Can Taiwan NWOHR work in China

[Gem]

I am interested to know the process on how a Taiwanese passport holder without national Id work in China. Have recently heard the news that there is no more work permit required for Taiwan nationals as long as they hold the compatriot pass (台胞证).

 

However, as I do not have any national id, I am unable to get this piece of document. 

[889]

Others can correct me, but so far as I understand the situation, if you hold a "NWOHR" Taiwanese passport -- one without a national ID number -- you don't have many rights or privileges: you can't even live and work in Taiwan without an entry permit! The US doesn't recognize it as a valid travel document, either.

 

Basically, if you want to work in China you either need to apply for a visa with another nationality or change your NWOHR status in Taiwan.

[Gem]

Gosh, that's a dud considering that I do not have any other nationality. 

 

Normally, I can accept the nuances of pre-travel (as if I have a choice). My uncle was granted with a 10-year US Visa with the same type of passport so I believe it's an acceptable travel document.

 

I am just not sure of the legality of working in Mainland as there seems to be no documented examples from the past. They seem to have forgotten about NWOHR when they said that Taiwanese can work in Mainland with just their compatriot pass starting last year. 

[889]

"Gosh, that's a dud considering that I do not have any other nationality."

 

That's odd because NWOHRs are normally ethnic Chinese holding other citizenships who've also obtained Taiwanese citizenship as a second citizenship.

 

As to travelling to the US, travel on the visa-waiver program is impossible with a NWOHR passport. Getting a visa is theoretically possible, according to the State Department:

 

"Despite the term 'passport' on the cover, documents that do not show that the bearer has a Taiwan national identification number do not allow the bearer unrestricted right to enter and/or reside in Taiwan and do not satisfy the definition of a passport under INA 101(a)(30). Pursuant to 22 CFR 41.104(b), the Department has waived the passport requirement for bearers of such documents, who may be issued visas on Form DS-232 if they are otherwise eligible. Visas should be limited to a single entry within three months. Such persons are considered stateless for visa issuing purposes."

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Taiwan.html

 

The requirement to obtain a non-immigrant US visa is simple: you must convince the issuing officer you will leave the US when your visa expires. Offhand, I would think that very difficult if you're considered "stateless" and don't have the right of entry into Taiwan. How your uncle got a ten-year visa when the rule seems to limit visas in this case to a single-entry three-month visa I have no idea. Note that since the US does not regard the NWOHR passport as a passport it puts any visa on a separate piece of paper, Form DS-232.