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MOI rejects dual nationality petition
The Ministry of the Interior has rejected an online petition that asked the government to abolish regulations requiring long-term foreign residents to renounce their original nationality as a prerequisite when applying for Taiwanese citizenship.
The petition was submitted by civil society organisation Crossroads on 19 August and asked the government to "grant immigrants who have legally resided in Taiwan for more than five years as permanent residents a standardized pathway to naturalization without requiring them to renounce their original nationality(s)." The petition garnered 5,746 online signatures - meaning it met the threshold for a formal government response.
The interior ministry rejected the petition citing the "principle of a single-nationality system" and "taking into account the problems of our country's small territory, dense population, limited resources and national loyalty."
According to the ministry, "if foreign nationals who have lived permanently for five years in Taiwan can naturalize without having to prove the loss of their original nationality, it may have a significant negative impact on our country's finances, social welfare, and national security." The ministry did note exceptions to the rule for "high-level professionals" and "those who have made outstanding contributions."
Crossroads has responded to the interior ministry saying "Taiwan already permits millions of native-born citizens to hold multiple nationalities and reside abroad without question" and "denying the same opportunity to naturalized citizens who live and contribute to Taiwan daily seems inconsistent."
