Chinese Citizenship- Possible?

[LinZhenPu]

You're situation sounds pretty unique. Note that US is only one of a few countries in the world that treats the ROC NWOHR passport like a stateless-person's travel document. Is it really worth it to give up the ROC NWOHR passport to get the much less convenient PRC passport? Depends on your circumstances. How often are you really going to go to the US?

 

But check if you are a citizen of the country you are in already or if you are eligible for naturalization. You will really want to naturalize of your country if you are eligible now, don't delay. You won't lose your Taiwanese status by doing this because you are a ROC national by birth and as such are permitted to hold another nationality.

 

Could you share some more details about your situation? At the moment it seems doubtful you will be able to obtain a PRC passport. To obtain a PRC passport you need to be considered to by the PRC as a national of China and you will need documentary evidence to support that. Best to check with your nearest Chinese embassy. More details on PRC nationality for those born abroad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality_law_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China#Birth_abroad_to_Chinese_nationals

 

Does your ROC passport have a Taiwan entry exit permit in it? Have a look in your passport for it. Check the expiry date.

 

If you are not a PRC national and you don't have citizenship of your country of birth nor are you eligible for naturalization and you won't be in the next 2 years, then the easiest way to resolve your passport issue is to go to Taiwan and establish household registration thereby changing your ROC NWOHR passport to a full Taiwanese citizen's ROC passport with national ID number. If your entry exit permit in your passport has expired then visit your nearest Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) to get a new one. You can obtain household registration in as little as 365 days by staying in Taiwan for that time but you MUST enter on your ROC passport. More details on obtaining househould registration as a NWOHR here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_without_household_registration#Residence_in_the_Taiwan_Area

[Living-In-ChinaDotAsia]

Hello 林振蒲,  much thanks for your serious attention to my matter. 

 

Going to the US as much as I can is important for me because my sister and my mother are permanent residents there. I understand having a Taiwan passport with national ID would have availed me of a US Visa Waiver Program but the main problem is I don't have a National ID so I was considered stateless which feels very frustrating. 

 

Am not sure if what I have is actually a Taiwan household registration. I applied for a 统一登号 (HBXXXXXXXXX)  around 2009 when I was in Taiwan coz I also wanted to earn a full Taiwan passport.  Unfortuantely, back then, due to economic reasons, I didn't stay long in Taiwan. When I asked last time, it would take 3 years of cumulative stay before it can be processed as a National ID base on my Taiwan's friend checking last year in Taiwan's Immigration Law (in Local Traditional Chinese Sites ).   But if its really only 365 days of which will be a year, Id rather go for this. Although I also heard Taiwan rules changes every now and then.   If the 365 days rule is by a  Taiwan official authorative site, that would be best. 

 

Yes, applying for a China passport is really a daunting task.  But if I dont have a better choice, its worth the try.  

 

Still looking forward for further suggestions and references 

[Lu]

Living-in-China, if you are a man of a certain age, keep in mind that if you would opt to try for Taiwanese citizenship, you may have to fulfill your military service. I don't know what the exact rules are, but if you are a man, make sure you look into this.

[Living-In-ChinaDotAsia]

Hello Lu, thanks for concern and reminder.  Am female.

Just checked my eligibility to apply for China passport with the China embassy here in the Philippines .  Was told by the the people over the counter that since I already used my Taiwan passport to travel abroad, I am not eligible to apply for China passport.

What I dont understand is China never considered Overseas Taiwan passport as valid and binding and my grandparents really came  from China, not Taiwan.  Since they want to promote the one China policy with Taiwan, shouldnt they be more supportive of the endeavors of people like us who wanted to restore our China passport/recognition as China citizens ?

[LinZhenPu]

Quote

recognition as China citizens

On 01/01/2017 at 4:32 PM, Living-In-ChinaDotAsia said:

But if its really only 365 days of which will be a year, Id rather go for this.

 

Why don't you just establish household registration in Taiwan (only takes a year at minimum), get your ID card and apply for a 台胞证？That will solve all issues.

 

The 台胞证 is the travel document that the PRC government issues for Taiwan residents to travel to Mainland China, valid at all ports of entry. It essentially doubles as a PRC 身份证, and can be used anywhere a 身份证 .  You can also work freely anywhere in the mainland and access public education, housing and medical care in Shanghai similar to holders of a Shanghai hukou.

If you ask me, the 台胞证 with the Taiwan passport is way way way better than the mainland-only 身份证 with the mainland passport.

 

I almost forgot. There is a travel document for people who are legally defined as Chinese citizens (ie you) to be issued with who cannot be issued a PRC passport. You're very lucky to be in a position to apply for this document as very few people will ever even see one in their lives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Travel_Document

I know you're more concerned about going to the US and having to get a new US visa every 3 months than you are about travelling to Mainland China, but do me a great big favour and get issued with this document before you are eligible for a 台胞证。

Go back to the embassy and enquire about being issued with this document. Gather all the evidence you can, the more the better. If you can establish links to your grandparents through their birth certificates, hukou, your mother's birth certificate, hukou, and your birth certificate, then there should be no problem getting issued with the Chinese travel document. Your own birth certificate by itself may suffice if it says your parents' nationality at your birth is Chinese. Again, inquire at the embassy. If they are not forthcoming try another embassy or consulate.

Here is the relevant PRC government webpage explaining the difference between a Chinese passport and a Chinese travel document: http://www.gov.cn/banshi/2005-06/01/content_3133.htm

Failing that, there might be some sort of entry-exit permit you can acquire for travel to the mainland from Taiwan or something similar.

[Living-In-ChinaDotAsia]

Hi LinZhenPu, really appreciate your attention to this matter.

 

Unfortunately , the 365 days has been changed to 7 consecutive years already = http://law.moj.gov.tw/Eng/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?PCode=D0080132  Article 9 point 5

[LinZhenPu]

I see. What I said was in fact only applicable to people who are granted naturalization as ROC nationals. So the 365 consecutive days in 1 year has not been changed to 7 consecutive years, but rather they are two different rules for two categories of people.

 

How come you don't have citizenship of the Philippines? Might you be eligible to apply?

 

Have you contacted the Chinese embassy to see what options exist in your situation? If you wanted to or had a need to go to China, how would you do it?

 

I think the only way you could get a parents' passport would be to get put onto your parents' Mainland Chinese hukou.

Most likely, you are going to have to get a new US visa every 3 months. Which means your passport is going to be filled up fairly quickly.

Let me collect my thoughts on this...

[roddy]

This looks to be our most recent Chinese citizenship discussion, so I thought I'd point out the "being really good at football" route （although they seem to have one Chinese parent, maybe that helps).

[Takeshi]

I remember in another thread sometime back I pointed out the irony that foreigners who go the Taiwan route have an easier time getting a status in Mainland China (via the 台胞证) as compared to foreigners who settle long term in the Mainland directly. Then you advised me that going to Taiwan for the sole purpose of obtaining the 台胞证 is not a smart idea because there's no guarantee things will work that way forever.

 

Back in the day I couldn't imagine the status quo changing in the near future, but nowadays it's become clear to me that you can never predict what will happen.