Taiwanese Compatriot Pass/USA Passport

[jamiroquai4545]

I am currently hold two passports: USA and Taiwan.

I used my USA passport to enter Taiwan, and then used my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass to enter in China (it's much easier to enter let alone work in China with a Taiwanese compatriot pass as opposed to the USA passport). Currently, I'm still in China.

In a few months I want to visit the states for a few weeks.

I was told that in order to visit the states from China, I need to first go through Taiwan (using Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass), in order to go to the states (using USA passport from Taiwan to USA). Similarly, when I return to China from the states, I will need to go through Taiwan again en route to China.

Is it possible that I just fly directly from China to the states without going through Taiwan? I was thinking of using my USA passport to enter the states and my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass to enter China and leaving the states.

However, I heard that this might be problematic, as I was told that the people checking my passports will find it suspicious if I enter the United States (non-stop flight from China) if they don't see on my USA passport any record of entering China, but only of entering Taiwan (since I used my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass to enter China).

And if and when I return to China directly from the states using my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass (because it's easier to enter the China using the Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass), would USA find it problematic if I left USA without any record of entering USA on my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass (since I used my American passport to enter USA).

I know this is sort of a complicated and specific situation, but it's hard to find information on this. Thanks for the help!

[jbradfor]

And if and when I return to China directly from the states using my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass (because it's easier to enter the China using the Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass), would USA find it problematic if I left USA without any record of entering USA on my Taiwanese passport/compatriot pass (since I used my American passport to enter USA).

I don't follow this question. When you leave a country, you MUST show the same passport you used to enter. If not, you are in for a world of pain. So in this case you show your USA passport when you leave the USA, as that's what you used when you entered, and then when you arrive in China you show your Taiwan passport.

[renzhe]

You could be in trouble if you do that too.

If you show up in China coming on a direct flight from the US with a Taiwanese passport, they will want to see when you left the US and look for the relevant visa/entry stamp, etc. If they can't find that, they will get suspicious. Imagine the following conversation:

"Where are you coming from?"

"New York."

"Hmmm. How come there is no stamp in your passport? You haven't been to the US in the last 3 years."

"Oh, that. I have several passports, I just swap them around to avoid visa hassle."

"Security!!!!"

A friend has had some trouble because of swapping passports between borders like that.I don't think it's illegal, strictly speaking, but they don't have to let you into the country if they find you suspicious, so you're gambling.

[roddy]

I don't think it would be a problem - you just show both and say you left China on your Taiwanese one and you're now entering on the US one. You might get a couple of extra questions, but I find it hard to believe this is going to be a new situation. It's the person that has to be the same, not the document.

For what it's worth, I once left Shenzhen on one British passport and entered Hong Kong on another. Immigration guy at Hong Kong did ask to see both, but it wasn't a problem.

[jamiroquai4545]

Right. I imagine it would initially seem problematic if I used a different passport upon entry -- but I thought this was common, as people with dual passports swap passports based on the country all the time.

I figured I would just show both passports if they questioned me about how I got into the country in the first place -- would this be doable?

Does anyone know more official contact information for confirming a situation such as this? Thanks for your help.

[tony1343]

Well, you won't have a problem entering the United States. You are a U.S. citizen and have proof, so you can tell them to go kiss your *** if they have a problem with it (though I don't recommend doing that).

I don't think you'd have a problem leaving the U.S. either. The airport person might get confused, but if you pull out both he or she will probably just get more confused and let you go on your way trusting you know what you're doing.

As for China, I have no idea. They might have more of a problem with it, since China doesn't recognize dual citizenship. So if you show them your U.S. passport, they might refuse to recognize the Taiwan document. No idea though.

Definitely seems ridiculous to have to route through Taiwan though.

[roddy]

China doesn't recognize dual citizenship....

...for its own citizens. It has little say in what other countries (or regions ) do. That's not to say you can't hit problems though.

