Law Articles
2026-09-18
Law Articles
Naturalization Procedures and Legal Obligations for Nationals Without Household Registration in the Taiwan Area
【Zhong Yin Law Firm Partner Annika Kuo / Attorney Yiju Wu】
annika.kuo@zhongyinlawyer.com.tw
annika.kuo@zhongyinlawyer.com.tw
As international trade continues to expand and Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and supply chains go global, an increasing number of Taiwanese nationals are having children abroad or settling overseas. Over time, many begin planning for family wealth succession or retirement back in Taiwan, making the process of establishing Taiwanese household registration for foreign-born children a growing topic of interest. Along with this, the corresponding duties and obligations that come with establishing household registration are also a key concern for many.
Under Article 3, Sub-section 5 of Taiwan's Immigration Act, a national of the Republic of China (“ROC”, Taiwan) who holds ROC nationality but has not established household registration in the Taiwan Area is referred to as a “National Without Household Registration in the Taiwan Area.” A National Without Household Registration who has resided abroad for a long period of time and wishes to establish household registration in Taiwan for the first time must first apply to the National Immigration Agency for a Permanent Resident Certificate (some applicants are required first to obtain a R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident Certificate and to reside in Taiwan for a specified period before becoming eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident Certificate). Within thirty days after the Permanent Resident Certificate is issued, the applicant must bring the Permanent Resident Certificate to the household registration office having jurisdiction over the place where the applicant intends to register, in order to complete initial household registration, and must at the same time apply for a National Identification Card. After completing this process, and before the applicant's first departure from Taiwan, the applicant must apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to exchange his or her existing passport for a ROC passport bearing the applicant's National Identification Card number; only after doing so may the applicant depart Taiwan. Set out below is a detailed description of the household-registration procedure, together with the legal obligations that arise once household registration in Taiwan has been completed.
Procedure for Household Registration (at the earliest, registration may be completed through an authorized agent within 14 working days after the applicant personally enters Taiwan)
(1) Individuals Born Before February 9, 1980 Hold ROC Nationality Only If Their Father Was an ROC National
If the applicant was born on or before February 9, 1980, the applicant acquired ROC nationality at birth only if the applicant's father was a ROC national at the time of the applicant's birth. If the applicant was born after February 9, 1980, the applicant acquired ROC nationality at birth if either the applicant's father or mother was a ROC national at the time of birth. An applicant must already hold ROC nationality before applying for a Permanent Resident Certificate and completing Taiwan household registration. Conversely, an applicant who does not meet the foregoing criteria, and therefore does not hold ROC nationality, must first naturalize as an ROC national before applying for a Permanent Resident Certificate and proceeding with household registration.
(2) An Applicant Who Already Holds ROC Nationality and Meets Any One of the Following Conditions May Bypass the R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident
Certificate and Apply Directly for a Permanent Resident Certificate (please proceed directly to Section (4) Applying for a Permanent Resident Certificate)
Ⅰ. Underage children born abroad, holding foreign passports upon entry into the ROC, whose father or mother were nationals with household registration in
the Taiwan Area at the time of their birth.
Ⅱ. Born abroad, holding ROC passports upon entry into the ROC, whose father or mother were nationals with household registration in the Taiwan Area at the
time of their birth.
Ⅲ. Born domestically without birth registration, entering the ROC with ROC or foreign passports after going abroad, whose parent(s) were nationals with
household registration in the Taiwan Area at the time of their birth.
Ⅳ. In cases where one of the following circumstances applies, and the individual does not hold household registration in Mainland China or possess a Mainland
China passport:
i. One parent is a national with household registration in the Taiwan Area, and the other parent is a person of the Mainland China Area, and the child is born in
the Mainland China Area and is under one (1) year of age.
ii. Children born in the Mainland China Area whose father and mother are both nationals with registered household registration in the Taiwan Area.
