TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A legislative committee on Wednesday (April 24) approved draft amendments that ease naturalization rules for “high-level professionals” and assist the application naturalization process for stateless children living in Taiwan.
After the Ministry of Interior presented reports on amendments to the Nationality Act (國籍法) on Wednesday, the Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee approved the recommended changes. These include relaxing the required residency period for foreign high-level professionals applying for naturalization.
The committee invited Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) and Deputy Interior Minister Wu Jung-hui (吳容輝) to attend the review of the amendments.
In its explanation of the proposal, the Cabinet pointed out that there is fierce competition for professionals across the globe, and Taiwan continues to review and relax relevant regulations to attract foreign professionals.
To attract "high-level professionals" to Taiwan and increase incentives for naturalization, the proposal suggests amending laws to relax the residency duration requirements, without requiring individuals to renounce their original nationality.
The new legislation will exempt individuals who have made substantial contributions from paying the nationality documents fee. It also allows stateless children to be represented by social welfare organizations.
During the clause-by-clause discussion, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lo Mei-ling (羅美玲) inquired whether athletes would be included among the high-level professionals. Department of Household Registration Acting Director Chen Tzu-ho (陳子和) responded by saying that sports talent is included among high-level professionals, as it is one of the criteria for review and recognition.
Internal Administration Committee convener Legislator Wu Chi-ming (吳琪銘) said the review of the draft amendments to the Nationality Act has been completed. Wu added there is no need for cross-party negotiations before submitting the amendments for deliberation to the full Legislative Yuan.
Amendments to Articles 5 and 9 of the Nationality Act, will relax the residency requirements for foreign high-level professionals applying for naturalization. Instead of the current requirement of maintaining legal residence for at least 183 days per year for three consecutive years, the new regulation lowers the requirement to two consecutive years of legal residence.
An amendment to Article 6, includes a provision that waives the Taiwan nationality permit certificate fee of NT$1,200 (US$37) for foreign nationals who have made "significant contributions" during their long-term residence in Taiwan. This includes professionals in healthcare, social welfare, education, and service to remote rural areas.
To align with the lowering of the legal age of majority, from 20 to 18 in the Civil Code (民法), the provisions related to foreign nationals will be modified to use an age-based standard. The term "unmarried minors" would be amended to "unmarried and under 18 years old."
Amendments to Articles 4 and 7 enable stateless persons who are unmarried and under the age of 18 years to apply for Taiwanese citizenship if they are represented by social welfare authorities or social welfare organizations as their guardians. Currently, only adoptive parents of such stateless minors can apply for naturalization on their behalf if at least one adoptive parent is a Taiwanese citizen.
