The Republic of China (Taiwan) passport is the passport issued to nationals of the Republic of China (ROC, commonly known as Taiwan). The ROC passport is also generally referred to as a Taiwanese passport. In September 2020, approximately 60.87 percent of Taiwanese citizens possessed a valid passport. All passports issued in Taiwan since 2008 have been biometric.
The validity and international recognition of Taiwan passports are complicated due to the ongoing dispute over political status of Taiwan as well as the history of the Republic of China since the country had once controlled the territories of today's People's Republic of China (PRC) and Mongolia. In the past, all subjects and their offspring related to the historical or current territories of the ROC were eligible to be admitted for the passport. However, constitutional reforms in the 1990s and 2000s restricted citizenship rights only to those with household registration in Taiwan.Roger Mark Selya, Development and Demographic Change in Taiwan (World Scientific, 2004), p. 329. Taiwanese government currently recognizes that foreign nationals with Taiwanese or Chinese descent must meet certain conditions to be eligible to obtain a passport, but do not have household registration in Taiwan (i.e. they are "nationals without household registration", or "NWOHR"), and thus do not enjoy the right of abode in Taiwan.Shelley Rigger, "Nationalism versus Citizenship on Taiwan," in Changing Meanings of Citizenship in Modern China, Merle Goldman, Elizabeth Jean Perry ed. (Harvard University Press, 2002), 360-61. Countries granting visa-free privileges to Taiwan passport holders often require a Taiwanese National ID number imprinted on the passport's biodata page, which signifies the holder's right of abode in Taiwan.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) passport is one of five passports with the most improved rating globally since 2006 in terms of the number of countries that its holders may visit without a visa. As of September 2020, holders of ordinary Republic of China passports (for ROC nationals with Taiwan area household registration who therefore possess right of abode in Taiwan and also the right to obtain a National Identity Card) had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 150 countries and territories, with 20 additional countries granting electronic visas, ranking the Republic of China (Taiwan) passport 32nd in the world in terms of freedom of travel (tied with the Mauritius and St. Vincent and the Grenadines passports), according to the Henley Passport Index 2020.
Passport appearance
First generation biometric passport The first generation of biometric passports were introduced on 29 December 2008. The ROC became the 60th country in the world to issue biometric passports when they were introduced.
Cover The cover of the ordinary Republic of China (Taiwan) passport is dark green, with the ROC national emblem – Blue Sky with a White Sun – in the middle. On the top is the official name of the country, "REPUBLIC OF CHINA", in Traditional Chinese characters. It is also written in English in fine print circling the national emblem. Below the national emblem, the word "TAIWAN" is printed in English only and "PASSPORT" is printed in both Traditional Chinese and English. At the bottom is the biometric passport symbol ().
Request page The first page of the passport is the passport note page and printed with the following request, anti-counterfeiting printing shows the shape of the island of Taiwan at the top and word TAIWAN at the bottom. In Traditional Chinese:
In English:
Data page
+A sample ROC (Taiwan) passport data pagePhoto300000000中文姓名XXXX, XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXREPUBLIC OF CHINAA000000000M01 SEP 2003SecondPhoto29 DEC 2008TAIWAN29 DEC 2018MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Personal biodata page information for the passport holder and the machine readable zone are listed below.
DataDescriptionType for ordinary passports, for official passports, for diplomatic passportsCode, the ISO country code for Republic of ChinaPassport No.a nine digit number, biometric passports start with 3Nameboth Chinese characters and romanizationAlso Known Asonly available for people with alias in other languagesNationalityPersonal Id. No.Taiwanese National ID number, not available for NWOHRsSex for male, for femaleDate of birthDate of issuePlace of birththe name of a province or special municipality if born in Taiwan or China, or a foreign country if born abroad. For example: , , , , , , , , Date of expiryAuthority for passports issued by the MOFA, or the name of the issuing diplomatic mission for passports issued by a Taiwanese mission abroad. All biometric passports are issued by the MOFA in Taiwan regardless of the actual place of application.
The biodata page is protected by a plastic anti-counterfeiting layer with laser holograms of the country code TWN and broad-tailed swallowtail butterfly, an endemic species of Taiwan.
Following the passage of an amendment to Article 14 of the Enforcement Rules of the Passport Act on 9 August 2019, romanization can take place from any of Taiwan's national languages, which include Hakka, Hoklo, and Formosan languages spoken by indigenous peoples.
Inner pages The inner pages of a Republic of China (Taiwan) passport are in light purple. Its contents are: Personal data page in page 2 Signature in page 3 Amendments and endorsements from page 4 to page 7 Visa pages from page 8 to page 47 Remark pages from page 48 to page 50 Selected nature hotspots and famous sights of Taiwan are printed in the inner pages, each page also contains a transparent watermark of Jade Mountain, the highest peak of the country.
