Taiwanese men returning from overseas are to be eligible for conscription after staying in Taiwan for 183 consecutive days, down from one year, under a proposed amendment, the Ministry of the Interior said on Monday.
The amendment to the Conscription Regulations for Naturalized Aliens and Returning ROC (Taiwan) Nationals Residing Overseas (歸化我國國籍者及歸國僑民服役辦法) would help the nation meet conscription needs and ensure social equality in mandatory military service, the ministry said.
All male Taiwanese expats of serving age who have registered residences in Taiwan would be eligible for conscription after 183 consecutive days in the country, starting the day after they return, the amendment says.
Photo: Lee Wen-hsin, Taipei Times
The expats must within three days, following the day they returned, provide their local office with their Taiwanese passport, foreign passport, or their permanent or long-term residency documents, and documents certifying their return from abroad, it says.
Taiwanese returning to study in Taiwan can request to delay their mandatory service until the conclusion of their studies, it says.
Returning Taiwanese whose long-term stay in the country is beyond their control — such as due to disease or natural disasters listed under Item 1, Article 2, or Paragraph One, Article 3 of the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act (災害防救法) — and the circumstances have been approved by the ministry would not have that time counted toward the 183 consecutive days.
Those refused entry into their country of residence or forced to return to Taiwan from their country of residence due to special circumstances, such as war, may file to delay their conscription for up to six months, the amendment says.
Should the circumstances result in their continued stay in Taiwan after the six months, they must submit another request to delay their conscription.
Under the amendment, the visas of Taiwanese expats must match the validity date of their passport, and when renewing their passports, they should provide documentation of residency abroad.
The clause “those bearing passports with annotations showing that one is an overseas compatriot” would be removed from the law, and Taiwanese expats would be recognized by a certification issued by the Overseas Community Affairs Council, the amendment says.
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