If a National Without Household Registration does not fall within any of the categories above, the applicant must first obtain a R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident Certificate
and reside in Taiwan for the requisite period before becoming eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident Certificate.
(3) Applying for a R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident Certificate
Ⅰ. Applicant Eligibility
i. Nationals without registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area residing abroad who meet any of the following circumstances may apply for residency in the
Taiwan Area to the National Immigration Agency (hereinafter referred to as "the NIA").
(a) Nationals without registered permanent residence who have lineal relatives by blood, spouses, siblings, or parents of spouses currently with household
registration in the Taiwan Area. In cases where the familial relationship is established through adoption, the adoptee should be a minor and reside together
with the adopter in the Taiwan Area, limited to two (2) persons.
(b) Born abroad to a parent who was a national with household registration in the Taiwan Area at the time of birth, or born after the death of a parent who was
a national with household registration in the Taiwan Area at the time of death.
ii. Those who renounce foreign nationality and naturalize to obtain ROC nationality .
iii. For other applicant eligibility criteria, please refer to this link: https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141465/141808/141954/cp_news
Ⅱ. Application Locations
i. Applicants in overseas areas: Applications should be submitted to the ROC's embassies, consulates, representative offices, or other authorized diplomatic
agencies . The application will be forwarded to the NIA for processing.
ii. Applicants in the Taiwan Area: Applications should be submitted by the applicant personally, by an authorized representative, or by an immigration service
organization to the service center of the administrative corps in the applicant's place of residence.
iii. For other regions, please refer to this link: https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141465/141808/141954/cp_news
Ⅲ. Required Documents (documents prepared overseas must be authenticated by an ROC overseas mission)
i. Application Form for Entry, Residence, and Permanent Residence in the Taiwan Area of the ROC, with a color uncovered head photo (taken within the last
2 years, in color, without a hat, without tinted glasses, with the eyes, nose, mouth, face, contours of both ears, and any distinctive moles, birthmarks, scars,
etc. clearly visible and unobstructed; the photograph must not be altered, and no digital retouching or enhancement is permitted; it must be sufficient for
identifying the person's appearance, measuring 4.5 cm vertically and 3.5 cm horizontally, with the image of the head from the top of the hair to the tip of
the chin measuring no less than 3.2 cm and no more than 3.6 cm; one frontal matte-finish photograph on white background is required; composite photographs
and mirror-image photographs are not permitted.)
ii. Proof of identity from the country of overseas residence or current place of residence.
iii. The ROC passport or documentation certifying ROC nationality, such as a nationality certificate, Overseas Chinese identity certificate, or military service
documents issued by the Ministry of National Defense.
iv. Health examination certificate issued within the last three (3) months
a. The examination must be conducted by a public or private hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare:
https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Category/ListContent/C4w0xUaCBCKzdd6BxDGWcA?uaid=LgG4_1kPzR7S1lAA634XJg
b. The examination items must conform to the health-examination checklist for residence or settlement applications:
https://www.cdc.gov.tw/File/Get/spCyHDngQGc4PYKFUstn-A
c. For applications filed overseas, if the Ministry of Health and Welfare has not designated a hospital in the relevant country of residence, the examination may be
conducted by a qualified local hospital, but the resulting certificate must be authenticated by an ROC overseas mission.
d. For a child aged 6 to 12 from a country or region exempt from testing, only proof of measles and rubella vaccination need be provided; for a child from a
country or region not so exempt, stool tests for intestinal parasites and a Hansen's disease test must also be provided.
e. For a child under 6, the original and a copy of a foreign-language vaccination certificate may be submitted instead, or the original and a copy of a vaccination
certificate (or child health handbook) issued by a Taiwan medical institution.
f. Health examinations performed in Taiwan typically take 7 to 10 working days for a health certificate to be issued; if the examination result is unsatisfactory, the
applicant must undergo treatment and be re-examined, or provide proof of treatment, before applying for the Permanent Resident Certificate.
