Ep 293 | Dual Nationality for Long-Term Foreign Permanent Residents of Taiwan: Our Discussion with Michael Fahey

Sep 25, 2024

Michael Fahey, an American lawyer and Taipei resident since 1988, discusses a vital campaign for dual nationality for foreign permanent residents in Taiwan. He highlights the proposal's potential benefits for integration and economic resilience while addressing national security concerns. Fahey emphasizes the grassroots mobilization needed to overcome historical legislative challenges. The conversation also sheds light on personal stories of long-term residents, advocating for inclusivity and reform in Taiwan’s citizenship rights.

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ANECDOTE

Disability Case Sparks Campaign

Michael Boyden, a long-term British resident, was deprived of disability benefits due to lack of Taiwanese citizenship.
This tragedy sparked activism to enable dual nationality for foreign residents in Taiwan.

INSIGHT

Asymmetry in Taiwan's Nationality Law

Taiwan's sole nationality law forces foreigners to renounce original citizenship, unlike native-born Taiwanese who can hold multiple.
Changing this could boost Taiwan's resilience and demographic challenges by attracting committed immigrants.

INSIGHT

Immigration and Demographic Strategy

Taiwan's population decline and aging society necessitate immigration as a demographic mitigation strategy.
Gradual immigration reforms can help Taiwan adapt and sustain its workforce and social systems.

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Did you know that there is a campaign underway in Taiwan that is calling for foreign permanent residents to be able to apply for dual nationality, effectively allowing them to obtain Taiwanese citizenship after 5 years without giving up their original passport?

Related Links:

https://talkingtaiwan.com/dual-nationality-for-long-term-permanent-residents-of-taiwan-discussion-with-michael-fahey-ep-293/

An online petition for this proposal was launched on August 19th and they are trying to collect 5,000 signatures to support it by October 19th: https://join.gov.tw/idea/detail/951c745d-4484-4923-953f-4cdaefe7f344

I recently spoke with Michael Fahey, about this campaign which was initiated by Crossroads and Forward Taiwan. We talked about many of the most common concerns raised by a proposal like this, given the sensitive position that Taiwan is in due to the threats it faces from the PRC (People’s Republic of China).

Michael is an American lawyer and resident of Taipei since 1988. He is foreign counsel at Formosa Transnational (萬國) and also founder of Forward Taiwan.

If you’d like to sign the online petition to expand access to dual nationality for long-term foreign permanent residents of Taiwan, please note a few things:

1) In order to be able to sign the petition you must be a citizen of Taiwan or holder of an A(P)RC (Alien Permanent Resident Certificate) and have a Taiwan mobile number.

2) When filling out the petition form it’s best to use a computer not a smart phone but have your phone nearby and have patience when going through the process.

3) Whether or not you are personally able to sign the petition, please consider also sharing this with friends, family or colleagues who would and are able to support it.

Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:

· How the proposal to expand access to dual nationality for long-term foreign permanent residents of Taiwan came about

· The case of Michael Boyden, a British citizen and permanent resident of Taiwan

· How Taiwan’s nationality law was drafted in the 1920s and how it compares with other countries laws on nationality

· How Taiwan’s nationality law is not symmetrical for native-born Taiwanese and naturalizing foreign citizens

· How expanding access to dual nationality for long-term foreign permanent residents of Taiwan could make Taiwan more resilient

· How immigration could be a way to deal with Taiwan becoming a super-aged society

· Concerns about whether this proposal will make it easier PRC (People’s Republic of China) citizens to immigrate to Taiwan and become citizens

· PRC (People’s Republic of China) citizens are governed by a different law; the act for the relations between peoples of the mainland and the Taiwan region

· The proposal is to change the nationality law not the act for the relations between peoples of the mainland and the Taiwan region

· How to handle concerns about PRC citizens who've naturalized in third countries using their foreign citizenship to come and naturalize in Taiwan

· How the fear that crime would go up is unfounded because foreign nationals in Taiwan commit crimes at a rate of 50 percent of the native population

· What exactly is being proposed

· The procedure for foreign permanent residents in Taiwan to obtain dual Taiwanese citizenship

· The types of people and special cases that have been granted dual Taiwanese citizenship

· The standards required for foreign permanent residents in Taiwan to be granted dual Taiwanese citizenship

· Cases of foreign permanent residents in Taiwan that applied and failed to attain dual Taiwanese citizenship

· How the process to get the nationality law amended could actually be a very long process that could take 5-20 years

· Arguments for and against the proposal

· How people who wish to sign the online petition must be citizens of Taiwan and have a Taiwan mobile number

· When filling out the petition it’s best to do so on a computer and not on a smart phone, but to keep your mobile phone nearby

· Have patience in filling out the online petition form because the interface is a bit difficult to use

· How foreign permanent residents can’t get household registration and how that limits them

· Reasons people would like to get dual Taiwanese citizenship

· How to deal with individuals who have dual nationalities

· How male citizens of Taiwan under the age of 36 are required to serve in the military

· How Taiwan could take steps to ensure that people serve in the military

Related Links:

https://talkingtaiwan.com/dual-nationality-for-long-term-permanent-residents-of-taiwan-discussion-with-michael-fahey-ep-293/