taiwanese.

So many of her “friends” who have APRCs and typically married to foreigners are telling her how this is so risky and giving her misinformation like “you can’t visit your family for a year” etc… all of these things is simply untrue. (I bet these same friends will be doing the same once she finishes and shows off her new ID card…)

I also have another friend married to a Filipino with a daughter who is not a Taiwanese due to them both being foreigners. No matter how much my wife and I explain the process to her… she will come up with some phony reason that a friend found on Forumosa or Facebook. (Claims such as not being able to travel for a year, penalties etc…)

I have also noticed a trend to on facebook. I once recommended that an Australian go through the process and was met with a barrage of Americans and Canadians a like going off on how “risky” this process is… one even suggest the OP contact a migration lawyer. (Despite me an @justintaiwan both giving our experiences)

I think we need to start a list of countries that can do this and give more “accurate” information on how easy this is in order to combat the misinformation littered over the internet. -

But back to the forums question because British people in particular I notice are hesitant? Is it just sticker price? (UK nationality is expensive to reacquire) or just principle? The people I talk to stated it is the principle however, I think it is more the lack of information and misinformation.

Take for example the first British national to get disability benefits in Taiwan. Why didn’t he become a Taiwanese? If he knew about how he could reacquire citizenship and how it isn’t risky… he would’ve 100% done it. Now I’m not going to justify Taiwan denying disability benefits to PR holders… in fact, I think it should be expanded to ALL APRC holders and not have a reciprocity rule. But still, IF you plan to retire in Taiwan, it is an absolute no brainer to do the renounce and reacquire if you can.

FYI - For those thinking “I qualify for disability benefits in Taiwan now” you are sorely mistaken… there are numerous benefits foreigners are locked out of.

So I put this out to you all. If without misinformation you knew that you could easily reacquire your citizenship, would you go through the process? Or stay on an APRC for life?

Of course you would become a citizen if you didn’t have some unfounded fear that you may not get your original nationality back, or the fear of not being able to travel for a year, or the fear of having to do military service on a TARC, the fear that a TARC is useless. Or the fear that the TARC cannot be renewed indefinitely. Of course you would apply today if you knew the truth.

2

I would want to acquire citizenship since it makes many day to day things easier. Would I give up my other citizenship if I couldn’t get it back, and cut off ties with my family permanently since Taiwan citizens cannot sponsor foreign parents? Maybe when I don’t have any family left in the other country I would consider it, otherwise it seems like a selfish thing to do being an only child.

There’s a few benefits to APRC over Citizenship and I had another thread about it but for me these days it’s primarily:

  • If you lose your personal ID card as a citizen and don’t report it as lost to all bureaus, you are liable for wrongdoings someone does with those cards such as take out fake loans, open up a fake company and run scams, open bank accounts remotely etc. However we all know ARC numbers are near useless and you can’t open any online accounts with it, so even if you lost it, the scammer can’t do much with it. You are almost scam immune. If you want to just be left alone and retire in peace, then this could be a good benefit.
    The nightmare of lost ID cards - Taipei Times

  • Being able to stay up to half the year in Taiwan while maintaining non tax residency status. For citizens it’s more complicated and tied to hukou, and generally it’s worldwide taxation if you maintain hukou. Sure there are some workarounds to get around this, but I’m talking about regular normal people who don’t want to run into grey areas with tax laws.

3

Yes.
I also said I would vote, until the day I die, for whichever party passed a law in which foreigners did Not have to renounce citizenship of original country.

4

But what if you could get it back? I am talking about Brits, Irish, Aus, Philippines etc…

However, one possible option if you are left with only one parent:
Family Class Sponsorship Program | Firebird Consultants Group)%20regardless%20of%20age.

5

Are there any downsides to holding Taiwan citizenship? As a US citizen I definitely would if it was an option to keep both (and afaik there is no weird taxation with having Taiwanese citizenship if you don’t physically live here)

6

It depends on case by case basis. As a Canadian yes I would, and would also contribute more to the Taiwan economy.

These links are for Canada? I’m referring to Taiwan. It’s not possible for a Taiwan citizen to sponsor a foreigner parent. In Canada a permanent resident can sponsor their foreigner parents.

7

There is none.

With the ID card… military service and potentially being drafted into a war with China is the big one for me.

But you can stay on the TARC until past military age… but that may not protect you from being drafted into a war (after you acquire an ID card past military conscription age)

But I believe they will draft those who have completed mandatory training first and you will have a few days to flee.

8

It’s more complicated if a Taiwan citizen maintains domicile / household registration in Taiwan. Taiwan has worldwide taxation and so does the US. But this is just a minor deterrent, other than more paperwork to deal with, pay the taxes and all is good.

9

You don’t need to maintain an active household registration in Taiwan. You can also use your other passport to come back on a business visa and spend less than 6 months in a year.

The difference is Taiwan doesn’t tax you if you live outside of Taiwan (Unlike America). Also household registration is just one factor, they also consider employment and NHI card for Taiwanese.

10

This new one seems pretty unnecessary, how many places is this discussion already under way?

11

That depends on your status before you become a Taiwan citizen. If you held a foreign professional A(P)RC before naturalizing then you can get family visas for upto 1 year. Its a law that was added by the NDC and came into affect in 2021. That is only for something to consider for visitor visa related rules though and nothing for permanent stay.

Article 26
Where a foreign professional, foreign specialist professional or foreign senior professional has acquired nationality of the State by naturalization, the work permits of their children having reached the age of majority or above, permanent residency for their spouse, minor children, or children having reached the age of majority or above who lack self-care ability due to physical or mental disability, and visitor visas of their lineal ascendants for the purpose of visiting relatives, are subject, mutatis mutandis, to Articles 15 to 19.
Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals - Article Search/Content Search Result - Laws & Regulations Database of The Republic of China (Taiwan)

12

I can easily reacquire my citizenship but I have no desire to “become Taiwanese”, i.e. apply for citizenship and a Taiwanese passport.

As above, I could but choose not too.

13

If your born on the island of Ireland you can easily “reaquire” / “resume” your citizen, its basically a 1 page form to fill out.
If you weren’t born on the island of Ireland and even if both your parents are Irish you cannot use that form and need to go down the “new” citizenship application route based on decent of an Irish parent.
Minor details to consider of what documentation would need to prepare.

14

This would be true for mere mortals but high income earners can just set up a company or get investment plum blossom card or use many other routes to get proper residency for parents

15

lol APRC holders cannot sponsor parents either. Also changing ones nationality does not cut of ties from one parents or siblings in another country. As for a scammer taking my ID card and using it elsewhere. Good luck

16

After you naturalize start your own political party.

17

Yes. You join forums like this to be told you were a fool for naturalizing and that you will never be accepted as being Taiwanese and that you will struggle to travel on a Taiwan passport and when China invades you won’t be able to leave Taiwan. :sweat_smile:

Taiwan is not like the USA. If you are not living in Taiwan and earning an income here then you pay no taxes here.

18

Where did you dream up this? My ex wife has Hukou in Taichung, spends maybe 2 months per year in Taiwan, does not pay tax on her overseas income.

19

Or a grandparent born in island. Dead or alive when you apply matters not.

20

Tell that to @Fuzzy_Barbecue who has had his parents in Taiwan now for fourth year on one year parent visa’s.