Republic of China passport
Encyclopedia
The Republic of China passport is the nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...

al passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....

 issued to national
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....

s of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

 (ROC) with household registration in the Taiwan Area
Free Area of the Republic of China
The Free area of the Republic of China is a legal and political description referring to the territories under the control of the government of Republic of China , consisting of the island groups of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and some minor islands...

 and certain Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....

. It is commonly known as the Taiwanese passport, as the ROC has been commonly known as "Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

" since the 1970s.

Eligibility for holding ROC passport

The ROC was founded in 1912 governing the whole of mainland China. In 1945, the ROC gained control of Taiwan from Japan. Since the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...

 in 1949, ROC has retained control of the territory of Taiwan, while mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

 has come under the control of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

 (PRC). The ROC constitution does not recognize the PRC so the ROC still legally considers itself as the sole government of China. All the territory under ROC control is constitutionally defined as the Free Area
Free Area of the Republic of China
The Free area of the Republic of China is a legal and political description referring to the territories under the control of the government of Republic of China , consisting of the island groups of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and some minor islands...

 (also known as "Taiwan Area"), while the territory outside Taiwan Area is defined as the "Mainland Area". The ROC constitution allows the ROC government to make laws for one Area of the country without affecting the other Area..

ROC nationals who also hold household registration in the Taiwan Area are eligible for the ROC passport. While the passport shows the holder is a ROC national, it is not conclusive evidence that the holder is a citizen of the Republic of China
Nationality Law of the Republic of China
The Nationality Law of the Republic of China defines and regulates nationality of the Republic of China . It was first promulgated by the Nationalist Government on February 5, 1929 and revised by the Taipei-based Legislative Yuan in 2000, 2001, and 2006.The Act, like the Constitution of the...

 as, according to the nationality law of ROC, there is no implication of citizenship. Additionally, not all ROC passport holders have the right of abode in the Taiwan Area.

In addition to Taiwan residents, certain Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....

 are eligible to receive the ROC passport. This includes persons born abroad to parents with ROC passports, persons born in Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...

 with residency status abroad, Chinese residents of Hong Kong and Macau who obtained a passport prior to 1997 and 1999 respectively, and persons who obtained a passport solely on the basis of Chinese ethnicity prior to 2002.

Chinese residents in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are legally ROC nationals, and they may also obtain an ROC passport under special circumstances, provided they have permanent residence
Permanent residence
Permanent residence may refer to:* Permanent Residence * Permanent residence * Permanent residency* Permanent resident...

 status in a country outside the ROC constitutional claims and do not hold a non-Chinese passport. The special circumstances are, from Article 18 of the Enforcement Rules of the Passport Act of 2002, "Special considerations for political, economic, social, educational, technological, cultural, athletic, overseas Chinese, religious, and humanitarian reasons." Before the handovers of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...

, Chinese residents of those territories were treated as Overseas Chinese and were automatically eligible to hold a ROC passport without having to establish residency in a country outside the ROC constitutional claims.

Before the revision to the Enforcement Rules of the Passport Act in 2002, ethnic Chinese who obtained Overseas Chinese Identity Certificates (on the basis of having Chinese ethnicity) could use these Certificates to claim ROC Nationality and obtain passports, regardless of whether they have lived or even set foot in the Taiwan Area. (see here for an explanation on its rationale) After 2002, these Certificates are no longer recognized as proof of ROC Nationality if they were granted on the basis of Chinese ethnicity alone, by Article 13. Note that under Article 3 of the Overseas Compatriot Identity Act, persons holding People's Republic of China passport
People's Republic of China passport
The People's Republic of China passport , commonly referred to as the Chinese passport, is the passport issued to citizens of the People's Republic of China for international travel....

s were never eligible to obtain this Certificate.

The ROC passport does not automatically grant the holders right of abode
Right of abode
The right of abode is an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular country. A person who has the right of abode in a country does not need permission from the government to enter the country and can live and work there without restriction....

 in the Taiwan Area. Only ROC passport holders who also hold household registration in the Taiwan Area, and whose passports therefore show a national identification number, are exempt from immigration restrictions in Taiwan. Other ROC passport holders are issued landing visas upon arrival in Taiwan and are subject to deportation. It is the Republic of China National Identification Card
Republic of China National Identification Card
The National Identification Card is an identity document issued only to citizens of the Republic of China that have a household registration in the Taiwan area...

, which is only issued to ROC citizens with household registration in Taiwan, that is used to exercise citizenship rights such as through voting.

Passports of overseas Chinese (as opposed to passports of ROC citizens with household registration in Taiwan) are issued only in ROC embassies, consulates, and Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices and not in Taiwan itself and contain a special stamp indicating overseas Chinese status (which also exempts the holder of conscription
Conscription in the Republic of China
The Republic of China has maintained a policy of conscription for all qualified males of military age since 1949. Females from the outlying islands of Fuchien, which are geographically closest to mainland China, were also required to serve in a civil defense role, although this requirement has...

). Similarly, not all British passport
British nationality law
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...

 holders have the right of abode in the United Kingdom, however they do have the right of abode in some area(s) under British jurisdiction. Contrastingly, holders of overseas Chinese passports have no right of abode in any area under ROC jurisdiction. Under relevant US laws, holders of these overseas Chinese passports which are (by definition) without a national identification number and without unrestricted right to enter and/or reside in Taiwan do not satisfy the definition of a passport under INA 101(a)(30). Such persons are considered stateless for US visa issuing purposes.