PageThemeDivision PageThemeDivision2Airport and Taiwan High Speed Rail transportationsN/A26, 27Alishan National Scenic Area and Alishan Forest RailwayChiayi County3Electronics industry in Taiwan28, 29Rice agriculture in Chianan Plain4, 5Yehliu Scenic AreaNew Taipei City30, 31Salt evaporation ponds in Cigu DistrictTainan City6, 7Guandu Bridge and Bali District32, 33Eternal Golden Castle and Fort Provintia8, 9National Palace MuseumTaipei City34, 35Port of KaohsiungKaohsiung City10, 11Taipei 101 and Taipei metro area36, 37Oil-paper umbrella of Meinong District12, 13Suspension bridge of BitanNew Taipei City38, 39Kenting National Park and Eluanbi LighthousePingtung County14, 15Tea harvest in northern TaiwanHsinchu County40, 41Orchid Island and Tao PeopleTaitung County16, 17Dabajian Mountain in Shei-Pa National ParkMiaoli County42, 43Taroko National Park and Central Cross-Island HighwayHualien County18, 19Formosan landlocked salmonTaichung City44, 45Chingshui Cliff20, 21Taichung Park46, 47Guishan Island and CetaceasYilan County22, 23Sun Moon LakeNantou County48, 49Volcanic geologyPenghu County24, 25Jade Mountain in Yushan National Park50ShisaKinmen County
Back cover A contactless biometric chip is embedded in the back cover page, with the warning as follows. In Traditional Chinese:
In English:
Second generation biometric passport The second generation biometric passport has been issued since 5 February 2018. It was originally scheduled to be rolled out on 25 December 2017, however the rollout was suspended a day later and did not resume until 5 February 2018 due to the Dulles Airport image controversy.
Types of passports The Passport Act provides for three types of passports, all issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
+ Passport types of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Cover Colour Type Description Dark green Ordinary passport Issued to nationals of the Republic of China for general international travel. Valid for up to ten years, or up to five years for holders under the age of 14. Brown Official passport Issued to government personnel stationed abroad or travelling abroad on official business and their eligible dependents, and to nationals of the Republic of China serving in intergovernmental organizations. Valid for up to five years. Dark navy blue Diplomatic passport Issued to the president and vice president, diplomatic and consular personnel, government dignitaries on diplomatic missions, diplomatic couriers, and their eligible dependents. Valid for up to five years.
Passport regulations for nationals with household registration
Nationals with household registration in the Taiwan Area may apply for passports from the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) in Taipei or its branch offices in Kaohsiung, Hualien, Chiayi and Taichung with the following documents: Application form National Identification Card Two photos (3.5 × 4.5 cm) First time applicants are required to submit their documents in person to the BOCA headquarters or a BOCA branch. Processing time: Four working days. Validity period: Starting from 21 May 2000, the validity period for an ordinary passport is generally 10 years and 1 day but for applicants aged under 15, it is 5 years and for male citizens who have not completed their conscription duty it is only 3 years. Application fee: Effective since 1 January 2013, the application fee for a 10-year passport is NT$1,300; for a passport with restricted validity period is NT$900. In comparison, the cost of manufacturing a passport is NT$1,361, regardless of the validity period.
Due to mandatory military service for men, travel restrictions are placed on male citizens from the age of 15 until they have completed their military service before 29 April 2019. When a passport is issued to a such citizen, a stamp with the following words will be shown on the remarks page, and a sticker which describes the regulation will be attached to the back cover of the passport. In Traditional Chinese:
Translation: The bearer needs a permission to travel abroad and has not yet completed his military service. Before traveling, the holder needs to apply for permission to travel overseas with the National Immigration Agency or the conscription administration near his residence. Permission is granted in the form of a stamp on the remarks page, including the expiration date and the issuing authority.
After 29 Apr 2019, the Ministry of the Interior lifted the limitation of stamping on the passport to streamline the government process and digitalization. However, citizens who have not completed their military service still have to apply for permission before departure.
Passport regulations for nationals without household registration
Around 60,000 Taiwan passport holders are NWOHRs, accounting for approximately 0.5% of total valid passports. NWOHRs are overseas nationals without household registration in Taiwan, and hence do not have the right of abode in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other outlying islands.
Application Overseas nationals can only apply for a passport from an embassy, consulate or Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office near their residing country with the following document. Application form A certificate of nationality of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Two photos (3.5 × 4.5 cm) The Republic of China nationality law adopts the jus sanguinis principle. The applicant's nationality may be established through ancestral ties. Various documents may be used as proof, see the eligibility paragraph for more information thereto. Application fee: For a 10-year passport is US$45, for a passport with restricted validity period is US$31.
Travel requirements and limitations Unlike residents of Taiwan, NWOHRs do not automatically have right of abode in Taiwan. They are required to apply for an entry permit to enter Taiwan prior to their travel if they are not exempted. The application must be submitted to the embassy, consulate or Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office of their country of residence. Once the application is approved, a visa-like permit will be affixed on the visa page.