A draft amendment to the Passport Act was passed today by the Executive Yuan Council. It will be sent to the Legislature for deliberation.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah noted that currently 133 countries and territories extend visa-free or landing visa privileges to Republic of China passport holders, indicating that the credibility of ROC passports has won worldwide recognition.
"Given that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) now issues e-passports and asks passport applicants to apply in person to prevent the illegal use of ROC passports, it is necessary that the Passport Act be amended accordingly," said the premier. He instructed the MOFA to actively communicate with and explain the measures to the legislative caucuses of the ruling and opposition parties so that legislative review will be completed as soon as possible.
According to the MOFA, both domestic and oversea environments have changed in recent years, and the rules governing the revision, renewal and re-issuance of passports need to be amended following the launch of e-passports in 2008. Since current regulations have failed to mete out appropriate punishments for certain emergent illegal and fraudulent activities, such as impersonating someone to acquire or use his or her passport, the MOFA proposed introducing the following major amendments:
1.Passport holders are prohibited from altering or selling their passports. Nor are they permitted to offer their passports to obtain mortgages or cancel debts or for others to assume their identity to use their passports. (Article 5)
2.All information listed in the data page of an e-passport and the passport holder's digital photo should be stored in the electronic chip of the e-passport. (Article 13)
3.Applicants shall apply for their passports in person or authorize agents to do so for them. Persons who apply for a passport for the first time or those who apply for the renewal or re-issuance of their passports in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao must file their application in person. (Article 15)
4.Punishments are established for persons who sell their passports, offer passports to obtain mortgages or cancel debts, use forged or altered identification documents to apply for passports, or fraudulently use other persons' passports. (Articles 29-32)
5.Persons who violate the Passport Act outside of the ROC's territory shall still be subject to punishments as stipulated in the act, whether or not the country where they violate the act has punitive regulations in place. (Article 33)