Organization : Department of Household Registration
Type of Facility : Household Registration
Country: Taiwan
Website : http://ris.gov.tw/
Download : http://www.ris.gov.tw/en/web/ris3-english/faqs
Household Registration :
1. Foreigner’s frequent problems about household registration:
(1) May the foreign spouse maintain the rights to reside in Taiwan after his/her wife/husband as a Taiwan’s citizen dies or divorces :
Pursuant to the Immigration Act, Regulation Governing Visiting, Residence and Permanent Resident of Alien, the foreign spouse may apply to branches of the National Immigration Agency.
Related : National Immigration Agency ARC Foreigner Application & Renewal Taiwan : www.statusin.org/7447.html
A. After death of the spouse as Taiwan’s citizens, the other party as a foreigner may apply for permanent residence regardless of having children or not. However, in the event it may cause damage to public interests, the permanent resident certificate may become abandoned if necessary.
B. Foreign brides may not maintain the rights of residence in Taiwan after the residence reasons do not exist, expect that they have children to take care or other unavoidable reasons to enable them to reside.
C. After divorce, no legal issues shall not be seen as the residence reasons, except that any special conditions take place to enable them to reside.
(2) How to apply for birth registration for children whose parents are a Taiwan’s citizens and an alien :
Pursuant to the Household Registration Act and Immigration Act, the application process is as follows:
A. For domestic birth: parents, grandparents of the child, household family head, cohabitant or raiser shall be the applicant to apply for birth registration to local household registration office.
B. For overseas birth: the family head or legal representative may apply for initial household registration to local household registration office with the permanent resident certificate, which is applied to the National Immigration Agency according to the Immigration Act).
C. In case the applicant is able to make the application personally, he/she may entrust other person to make with a letter of authorization.(Under the condition when the said letter of authorization is executed abroad, it shall be certified by R.O.C. embassy in the country where it is executed).
Documents as required:
1. For domestic birth:
A. Household certificate; applicant’s ID card and seal;
B. Birth certificate(including engagement of family name).
2. For overseas birth:
A. Household certificate of the applicant for initial household registration, family head or legal representative’s ID card and seal;
B. Permanent resident certificate.
3. In case the applicant is able to make the application personally, he/she may entrust other person to make with a letter of authorization.(Under the condition when the said letter of authorization is executed abroad, it shall be certified by R.O.C. embassy in the country where it is executed).
Remarks:
1. Since Amendment of Nationality Act was enacted as of Feb. 09, 2000, as the marriage between the wife as R.O.C. citizen and the husband as an alien is still in effect, the birth registration may be applied to local household office where the mother resides for their child(ren) born domestically. However, birth registration for the children as juveniles, who were born before Feb. 10, 1980, when the Amendment of Nationality Act was not enacted yet, may be alternated by initial household registration with permanent resident certificate applied to the National Immigration Agency.
2. When applying for birth registration or initial household registration, naming must comply with local customs in R.O.C..
(3) Arrangement of Chinese surname:
Pursuant to the Name Act §1.3, in the case that a citizen of the ROC is married to a alien or a stateless person, the Chinese surname of his/her spouse and a child of such couple should be met the conventions practiced in the ROC. And the same shall also apply to the surname of an alien or a stateless person who applies for nationalization. Hence, under the condition that your spouse is an alien, he/she must adopt a Chinese surname and full in Declaration To Adopt A Chinese Name. Moreover, pursuant to Civil Law §1059, parents must decide in written as to whether the surname of the child adopts that of father or mother before birth registration is made. In case of the family name of the party of the birth registration is not sure according to relating laws, if the child is legitimate, the applicant can decide the child to be registered with the father or mother’s family name upon taking a draw pursuant to the Household Registration Act §49.
(4) ID No.: may apply to branches of the National Immigration Agency
Applicable to :
A. Those who are never enabled to have ID No., but in need of establishing a bank account, filing taxation, applying for health insurance or R.O.C. driver’s license.
B. Those who used to have resident certificate of R.O.C., alien resident certificate, or alien permanent resident certificate, but presently lack any of the above** mentioned certificate to prove status, or number of such certificate does not have 10 digits.
Effect of ID No.:
The ID No. functions as the alien’s identification number. Each set of number is for only one individual and maintains in effect in lifetime.
Name of certificate:
After approval, the document called “Record of ID No. in the Republic of China” will be issued.
Application profile:
A. Presently health insurance ID card and driver’s license for car and motorbike are alternated by ID No.
B. Start from 2004, aliens must show such documents bearing ID No. as alien resident certificate, alien permanent resident certificate or Record of ID No. in the Republic of China when establishing a bank account.
