The Legislature approved significant amendments to the Nationality Act on Tuesday. The changes will reduce residency requirements for foreign professionals seeking naturalization and pave a way for stateless children to obtain citizenship.
The proposal, drafted by the Cabinet, aims to attract outstanding foreign professionals to Taiwan by reducing the current requirement of continuous legal residency of at least 183 days per year from three consecutive years to two, with individuals allowed to retain their original nationality instead of renouncing their citizenship. Individuals residing in Taiwan for five consecutive years may be exempt from the 183-day restriction.
Additionally, foreign individuals or stateless persons who have made outstanding contributions to Taiwan will no longer have to pay the nationality approval certificate fees when applying for naturalization.
Another significant revision allows social welfare agencies or institutions acting as guardians to assist stateless children in their naturalization applications. This move ensures that stateless children have access to education, healthcare, and other social welfare services. Previously, stateless children were unable to obtain legal status due to national security concerns.