Since May 21, 2000, the validity of a ROC passport is 10 years for general holders or 5 years for minors aged under 16. However, an ROC passport is valid for just 3 years for young male adults who have not yet served the ROC conscription
Conscription in the Republic of China
The Republic of China has maintained a policy of conscription for all qualified males of military age since 1949. Females from the outlying islands of Fuchien, which are geographically closest to mainland China, were also required to serve in a civil defense role, although this requirement has...

.

Style

Regular passport's cover is dark green in color with gold lettering. The National Emblem of the Republic of China and the wording "Republic of China" and "Passport" in Chinese and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 are printed on the cover. Because the "Republic of China" has been commonly known as "Taiwan" internationally since the 1970s, many Taiwanese travelers have experienced difficulties with immigration officials overseas mistakenly believing that they were from mainland China (People's Republic of China). In September 2003, under the administration of President Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...

, the word "Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

" was added to the ROC passport cover in English (but not in Chinese). The premier when asked during question time in the Parliament stated that this was to facilitate travel and did not change the name of the nation.

The first page of the passport is the passport note page and printed:
The interior is in traditional Chinese and English. Until the mid-1990s, the passport also contained an entry for provincial citizenship, stating the Chinese province and county of one's ancestral home, but this field has been eliminated. However, the Chinese province and county of birth is still listed in the birthplace entry if the passport holder was born in either mainland China or Taiwan.

ROC passports identify the issuing country with the ISO code
ISO 3166-1 alpha-3
ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes are three-letter country codes defined in ISO 3166-1, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , to represent countries, dependent territories, and special areas of geographical interest...

 "TWN", where mainland Chinese
People's Republic of China passport
The People's Republic of China passport , commonly referred to as the Chinese passport, is the passport issued to citizens of the People's Republic of China for international travel....

, HKSAR and MSAR passports all bear the code "CHN".

On November 25, 2008, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of China
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Republic of China)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China is a cabinet level policy-making body, governed under the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China. The fundamental purpose of the ministry is to promote, expand, and conduct bilateral foreign affairs with other nations. It is in charge of...

 announced that it will be starting to issue biometric passport
Biometric passport
A biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport that contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of travelers...

 on December 29, 2008. The "Taiwan" wording on the cover will still be kept.

Limitation in usage

Even though the Republic of China maintains official relations with only 23 countries
Foreign relations of the Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, is recognized by sovereign states. The course of the foreign relations of the ROC is dominated by maintaining diplomatic relations with these countries, as well as unofficial relations with other countries via its de facto embassies and...

, the ROC passport is still accepted as a valid travel document in virtually all the countries of the world, although in practice some countries (e.g. Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...

, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

) opt not to directly stamp on it. Instead, these countries issue the visa on a separate sheet which is staple
Staple (fastener)
A staple is a type of two-pronged fastener, usually metal, used for joining or binding materials together. Large staples might be used with a hammer or staple gun for masonry, roofing, corrugated boxes and other heavy-duty uses...

d to the ROC passport, and only stamp entry and exit stamps on the visa. Malaysia also had this practice until March 2009 when the Malaysian government decided that Malaysian visas be directly issued to and stamped on the ROC passport.

Due to the special political status of Taiwan
Political status of Taiwan
The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu should remain effectively independent as territory of the Republic of China , become unified with the territories now governed by the People's Republic of China , or formally declare...

, neither the PRC
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

 nor the ROC
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

 recognizes the passports issued by the other, and neither party formally considers travel between mainland China and Taiwan as "international" travel. Taiwan residents must obtain an additional travel document, the "Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents" (台湾居民来往大陆通行证) to enter mainland China. A valid ROC passport is required to apply for the Mainland Travel Permit, and may be required to be presented to PRC immigration officials to further confirm its holder's identity.

The Government of Hong Kong
Government of Hong Kong
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...

 accepts either an ROC passport or a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents to enter Hong Kong. For ROC passport holders, a pre-arrival visa which is separated from the passport is required and will be stamped, while the ROC passport is not stamped. For Mainland Travel Permit holders, a valid entry permit was formerly required for entry, but since April 27, 2009, Hong Kong grants 30-day visa-free access to Mainland Travel Permit holders without an entry permit, and the Mainland Travel Permit is stamped.

During both Portuguese and the PRC administration, Macau authorities regard ROC passports as valid travel documents, although Macau immigration officers do not stamp ROC passports. Instead they place an entry and exit stamp onto the Arrival/Departure card, which shall eventually be recalled upon the visitor's departure from the territory. Macau authorities unilaterally grant ROC passport holders 30-day visa-free access to Macau.

See also

  • Visa requirements for Republic of China citizens
    Visa requirements for Republic of China citizens
    Visa requirements for Republic of China citizens are visa requirements for those traveling on a Republic of China passport. ROC passport holders can be divided into those who hold Household registration and those who do not...

  • Foreign relations of the Republic of China
    Foreign relations of the Republic of China
    The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, is recognized by sovereign states. The course of the foreign relations of the ROC is dominated by maintaining diplomatic relations with these countries, as well as unofficial relations with other countries via its de facto embassies and...

  • Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents

External links

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