v. Applicants born in mainland China, shall also submit documents certifying that they do not have household registration in Mainland China and do not hold a
passport from Mainland China (with verification by the Straits Exchange Foundation).
vi. Adult applicants should submit a national police criminal record certificate from their country of overseas residence or their current place of residence, issued
within the past year.
vii. Minors applying should submit residency consent letters from both parents; in case of parental divorce, a residency consent letter from the parent exercising or
bearing the rights and obligations of the child.
viii. Applicants who have entered Taiwan with a ROC passport and are applying during the legal stay period, should additionally submit a photocopy of the valid
temporary entry permit.
ix. Applicants who apply by virtue of a father, mother, or grandparent with Taiwan household registration, should additionally submit the following documentation:
(a) The original and a copy of the foreign birth certificate showing the full names of the parents, duly authenticated and translated by the relevant ROC overseas
mission.
(b) The original and a copy of the father or mother’s household registration transcript issued within 3 months of the date of application.
(c) Where the parents have not completed marriage registration in Taiwan, the original and a copy of the foreign marriage certicate, duly authenticated by the
relevant overseas mission and bearing an annotation confirming that it complies with the law of the place of where the marriage took place.
Ⅳ. Processing Time: 7 days (excluding the date of submission, holidays, time needed for supplementing documents, and mailing time)
Ⅴ. A National Without Household Registration Who Obtains a R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident Certificate Must Reside in Taiwan for a Minimum Period Before Becoming
Eligible to Apply for a Permanent Resident Certificate
Once applicants obtain a R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident Certificate, and have resided in the Taiwan Area for one year with at least 335 days of actual residence; or continuously resided for two years with at least 270 days of actual residence per year; or continuously resided for five years with at least 183 days of actual residence per year, they may apply for a Certificate of Registered Permanent Residence with the National Immigration Agency, provided they continue to meet the original conditions for residency.
(4) Applying for a Permanent Resident Certificate
Ⅰ. A National Without Household Registration in the Taiwan Area may apply for a Permanent Resident Certificate as follows:
i. For individuals residing overseas, in Hong Kong, or Macau
Applicants shall submit their applications for single-entry permits and copies of Taiwan Area Permanent Resident Certificates (hereinafter referred to as "Permanent
Resident Certificate copies") to overseas missions or to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong or Macau. These applications will be forwarded by
the overseas missions to the National Immigration Agency of the Ministry of the Interior for review. Upon approval, the Permanent Resident Certificate copies will
be mailed to the overseas missions for further distribution to the applicants. Applicants should enter the Republic of China within 6 months from the date on
which the Permanent Resident Certificate copy was issued (those who have not entered the ROC within the validity period, may apply for 1 extention with 6
months as the limit). Within 30 days after the date of entry into the ROC, the applicant shall proceed to the National Immigration Agency to exchange the copy for
a Taiwan Area Permanent Resident Certificate. If the applicant is a minor, then the exchange and receipt thereof shall be conducted by his/her statutory
representative.
ii. For individuals in the Taiwan Area
Applicants apply to the National Immigration Agency for permanent residence in the Taiwan Area and the National Immigration Agency will issue a Permanent
Resident Certificate upon approval.
iii. For other regions, please refer to this link: https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141465/141808/141948/cp_news
Ⅱ. Required Documents for Application of Permanent Resident Certificate (documents prepared overseas must be authenticated by an ROC overseas mission)
The basic documents required for the Permanent Resident Certificate are the same as those for a Resident Certificate. Please refer to the residency application
instructions above. Additional required documents are listed below:
i. A valid original and copy of the Taiwan Area Resident Certificate or Alien Resident Certificate (if available, otherwise exempt).
ii. Original and copy of foreign passport or documents proving ROC nationality. For those who have entered the ROC, also provide the original and copy of the entry
permit.
iii. Proof of registered address: Refers to one of the following documents with the correct registered address: Household Certificate, national identification card,
property ownership certificate, recent property tax bill, or original and copy of lease agreement (select one out of the five). However, if the registered address is the
same as that of the applicant's parents and the Household Certificate (or national ID card) has already been submitted, this requirement is exempt.
iv. Letter of Authorization: If submitting the application through a representative, a letter of authorization should be provided. The authorized representative must
personally sign or affix a seal at the designated signature area on the application form (exempt for parents acting on behalf of minor children).
v. Other relevant evidentiary documents:
(a) For individuals born overseas, submit the original and copy of the foreign birth certificate containing the full names of both parents.
