I am a naturalized person, how do my spouse and my unmarried minor children apply for naturalization?

Your Spouse

Is she/he eligible to apply?

According to the provisions of the Nationality Act, your spouse, if currently residing within the territory of the Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the ROC) is eligible to apply for naturalization if the following requirements are met:

  • Have legally resided in the territory of the ROC for more than 183 days each year for at least five consecutive years.
  • Have the capacity to act according to the laws of the ROC and their own state.
  • Have no bad conduct or criminal records as certified by the Police Clearance Certificate
  • Possess basic proficiency in the national language of the ROC and basic knowledge of the rights and obligations of ROC nationals.

If your spouse has legally resided within the territory of the ROC for a continuous period of 10 years or more, or, if after you become a citizen of the ROC, your spouse has a cumulative residence of 183 days or more each year for a continuous period of 3 years or more within the territory and meets the conditions mentioned in items 2 to 5 above, he/she may also file an application.

Application Procedures

  • Your spouse should apply in person to the household registration office at the place of domestic domicile, the application will be then forwarded to the Ministry of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the MOI) for approval by the municipal or county (city) government.
  • Your spouse must submit proof of loss of original nationality within 1 year from the date of naturalization granted by the MOI. Failure to submit within the stipulated period will result in the revocation of the naturalization process, unless due to legal or administrative restrictions in the country of origin verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Required Documents (Please refer to “List of Documents as Required for Application for Nationality Alteration-Voluntary Naturalization” and “List of Documents as Required for Application for Nationality Alteration- the Spouse of an ROC National”)

  • Application Form for Naturalization.
  • Valid Alien Residence Certificate (ARC) or Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC).
  • Certificate of criminal record or other relevant documents issued by the police or government of the country of origin (exempted for those whose purpose of stay is “family reunification” and holders of APRC). i. The documents must be issued by the government of the country of origin, and the issuance date must be within 6 months prior to the application date. If the applicant has entered the country and then left the country for a considerable period after the above-mentioned date, and if the competent authority deems it necessary due to suspicion, the person concerned may be asked to submit a criminal record for the period of departure. ii. Not required for those who entered the country before the age of 14 and have not left the country ever since.
  • The proof documents specified in Article 3 of Standards for Identification of Basic Language Abilities and General Knowledge of the Rights and Duties of Naturalized R.O.C. Citizen.
  • One photo (following the specifications of the ID photo).
  • Certificate fee: NT$1,200 New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) (The fee may be subject to change; please pay by Taiwan post-office money order, with the payee indicated as the MOI).
  • Other relevant supporting documents.

Related Laws and Regulations

Nationality Act and Enforcement Rules of the Nationality Act

Your Unmarried Minor Children

  • Your unmarried minor children may apply for accompanying naturalization in accordance with Article 7 of the Nationality Act.

  • Application Procedures

    • The legal representative of your unmarried minor children should apply in person to the household registration office at the place of domestic domicile, and the application is then forwarded to the MOI for approval by the municipal or county (city) government.
    • Your unmarried minor children must submit proof of loss of original nationality within 1 year from the date of naturalization granted by the MOI. Failure to submit within the stipulated period will result in the revocation of the naturalization process, unless due to legal or administrative restrictions in the country of origin verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)

  • Required Documents (Please refer to “List of Documents as Required for Application for Nationality Alteration-the Applicant’s Unmarried Minor Children”)

    • Application Form for Naturalization
    • Valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) or Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC)
    • Certificate of criminal record or other relevant supporting documents (not required for those who are under the age of 14 or those who have entered the country and have not left ever since the age of 14.). These documents must be issued by the government of the country of origin, and the issuance date must be within 6 months prior to the application date. If the applicant has entered the country and then left the country for a considerable period after the above-mentioned date, and if the competent authority deems it necessary due to suspicion, the individual may be asked to submit a criminal record for the period of departure.
    • Unmarried individuals under the age of 18 are required to submit proof of their marital status and proof of consent from their legal guardian. However, if the MOFA verifies that due to legal or administrative procedures restrictions in the country of origin, it is impossible to submit proof of marital status, the document may be exempted.
    • Certificate fee: NT$1,200 New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) (The fee may be subject to change; please pay by Taiwan post-office money order, with the payee indicated as the MOI).
    • One photo (following the specifications of the national ID photo).
    • Other relevant supporting documents i. For those who are unable to provide household registration, please submit documents proving marriage, adoption, commencement of guardianship or assistance, or evidence of the exercise of rights and obligations of minors. ii. Birth certificate or relevant identification documents proving parent-child relationship.

  • Related Laws and Regulations Nationality Act and Enforcement Rules of the Nationality Act FAQ on Household Registration

    Note:

  • If the required documents have been issued overseas, they should be authenticated by the ROC overseas missions and re-examined by the MOFA. If issued domestically by a foreign embassy, consulate, or authorized institution in the ROC, they should be verified by the MOFA. For documents in a foreign language, a certified Chinese translation must be attached, verified by the ROC overseas missions and re-examined by the MOFA, or authenticated by a domestic notary public.

  • The above conditions and documents apply to regular cases; however, in the event of special circumstances, processing should still be carried out in accordance with laws, regulations and relevant provisions of the MOI.

Voluntary-naturalization
Applicant as the spouse of an ROC National
Apply for accompanying naturalization for the applicant’s unmarried minor children
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