Overseas chinese ROC passport! Can Singaporeans apply?

[quote=“Satellite TV”]
Japan? Japan does not allow dual nationality please get your facts correct first.[/quote]

The bureaucratic system there used to be such that one could illegally retain both Japanese and other nationality at the same time past the two year period. As long as one lived a quiet life, it was easy to avoid getting caught. (Nowadays Japanese embassies are cracking down on this practice, if you try to renew a passport overseas and can’t show your permanent residence or visa in your Japanese passport, then they’ll know you are a dual national.)

It also seems that there’s a grandfathered status so that those who became multi-nations with Japan before Janurary 1, 1985 were allowed to keep it? tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118b.html I don’t know anything about this, though.

[quote=“Satellite TV”][quote=“blueeee11”]Hey all,

I am Singaporean Chinese with zero ties to Taiwan. My grandparents were born in the mainland and parents born in Singapore.

I am very interested in this overseas Chinese taiwan passport. It would be cool to have another passport in hand. I’ve also heard it makes it easier to work/live in Taiwan though I am not sure how. I really want that passport. I visited Taiwan last year and really liked the place a lot. The people are refreshingly friendly.

I’ve been reading a lot about this overseas Chinese taiwan passport. I’ve heard that all enthic Chinese overseas are eligible to receive a taiwan passport without the hukou.

I have emailed the Taiwan authorities and also contacted the Taiwan embassy here but received no clear answer to it. I was jerked around both times like they didn’t want to entertain me.

Has anyone actually gotten their overseas Chinese taiwan passsport? If so, could you please tell me what are the documents needed and what is the process like?[/quote]

Yes I got one. However Singapore does not allow dual Nationality so you will have to renounce your Singaporean Citizenship.[/quote]

Hello satellitetv,

Under what circumstances did you get yours? I have zero ties to Taiwan, except for being enthic Chinese, are you sure I qualify? How did you get yours? Did you have to go to the Taiwan embassy to fill in forms? What documents do you have to provide? What does the entire process entail?

I am quite sure getting the passport, which is a travel document, does not mean I have taken up Taiwan citizenship. In fact, they made it quite clear in Taiwan, the passport is not a proof of citizenship. Citizenship means having the right to reside, vote, work in Taiwan, which I would not have even if I were to hold their passport. I would need a hukou and taiwan id for that.

However, should I decide to take up Taiwan citizenship, I would probably renounce my Singapore one, that wouldn’t be a problem. I am fine with the military obligations, after all, I already did 2.5 years of conscription in Singapore plus years of reservist training, so what is 1 more year in the military?

[quote=“IceEagle”][quote=“Satellite TV”]
Japan? Japan does not allow dual nationality please get your facts correct first.[/quote]

The bureaucratic system there used to be such that one could illegally retain both Japanese and other nationality at the same time past the two year period. As long as one lived a quiet life, it was easy to avoid getting caught. (Nowadays Japanese embassies are cracking down on this practice, if you try to renew a passport overseas and can’t show your permanent residence or visa in your Japanese passport, then they’ll know you are a dual national.)

It also seems that there’s a grandfathered status so that those who became multi-nations with Japan before Janurary 1, 1985 were allowed to keep it? Tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118b.html I don’t know anything about this, though.[/quote]

I remember the case of the the ex Peruvian Japanese President, fujimori or whatever his name is, he has Japanese and Peruvian citizenship. Japan protected him from extradition to Peru, they obviously knew about his Peruvian citizenship too. The fool could have stayed in Japan and enjoyed his life, instead went back to south america on his own accord and is now serving a life sentence in Peru.

Fujumori applied only after arriving in Japan. Not before.

I simply moved to Taiwan, got my ARC as a foreign resident then after having met the residential period applied for ROC Nationality.

I am not the only person to have ever done this. Several thousand do so every year.

PS I am not even ethnically Chinese.

You don’t seem to get me.

I know there is a way to naturalise as Taiwanese

But what I am asking about is the overseas chinese ROC passport which I heard was supposedly given to all ethnic Chinese outside of Taiwan. They just have to request for it and they will get it. It is like the British overseas national passport, it doesn’t confer the right to reside or work in Taiwan, it is merely a travel document. Does this illusive passport actually exist?

[quote=“blueeee11”]You don’t seem to get me.