(b) For individuals born domestically, provide the original and copy of the Chinese or English birth certificate issued by a domestic medical institution.
(c) The original and a copy of the Household Registration Transcript or national ID card of either the father or the mother, after completing the marriage
registration in the Taiwan Area; if the marriage registration is not completed in the Taiwan Area, the original and copy of the foreign marriage certificate should
be submitted.
Ⅲ. Processing Time
Review time required (excluding the date of submission, holidays, time needed for supplementing documents, and mailing time):
i. Permanent Resident Certificate or Permanent Resident Certificate copy: 7 days.
ii. Exchanging a Permanent Resident Certificate copy for a Permanent Resident Certificate: 3 days.
For other frequently asked questions regarding Permanent Resident Certificate, please refer to this link:
https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141465/141808/141948/cp_news
(5) Completing Household Registration
Within 30 days of the day following issuance of the Permanent Resident Certificate, the applicant must bring the Permanent Resident Certificate to the household
registration office having jurisdiction over the intended place of registration in order to complete initial household registration. The relevant procedure is as follows:
Ⅰ. Applicants
i. The applicant personally.
ii. The head of household.
iii. An interested party (where neither the applicant nor the head of household is available).
iv. An authorized agent.
v. For a minor, the minor's legal representative shall be the applicant.
Ⅱ. Required Documents
i. Where the applicant is a minor, the following documents must be brought by the minor's legal representative (both parents) or the head of household:
(a) The applicant's National Identification Card and seal (or signature).
(b) The Permanent Resident Certificate issued by the National Immigration Agency.
(c) The household registration transcript for the current residence.
(d) If only one parent is handling the application, a letter of consent or authorization from the other parent must additionally be provided.
ii. Where the applicant is an adult, the applicant must personally bring the following documents:
(a) To establish an independent household:
◇ The Permanent Resident Certificate issued by the National Immigration Agency, and a seal (or signature).
◇ Documentation supporting the establishment of an independent household (see the applicable guidance for details).
(b) First time registration within another person's existing household:
◇ The Permanent Resident Certificate issued by the National Immigration Agency, and a seal (or signature).
◇ The household registration transcript for the current residence.
iii. An applicant aged 14 or older must apply for a National Identification Card for the first time; an applicant under 14 may apply for one. Applicants for a National
Identification Card should bring one photograph, taken within the preceding two years, meeting the applicable specifications.
iv. Any required documents prepared overseas must be authenticated by an ROC overseas mission; a document prepared in Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau
must be authenticated by an institution established or designated by the Executive Yuan, or by a private organization entrusted by it. Any required document in a
foreign language must additionally be accompanied by a Chinese translation either authenticated by an ROC overseas mission or certified by a notary public in
Taiwan.
(6) A Passport Bearing the Applicant's National Identification Card Number Must Be Obtained Before the Applicant May Depart Taiwan
Ⅰ. Required Documents
i. The original National Identification Card.
ii. Two 2-inch head shots.
iii. The applicant's existing Taiwan passport.
iv. The Simplified Passport Application Data Form (if the applicant applies in person, this form may be collected and completed on site; if the application is made
through an agent, the applicant must complete the form in advance: https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-143-6774-bf58e-2.html
v. If the application is made through an agent, a power of attorney must be completed and both the principal's
and the agent's original National Identification Cards must be presented in person.
Ⅱ. Processing Time: Exchanging for the new passport takes 10 working days.