[HedgePig]

Quote:

China doesn't recognize dual citizenship....

...for its own citizens. It has little say in what other countries (or regions ) do.

But isn't this the possible problem? Since China regards Taiwan citizens as citizens of China it might decide that they OP isn't allowed dual citizenship.

I don't believe that what the OP is proposing would cause a problem if his passports were, say from the UK and US. But the fact that one passport is Chinese (as far as China is concerned) may be an issue. I have no idea whether in fact it is a problem in practice.

HedgePig

[jbradfor]

On the USA side, you seem to be OK.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html :

U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. .... Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States.

[Lu]

Since China regards Taiwan citizens as citizens of China it might decide that they OP isn't allowed dual citizenship.

But Chinese customs people know full well a Taiwanese is not a Chinese. That's why you can't get into China with just a Taiwanese passport, you need a tongbaozheng.

Also, in theory, since the US don't recognise Taiwan as a country but consider it part of China, when US border guards ask to see how you got into China, you can always show the stamp in your passport that says you came to the Republic of China. They might not even know the difference.

But, not sure how helpful the speculating is.

[jamiroquai4545]

Thanks guys for your responses!

It seems like entering/leaving USA should be okay but the problem would be re-entering China. Some of you mention it might be problematic in such a way that China only recognizes 1 passport. My Taiwanese compatriot pass/passport was issued in Hong Kong, but still, I guess China recognizes as one of China's document. Do you think it's possible that China won't let me back in the country if they see that I have BOTH the Taiwanese compatriot pass/passport and US passport? I'm pretty sure they'd find out that I have both when they ask how I got to USA in the first place -- I would show that I used my US passport to fly to to US.

I'm thinking of just doing the ridiculous stop over in Taiwan -- I kind of don't want to take any risks. I'm currently working in China and I don't want things to be complicated. But if someone can verify that this would be okay, that'd be great

[roddy]

Obviously I'm not doing this, so maybe it's easy for me to say, but I honestly can't see it being a problem. You can't be the first person to do this, and if people were regularly getting refused entry to China there would be warnings up, and airlines in the US would be checking your passports for fear of being forced to take you back at their expense. China might not recognize dual citizenship for its own citizens, but for all intents and purposes you aren't one of them.

If you get arrested I'll come visit you in jail, I promise.

[jamiroquai4545]

Thanks Roddy. I'll keep that in mind.

So China only recognizes the Chinese passport for its Chinese citizens -- what about people with both Taiwanese compatriot pass/passport AND a USA passport. Does China apply the same restriction such that the Taiwanese compatriot pass/passport must be the only passport? The Chinese and Taiwanese compatriot pass/passport are different documents -- but will they be treated the same way? Will they not want me to also have a USA passport?

Speaking of which........ I'm not even sure if the USA allows its people to have both a USA and Taiwanese passport. But then again I know so many people who do.

[jbradfor]

Speaking of which........ I'm not even sure if the USA allows its people to have both a USA and Taiwanese passport. But then again I know so many people who do.

The USA does not revoke your USA passport if you get citizenship in another country. AFAIK, the only way to get your USA passport revoked is if you do something as a citizen of another country egregiously against the USA, e.g. voluntarily serving in the armed forces of another country against the USA. I believe that voting in another country will not affect your USA passport.

[Lu]

I know many people with both an USA and a TW passport, who did things like vote in TW elections and serve in the TW army, and I've never heard of anyone loosing either passport over anything. If you're of Taiwanese/Chinese descent you can have a Taiwanese passport, no matter what other passport you hold, and I've heard that the USA also doesn't take US citizenship away if you aquire another passport. China doesn't really have a say in any of that.

But actually you might want to ask this elsewhere, at forumosa.com, I can't believe I'm promoting that site, but there are LOTS of people with TW and/or US passports there, if the answer to your question isn't somewhere there yet, likely someone there will be able to tell you.