I know there is a way to naturalise as Taiwanese

But what I am asking about is the overseas Chinese ROC passport which I heard was supposedly given to all ethnic Chinese outside of Taiwan. They just have to request for it and they will get it. It is like the British overseas national passport, it doesn’t confer the right to reside or work in Taiwan, it is merely a travel document. Does this illusive passport actually exist?[/quote]
No. Not in the form you seem to think it does. Did you even look at the links for the Nationality Act and especially the Passport Act that I posted?

[quote=“blueeee11”]
But what I am asking about is the overseas Chinese ROC passport which I heard was supposedly given to all ethnic Chinese outside of Taiwan. They just have to request for it and they will get it. It is like the British overseas national passport, it doesn’t confer the right to reside or work in Taiwan, it is merely a travel document. Does this illusive passport actually exist?[/quote]

It used to, but only for overseas PRC citizens and ethnic Chinese on Hong Kong and Macau. If you don’t have a connection to the PRC today, you can’t get one.

And even if you do have such a connection, you probably won’t be able to get one regardless because of various technicalities in the law.

[quote=“IceEagle”][quote=“blueeee11”]
But what I am asking about is the overseas Chinese ROC passport which I heard was supposedly given to all ethnic Chinese outside of Taiwan. They just have to request for it and they will get it. It is like the British overseas national passport, it doesn’t confer the right to reside or work in Taiwan, it is merely a travel document. Does this illusive passport actually exist?[/quote]

It used to, but only for overseas PRC citizens and ethnic Chinese on Hong Kong and Macau. If you don’t have a connection to the PRC today, you can’t get one.

And even if you do have such a connection, you probably won’t be able to get one regardless because of various technicalities in the law.[/quote]

Ok, thanks guys. I just realised I meant elusive but my literacy levels are dropping fast these days.

A Singapore passport gives you way more benefits than the ROC passport though.

Like what… the right to take a drug test after you travel abroad and took a tote then spend 2 years in Jail when you get back to Singapore.

So in what way does a Singapore passport give me more benefits than I Taiwan one.

It’s pretty useless for being in Taiwan is a Singaporean passport. You can’t work in China on one and you porbably only get a 30 day period of stays for China whereas I get a 1 year period visa, with working rights for China.

Because there would be need for visa renewals.

Like what… the right to take a drug test after you travel abroad and took a tote then spend 2 years in Jail when you get back to Singapore.

So in what way does a Singapore passport give me more benefits than I Taiwan one.

It’s pretty useless for being in Taiwan is a Singaporean passport. You can’t work in China on one and you porbably only get a 30 day period of stays for China whereas I get a 1 year period visa, with working rights for China.[/quote]

With a Singapore you can travel to many more countries without Visa, including whole Europe. This is not possible with the ROC passport. With a Singapore passport, you can travel to the PRC for 15 days without Visa, probably the only country which has such privileges. Of course if you want to stay in China, the ROC passport + Taiwan card is far more useful, true…

See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_passport

[quote=“blueeee11”]Hey all,

I am Singaporean Chinese with zero ties to Taiwan. My grandparents were born in the mainland and parents born in Singapore.

I am very interested in this overseas Chinese taiwan passport. It would be cool to have another passport in hand. I’ve also heard it makes it easier to work/live in Taiwan though I am not sure how. I really want that passport. I visited Taiwan last year and really liked the place a lot. The people are refreshingly friendly.

I’ve been reading a lot about this overseas Chinese taiwan passport. I’ve heard that all enthic Chinese overseas are eligible to receive a taiwan passport without the hukou.

I have emailed the Taiwan authorities and also contacted the Taiwan embassy here but received no clear answer to it. I was jerked around both times like they didn’t want to entertain me.

Has anyone actually gotten their overseas Chinese taiwan passsport? If so, could you please tell me what are the documents needed and what is the process like?[/quote]

Before I continue I have briefly read what others have responded and mentioned that you are not allowed to either hold 2 passport and/or 2 citizenship.

Not withstanding what Singapore’s rules mention, Taiwanese’s Nationality DOES NOT equate to Citizenship and having taiwanese nationality doesn’t affect your current citizenship. But if Singapore wants to interpret otherwise, we have to look into Singapore’s side of laws.

However, it is “in theory” (i haven’t tried it myself) possible to apply for a Taiwanese Passport. This DOES NOT give you right of abode and employment within Taiwan.