C. Since 2004, aliens must indicate ID No. when filing withholding income tax or year individual income tax for income in R.O.C.. However, for a convenient procedure of withholding income tax, an exception may apply to aliens who work in R.O.C. for a short period of time. The exception regulates as follows:
In case individuals do not have ID No. and residence in R.O.C., but have income in R.O.C., tax registration number may be applicable.
Each tax registration number has 10 digits, in which the first 8 digits refer to birth date(yy/mm/dd) and the last 2 digits are the first two alphabets of incomer’s English name according to the incomer’s passport.
For instance:
Robert W. Davidson’s birth date falls on July 12, 1942. The tax registration number is assigned 1942712RO.
Individuals who do not have residence in R.O.C. refer to those who do not stay in R.O.C. for at least 183 days.
Domestic/offshore application:
1. For aliens who have entered R.O.C.:
(1) one application form;
(2) one original copy and one duplicate copy of applicant’s passport, the original shall be returned after checking;
(3) doc. required for authorization (not required if applying in person):
A. a letter of authorization (or alternatively indicate “statement of authorization” on application form”);
B. authorized individual’s doc. to prove personal status, such as ID card, resident certificate or passport.
2. Aliens who have not entered R.O.C.:
(1) one original and duplicate copy of a letter of authority certified by the corresponding embassy of R.O.C., passport or doc. to prove personal status, the original copy will be returned after checking;
(2) an original copy of letter of authorization(or alternatively indicate “statement of
authorization” on application form”);
(3) authorized individual’s doc. to prove personal status, such as ID card, alien resident
certificate or passport.
II. Procedures to apply for ID card of alien spouse:
1. Marriage registration
(1) domestic marriage:
A. Both or one of the couple presently do(es) or used to have household registration and get married in R.O.C., the applicant may apply for marriage registration to the local household registration office in the district where one of the couple have household registration currently or moving** out registration lastly;
B. In case both of the couple never have household registration or does not get married in R.O.C., application for marriage registration may be applied to any local household registration office.
(2) Offshore marriage:
A. In case both or one of the couple presently do(es) or used to have household registration and get married outside R.O.C. may prepare relevant documents to apply for a check to embassies, economic and cultural offices, offices, other authorized organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(hereinafter abbreviated as “embassy”) or designated organizations or private organization in Hong Kong and Macau with authorization of the Executive Yuan, and transfer or authorize other individual to apply for marriage registration to the local household registration office in the district where one of the couple have household registration currently or moving** out registration lastly.
B. In case both of the couple never have household registration in R.O.C. and get married outside the territory, the applicant may prepare relevant documents to apply for a check to embassies, or designated organizations or private organization in Hong Kong and Macau with authorization of the Executive Yuan, and transfer or authorize other individual to apply for marriage registration to the household registration office the central competent authorities designate.
C. Documents required for marriage registration in household registration office are as follows:
a. Doc. to prove personal status:
** ID card, seal(or signature), household registration booklet, and one color photograph taken in the recent 1 year, refer to the specifications required for the photographs applicable for the renewal of national ID cards implemented of the applicant shall be inspected. For overseas marriage which is in effect, authorization of application may be allowed only when the letter of authorization, ID card, signature or seal of the authorized individual are certified by embassies, or designated organizations or private organization in Hong Kong and Macau with authorization of the Executive Yuan.
** In case the applicant used to or never have household registration in R.O.C., the passport or resident certificate issued by the National Immigration Agency shall be inspected.
b. Marriage certificate:
** For domestic marriage, the marriage certificate(see annex 1 for the specification required) shall be inspected. On which, names, birth dates, ID No.(passport number or resident certificate number), address of household(residing address abroad) and other information concerning two parties of the marriage shall be borne. Meanwhile, signatures(or seals), ID No.(passport number or resident certificate number), address of household(residing address abroad), and other necessary information concerning at least two witnesses are required to be attached.
** For overseas marriage which is in effect, the marriage certificate certified by the embassies, or designated organizations or private organization in Hong Kong and Macau with authorization of the Executive Yuan, or any document proving marriage registration at local government and its Chinese translation, and a seal indicated “Comply with the laws of conduct” thereon, may alternate documents to prove marriage status.
** In case one party is an alien, a valid Declaration To Adopt A Chinese Name, the document to prove marriage status and its translation certified by the embassy of R.O.C., must be inspected.
** In case the translation transcript of document to prove marriage status is made abroad, it shall be certified by the Embassy of R.O.C. or qualified notary public in R.O.C..
** For the marriages between nationals of R.O.C. and Mainland China, the documents to prove marriage status, and Entry/Exit Permit with seal indicated “Interview passed, may apply for marriage registration accordingly” thereon, shall be inspected. Documents made in Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau shall be certified by designated organization or private organization with authorization of the Executive Yuan.