Essential for Traveling to China: A Lazy Guide to Applying for a Taiwan Compatriot Permit

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Over such a long time, the delicate relationship between Taiwan and China means that travel between the two sides requires an application to enter. The Taiwan Compatriot Permit is the travel document for Taiwanese people visiting mainland China. So how do you apply for one? What should you do if it expires or has already expired? This issue, our editor will tell you all about it!

Generally speaking, a Taiwan Compatriot Permit is valid for five years. If it has expired or has less than six months of validity remaining, it needs to be reapplied for.Currently, paper versions of the Taiwan Compatriot Permit are no longer issued and have been fully replaced by card-style permits.If you have previously obtained a paper version of the Taiwan Compatriot Permit that has not yet expired, you may continue to use it. However, if it has expired or you are applying for a new one, you will need to apply for the card-style version.

(source by Zhang Yongtai, via Wikimedia Commons)

Original passport (must have more than six months of validity): Starting from August 1, 2017, regardless of whether you are applying for a new Taiwan Compatriot Permit, renewing, replacing an expired one, or reporting a loss or damage, you must attach an original Republic of China passport with more than six months of validity.

1. Original unexpired Taiwan Compatriot Permit, not required if applying for a new one.

2. Photocopies of the front and back of your ID card (same size as the original): For those aged 14 and above, photocopies of both the front and back of the ID card are required. Those under 14 must also attach an original household registration transcript within the last three months. Household registration book copies are not accepted. For those under 16 years of age, photocopies of both the front and back of the guardian’s ID card are also required.

3. One white-background, large-head ID photo (taken within the last six months, with ears and eyebrows visible)

4. If you have changed your name or your place of birth is not Taiwan, you must attach an original household registration transcript within the last six months, detailing all name change records.

■ Processing Time: Seven working days (submit on Monday, collect on next Tuesday)
■ Processing Fee: NT$1,500 (starting from November 1, 2017)
■ Urgent Service: Four working days, fee NT$2,400

Recommended Reading:

1. One color white-background ID photo taken within the last six months. (Forehead, eyebrows, and ears must be visible)

2. Do not wear white or light-colored tops.

3. Resolution must be normal.

4. Thick-framed glasses are not recommended. (It is advised not to wear glasses for the photo)

5. Do not wear earrings, necklaces, headwear, scarves, or other accessories.

6. There should not be large bright spots on the face.

7. There should not be too little blank space above the head.

If your submission is rejected and you are asked to retake the photo, the processing days will be recalculated from the date of resubmission, and the process will be delayed. Please pay special attention!

Can the photo for the Taiwan Compatriot Permit be the same as the one used for a passport or ID card? Some photos taken within the last six months can be used for a passport but not for the Taiwan Compatriot Permit?

The card-style Taiwan Compatriot Permit is issued by the Mainland China Ministry of Public Security Exit and Entry Administration, not by our country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bureau of Consular Affairs. Therefore, the photo must comply with the photo guidelines for exit and entry documents set by the Mainland China Ministry of Public Security.

If the issuance date of your passport or ID card is more than six months ago, the same photo used for the passport or ID card cannot be used.

If the issuance date of your passport and ID card is within six months, but the same photo was used for both the passport and the ID card, it is not recommended to provide the same photo again when applying for the Taiwan Compatriot Permit. If the same photo is used for all three documents, you may be asked to submit a different recent photo that differs from the passport and ID card, and the processing days will be recalculated.

A “Household Registration Cancellation Certificate from Mainland China” must be attached. No refund will be issued for withdrawn applications. Individuals born in Tibet need to provide a detailed household registration transcript. If additional documents are required, you must wait for notification. The waiting period is uncertain and varies depending on individual circumstances.

1. First-time Taiwan Entry Permit Certificate.

2. Detailed household registration transcript, with no omissions in the record section.

3. Explanation letter. (Explaining the circumstances of entry into Taiwan at that time, such as: marriage, accompanying parents)

■ If an expired but still valid old permit is found after submission and the application is subsequently withdrawn, a handling fee of NT$300 will be charged.

■ Applications denied due to special status will not be refunded.

■ Urgent processing cannot be changed or applications withdrawn temporarily after seven days of submission.

■ Copies of all certificates must be clear, one-to-one ratio scans or photocopies. No enlargements, reductions, faxed copies, or photographed versions will be accepted.

■ Application location: Can be applied for through any travel agency you trust.

Recommended reading:

If your Taiwan Compatriot Permit (Tai Bao Zheng) is lost within the five-year validity period, you will need to reapply as a lost document. If it is damaged within the validity period, you must also apply for a new one. Regardless of whether it was lost in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, or Mainland China, you must report to the police or public security authorities, obtain a loss report certificate, and then apply for a replacement.

1. Original passport (must have a validity period of more than six months)

2. Photocopies of the front and back of your ID card (original size)

3. One white-background, large-format ID photo (2-inch)

4. Applicants who have changed their name or whose place of birth is not Taiwan must also provide an original “household registration transcript” within the last six months

5. Police report for lost document (for lost cases)

6. Damaged permit (for damaged cases)

■ Seven working days: NT$2,600
■ Four working days: NT$3,400

More and more people around me have been traveling to or working in Mainland China this year. I hope the above summary on how to apply for the Taiwan Compatriot Permit will be helpful. Wishing everyone a pleasant trip Up!

[FunTime Travel Recommendation] Authorized reprint. Original source: [How to Apply for a Taiwan Compatriot Permit – A Complete Guide to Application Notes]