You have started in the wrong place. From my “research”. YOu need to first get a Overseas Chinese Registration that is issued by a Overseas Chinese Compatriots Commission of Taiwan. To be issued one, you have to fulfil the requirements stated herein, for a typical chinese singaporean, you should be able to get this cert.

That Overseas Chinese registration can then be used in lieu of the National ID as a requirement of a Taiwanese passport.

But as for apply at the TRO in Singapore. I don’t know if they will service you. Need to try.

I believe you should be familiar with BOCA website now, instead of looking at Passport Laws, you should look at Enforcement of Passport Laws, it does say that you can use a Overseas Chinese registration in lieu of a National ID.

Overseas Chinese registration, you have to go Overseas Chinese Compatriots Commission Website.

please do update me. i am interested but i am unable to fulfil the “8 months in the previous 2 years” requirements as I am currenlty posted overseas.

Just an additional note to regarding Singapore’s stance on Dual Nationality.

Singapore does not RECOGNISE dual nationality. However there are no other laws that makes one with dual nationality illegal/criminal.

“Does not recognise” means that if you happen to have a 2nd citizenship while being a Singaporean, the rights as afforded to you by the 2nd country does not apply to you within Singapore should you choose to practice those rights.

Say for example you are an American at the same time a Singaporean and you are arrested, you claim that you are an American and demand to speak to a Consular officer. Singapore does not recognise that right since you are only a Singaporean in their eyes.

HOWEVER, Singapore have measures in place to prevent you from having a 2nd Citizenship or make Singaporean your 2nd citizenship.

Meaning, if you have somehow, one way or another procured a 2nd citizenship or taken Singaporean as your 2nd citizenship, you might have broken some laws with regards to your application of the Singaporean citizenship or made false declaration. That is illegal (not sure if its Criminal).

But obtaining a 2nd citizenship where the 2nd country does allow it, Singapore is unable to enforce their Dual Citizenship ruling on you as you did not intentionally make a false declaration to Singapore. Unless of course if you renew your Singapore Passport and you are require to declare you do not have a 2nd citizenship.

Like what… the right to take a drug test after you travel abroad and took a tote then spend 2 years in Jail when you get back to Singapore.

So in what way does a Singapore passport give me more benefits than I Taiwan one.

It’s pretty useless for being in Taiwan is a Singaporean passport. You can’t work in China on one and you porbably only get a 30 day period of stays for China whereas I get a 1 year period visa, with working rights for China.[/quote]

With a Singapore you can travel to many more countries without Visa, including whole Europe. This is not possible with the ROC passport. With a Singapore passport, you can travel to the PRC for 15 days without Visa, probably the only country which has such privileges. Of course if you want to stay in China, the ROC passport + Taiwan card is far more useful, true…

See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_passport[/quote]

Wow 15 days in China, whereas I can stay for one year at a time and legally work there with my Taibao Zheng.

Hey Satellite, I read from your other post you had a Taiwanese passport before you are a Citizen. What was your circumstance then (like are you linked to Taiwan thru parentage)?

When you apply for citizenship and if you get accepted you first get a Taiwan Area Residence card and a passport. You are a national but not a citizen as you still don’t have an ID Card. You need to wait a year before you can apply for an ID Card and get full citizenship, but you do have a passport during that year as you would have renounced your previous citizenship and would effectively be stateless.

  1. Apply for candidature certificate.
  2. Renounce citizenship - You are then Stateless.
  3. Apply for citizenship - You become a national with a passport and TARC, but no ID card.
  4. One year later you apply for ID card and you are a citizen.

That’s a huge oversimplification though, as there are several criteria you have to meet, as with any country you immigrate to.

Japan has the same visa-less 15 day travel, and South Korea is working on a 30 day visa-free agreement.

Which certificate are you talking about?

If you mean Overseas Compatriot Identity Certificate, then probably not:

ocac.gov.tw/english/faq/faq_pop.asp?no=12

As far as I know, the only Certificate that a Singaporean person of Chinese ethnicity would be eligible for is the Overseas Compatriot Identity Certificate. Every other certificate seems to require a ROC ID or a ROC passport, or a copy of household registration papers.

[quote=“ponders”]
please do update me. I am interested but I am unable to fulfil the “8 months in the previous 2 years” requirements as I am currenlty posted overseas.[/quote]

Isn’t that the requirement for a ROC national ID card? To get this you first have to already have the ROC passport, and enter Taiwan on this.

No I just lived here long enough to get my 7 year itch and apply for it.