There is some information about this topic sprinkled around multiple topics but I’d like to collect it in one place for future reference.
Background
There is a gray area in Taiwanese law that states you only need to renounce your “original nationality” (原有國籍) when applying for a Taiwanese one. Given that there’s no plural in Chinese, this can be interpreted to just mean the one on your A(P)RC even if you have more. From what I remember reading in another thread, it seems that the government has noticed this and tightened the loophole a bit since 2018 when it issued a clarification that this refers to ALL your nationalities. Recently they even started asking about other nationalities on the A(P)RC application form. However not all staff is aware of it, and since the law itself did not change, it’s possible to still slip through with renunciation of just one nationality.
I believe there have been 2 or more success stories, even when the staff processing the application is aware of your multiple nationalities.
@anon24369109 and uh, @comfy123? (I’m sorry I forget who recently tried this) if you could fill in any gaps that would be great.
I’m now slowly collecting the documents needed for renunciation and hoping to go apply later this year. Could someone clarify who and when exactly sets the renunciation requirement? Does the HHR staff hand you a document at the beginning of the process that lists all the renunciation proofs you need to provide? Or do you only find out at the end when you try to get the TARC only to be rejected?
In my case I will need to switch from nationality A to B at NIA, then go to HHR office and try to apply. Should this fail, I’ll have to switch back to A. But if I renounce B and they reject me anyway, I’m down a nationality and got nothing to show for it.
For reference, here’s the current process as a flowchart (2022 revision) and it still uses the singular “Abdication Certificate of the Original Nation”.
I remember there was one guy who tried and failed because TW knew about both his citizenships, then moved his residence address to another HHR and still failed. Not sure what’s his status now. Perhaps he is moving around Taiwan trying at each HHR office. It’s best they don’t have any record of your other citizenship. But then again, renunciation is good for the soul right.
I may acquire a Caribbean citizenship and try this myself. Perhaps the TW gov should add a way to pay to bypass renunciation like @comfy123 suggested, otherwise the money is just going to some random island in the Caribbean instead of TW. This all seems to be a bureaucratic exercise rather than requiring the TW nationality to be the original one.
They will let you know you have to renounce both if they stumble on them before you go through with it. So you can keep A(P)RC and your nationalities.
Even if you get TARC, you can go back to A(P)RC.
More people were raising this question with authorities, making them pay more attention to it. Basically reducing their and everyone’s chances, making the naturalization twice as difficult. e.g they will ask for criminal record from both countries one is national of and getting through the process of renouncing twice.
They will let you know which one to renounce before asking you to and starting the 12 months.
Your certificate of naturalization will have listed “original nationality.” That will be the one you have to renounce. I haven’t seen one with 2 listed but I wouldn’t say it isn’t possible.
I know of far more than two. However nowadays I advise people not to tell. So for some they are here on an ARC matching the nationality they will renounce. No one asks them if they have another nationality.
One friend born in Australia has NZ and UK nationality as well. Another born in Australia has NZ citizenship. Also many Europeans have multiple nationalities as well.
I have friends who just got their TARC and only renounced one nationality but have another. Seems that if your nationality on your ARC matches up and you have now not switched to another nationality you are fine. I did post a video of a friend who did switch from NZ to Canadian and renounced that. He was born in Canada. So it’s not like they didn’t know. He said biggest PITA was getting a Canadian police certificate for a country he had not lived in for over 40 years lol.
Someone should apply get a TARC then challenge the rule that says you must renounce all citizenships. If a person gets one nationality a decade after another how can it be the “Original Nationality”
I think you mean ctbalms. Born in the USA but here on Philippines passport was told to renounce both.
Not failed just told to renounce both. He moved address from Taichung to Taipei and applied in Taipei. IF he had applied in Taichung they probably would not have cared and just asked him to renounce one nationality. Taichung HHR offices are not asking people to renounce all.
Same in some other parts of the country. I am remiss now to mention which ones as I know people with multiple nationality who are only being asked to renounce one nationality. It also helps when they simply do not mention another nationality.
I think I’ll use this thread as my personal blog on the process like others have done. Currently taking it easy and only slowly perusing the requirements.
Got one of the documents required for renunciation last year with little effort, and another one I found out today can be acquired digitally. Originally was going to get it via power of attorney which would be a huge PITA. Also found out I can get criminal record here in Taipei.
I bind myself to this land the moment I get the certificate, but at what point in the process am I allowed to leave again? Without this information I can’t plan the rest of the process.
When you submit it to HHR office and they send it off, then one can leave at will and the HHR won’t ask for a new criminal record (in certain circumstances the criminal record is waved, so those people can leave anytime). If you don’t want to take any chances then wait for the Naturalization certificate, but that can take a few months.
Once you receive the Naturalization certificate, you can immediately apply for TARC (1 week) and with TARC in hand apply for Taiwan Passport (ca. 10 days).
Edit: Actually it says one can apply for TARC together with Naturalization application at the HHR office.
Following this! My wife is a natural born Filipino but has acquired US citizenship. It appears that she can renounce her Filipino citizenship then reacquire it. I suppose this means that for all Taiwan immigration matters regarding her and our daughter we should present her Filipino passport and never her US passport?
Practically, yes. As long as she doesn’t open a bank account in Taiwan and is not listed on any Taiwanese financial accounts (real estate, credit cards, etc).
Don’t all banks ask if you are a US citizen? Also, ARC application asks for details of all citizenships held… might be fraud or a fraudulent ommision, or a breach of the immigration laws not to disclose it.
On your daughter’s part, she is fine. She is a NWOHR from birth through you, therefore no renunciation issues as well.
She may or may not encounter issues with getting her passport because recognition of the marriage may be contingent on some sort of interview requirement because of your wife’s Philippine citizenship is a 特定國籍 which is an issue I’m having getting my daughter’s passport. (let me know if you do encounter problems.)
