I am a dual national, but have a question regarding my passport. I was just reading that if your passport number starts with an “X” that means it is not an actual ROC citizen’s passport, but a Overseas Chinese passport. However, I don’t know if this is neccessarily true. I was born in Taiwan to Taiwanese parents and had an ID number and an original Taiwan passport. I was adopted and went to the USA. But I have reclaimed my Taiwan citizenship and have my ID card, but I did notice my passport number starts with an “X”, but it also shows my ID number as well. So, how can my passport be an “Overseas Chinese passport” when I original nationality is Taiwan?
I am told that they stopped issuing these “X” prefix passports in early 2000. If necessary, you could go to the MOFA and get a new passport, according to what I have heard. This is especially noteworthy since you have stated that you do have an ROC ID card.
I talked to some ROC Constitutional scholars about your question. They said that the terminology of “Overseas Chinese passport” while commonly heard, is in fact constitutionally inaccurate.
This is explained as follows. An ROC passport identifies the holder as being an ROC citizen. According to the Article 7 of the ROC Constitution, all citizens are equal; there are no “class distinctions.” Article 10 says that all citizens have the freedom to take up residence, or change residence, according to their own preference.
Hence, the attempt by ROC government authorities to deny ROC residency rights to holders of so-called “Overseas Chinese passports” is in direct violation of the ROC Constitution.
Any “Overseas Chinese” who are dissatisfied with current ROC government policy in this regard should hire competent legal counsel and file the appropriate administrative court actions.