Once you have naturalized in Taiwan and received your new “resident” ARC, you can apply for your Taiwan passport. In my case, I applied the same day I picked up my ARC because I don’t like being in a situation where I cannot leave the country.
This has happened to many people before (even those who hold multiple passports or nationalities). You must have your Taiwan passport to re-enter Taiwan, even if you have another passport and your ARC.
Visiting BOCA
BOCA stands for the Bureau of Consular Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in Taipei. It is located near Taipei Main Station.
See here for Google Maps
Apparently, you can apply for a passport at a Household Registration Office, but I wanted to give BOCA in Taipei a try.
Note: Ignore the number-dispensing machine in front of the escalator (right after the main entry), as that is only for people picking up a passport.
I’m number 3603 and current number is 3470. OK, lets go for lunch!
What should you bring
- Your other passport (if you didn’t have to renounce it) or any other proof of your non-Chinese name.
- The naturalization certificate (original). Copies aren’t needed.
- Two standard passport sized photos (35mm x 45mm)
- Your ARC (original)
- The filled application form
They will make photocopies on-site, so you don’t need to bring your own! The application form is very simple and can be filled out at the office. Originally, I was a bit confused about which form to use, as most information on the website is for overseas applications.
Pick your name
Once you have finished waiting and it is your turn (the process is very well organized), the officer will ask how you would like your name to appear on the passport. You can choose from:
LIN, MEI-HUA
LIN, MEI HUA
LIN, MEIHUA
The format is “Surname, Given Names.” I personally chose the version without the dash but with a space (Option 2).
You can also provide an alias (my recommendation is to use your non-Chinese name here). This will be printed as “Also known as.” Most Taiwanese people do this; they won’t have “Maggie Lin” as their primary passport name but will use it as an alias.
The only difference between the Taiwan passport of those who already have an ID card and yours is that your passport will not have a “National ID Number” listed.
Payment & Pick-up
The fee for the passport application is NT$1,300, plus an additional NT$900 for the express fee. When I visited, the standard processing time was around three weeks, so I opted for the express service. It was 2:30 PM on Friday, and they told me I could pick it up as early as 12:30 PM on Monday!
The pick-up was lightning fast. I only had to show my ARC and the receipt, then sign for it using my Chinese name. They quickly checked if my face matched the photo in the passport, and I was good to go. The passport is valid for 10 years, although I will likely have to update it once I get my National ID in 1–2 years.
After you picked up your new passport, the first thing I suggest you do is visiting the counter of the National Immigration Agency on the ground floor in the same building. They can process your fingerprints and take a photo of you for the E-Gate. It only takes a minute.
