Taiwan – Causes of Statelessness

1. Lack of Legal Safeguards against Childhood Statelessness

There is no data available on the exact number of stateless children in Taiwan. Children born in the territory to unknown or stateless parents will be granted citizenship of Taiwan. As mentioned above, children born to undocumented migrant workers are primarily at the risk of statelessness due to unethical recruitment practices and lack of protection of migrant workers from debt bondage. Jus soli provisions of citizenship are only applicable in a limited manner, providing Taiwanese nationality to both foundlings as well as stateless children.

2. Citizenship Stripping

Taiwanese laws that require foreign spouses to relinquish their previous nationality to gain Taiwanese citizenship risk causing statelessness. If marriages are considered fraudulent by the Taiwanese government, the government has the power to strip citizenship from foreign spouses, leaving them stateless.

3. Administrative Barriers

Birth registration in Taiwan is intertwined with the Household Registration System, which determines nationality rights including social services, healthcare, employment, and other welfare benefits for residents in Taiwan. Without completing birth registration, children in Taiwan would not be able to enjoy full nationality rights in Taiwan. This requirement puts children born to undocumented migrants, who do not register their children due to fear of deportation at high risk of statelessness.