Can I avoid military service in Taiwan if I have a US passport? These rules may prevent you from leaving the country if you return to Taiwan

there is americaPassport Can dual nationality avoid Taiwan’s military service rules? posted inlos angeles Zhang Haojun, deputy director of the Taipei Cultural Affairs Bureau and director of the Overseas Chinese Center, recently reminded in the “2026 Autumn Life Safety and Resilience Lecture” that you should not think that you will not be detected if you enter Taiwan with a US passport. With advanced technology, relevant records can be easily located. If you are caught and stay in Taiwan for more than 183 days, you must complete your military service in Taiwan before you can leave the country. Don’t leave it to chance.

Zhang Haojun said that having dual nationality does not mean that one is exempt from military service obligations in Taiwan. Upon returning to Taiwan one must still use a Republic of China passport to enter Taiwan according to regulations. Migrant youth should not have the lucky mentality that if they have a foreign passport they will not be caught. They should confirm their status before returning to Taiwan to avoid identity verification or document issues affecting their travel itinerary.

According to relevant regulations, if overseas Chinese servicemen who meet the applicable conditions wish to leave Taiwan, they must prepare a “Certificate of Overseas Chinese Identity for Military Service” and other documents in accordance with the regulations, and upload them to the “Exit Document Review Platform for Overseas Chinese Servicemen’s Application” of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China to complete the review and exit approval process.

However, he also mentioned that if the time to return to Taiwan is short, or if there are consecutive holidays and it is too late to obtain the certificate and complete the document review, you can still leave the country conditionally. Those who meet the conditions can first apply for short-term departure from the country through the “Online Application for Short-Term Exit System for Servicemen” of the Home Department of the Ministry of the Interior as an ordinary soldier, and then complete the documents and upload them to the review platform within 4 months from the next day of departure.

If the follow-up review is passed, the overseas Chinese soldier’s status may be restored and he or she will no longer be subject to the 4-month restriction on returning to Taiwan set forth in this short-term exit procedure; If the review does not pass, he or she must still return to Taiwan within 4 months from the day after departure. Zhang Haojun reminded that applicants cannot regard this mechanism as a way to exempt themselves from military service obligations and must complete subsequent procedures in accordance with the regulations.

Zhang Haojun said that foreign applicants for the “Overseas Chinese Identity Certificate for Military Service” can first go to the foreign embassy office to verify their Republic of China passport and US passport or permanent residence certificate. Each copy costs about 15 yuan and takes about five working days. After completion, the documents can be assigned to an agent in Taiwan for processing. This does not require assistance from family members, as long as someone is willing to help.

He said that when applying, you must prepare a attested copy of your passport and relevant identity documents, a copy of the foreign resident status signature page and a power of attorney, and present the original identity card to the agent. After receiving the “Certificate of Identity for Overseas Chinese in Service”, go to the platform of the Ministry of the Interior for exit review. If there is no time, you can return to Taiwan first, but you must confirm whether you meet the qualifications for short-term departure of ordinary military men and complete the follow-up procedures according to the regulations.

Zhang Haojun suggested that if foreign nationals plan to return to Taiwan to visit relatives, travel or stay for a short period of time, they should confirm their status as a conscript, the validity period of the certificate and document requirements before departure, and allow time for processing. If you are already in Taiwan and find that the documents are not ready, you should confirm as soon as possible whether you meet the application conditions for short-term departure of general military servicemen, and remember to complete and review the supplementary documents within 4 months after leaving the country to avoid affecting the entry and exit arrangements later.

According to the Civil Service Department of the Ministry of the Interior and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, the new system applies to men who have household registration in Taiwan between January 1 of the year they turn 19 and December 31 of the year they turn 36 and who have not fulfilled their military service obligations. If people who meet the requirements wish to leave the country after returning to Taiwan, they must complete the document review and exit permit procedures in accordance with the regulations.