TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 21-year-old man in Taichung who has lived without a legal identity has received his first national ID card, following a government investigation.
Taichung City Government said Friday that after confirming the man, surnamed Huang (黃), had not broken any immigration or criminal laws, they helped him obtain official status, per CNA. Huang and his father thanked the public for their concern.
He had lived with his father in a rented suite in Taichung’s Beitun District for nearly a decade, without household registration. He had never attended school. To avoid detection, his father told him from a young age not to go outside or interact with others.
In February, his father forced him out of their home and he began living on the streets, surviving by collecting recyclables in exchange for food. He was found at a recycling center by borough chief Su Yi-qing (蘇乙青), who alerted Taichung Social Affairs Bureau.
Huang’s parents were never legally married, and his foreign-born mother left the family years ago. His father said he did not know how to register his son's household status.
Following media coverage, authorities facilitated a paternity test and launched an investigation involving nine agencies to verify the mother’s marital status at the time of conception. After confirming that Huang was not a missing, wanted, or undocumented immigrant, authorities helped the father formally acknowledge paternity and register a new household, allowing Huang to receive his first ID card.
The father and son thanked Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) and city officials for their assistance with living arrangements, healthcare, welfare, and education. They said they hope life will now return to normal and that Huang can gradually become independent.
The Social Affairs Bureau said Huang is staying in a transitional living facility. Social workers and counselors are helping him build self-care skills and take part in group activities to improve communication and social interaction.
Staff described Huang as gentle and curious, with a willingness to try new things and share his daily experiences. Efforts are now focused on fostering his interest in learning and connecting him with remedial education to prepare for vocational training.
