The national identification card is issued to
nationals with
household registration in
Taiwan. Establishing
household registration in
Taiwan is required for a national over 14 years of age to possess a National Identification Card. In
Taiwanese laws,
household registration has close ties to exercise civil and political rights like a citizen (). The
Taiwanese laws makes a distinction between "nationals with household registration" (NWHR, ) and "nationals without household registration" (NWOHR, ), with the former having the
right of abode,
right to vote, and other benefits of citizenship, while the latter are subject to deportation from Taiwan and need an entry permit to visit Taiwan. While NWHR are entitled to hold the National Identification Card, NWOHR may only hold the Taiwan Area
Resident Certificate (TARC). Both groups are eligible to hold the
Taiwan passport. The Taiwan Area Resident Certificate is nearly identical to the Alien
Resident Certificate (ARC) held by foreign residents in Taiwan. Anyone under the age of majority in Taiwan (20 years of age), one of whose parents was an NWHR at the time of birth, could direct establish household registration. (Before 1980, this was only possible if said parent was the father, i.e. nationality was transmitted through the male line. In particular, the child of a Taiwanese mother and foreign father was not even an NWOHR, let alone eligible to establish household registration.) Adult NWOHRs with direct lineal relatives who are NWHRs are eligible to apply for the aforementioned TARC and are eligible for household registration after residing in Taiwan for a certain period of time. Currently, this period is (1) continuously for one year, (2) 270 days per year for two years, or (3) 183 days per year for five years. In 2024, new amendments to the Immigration Act passed in 2023 took effect, which dramatically loosened restrictions on children of NWHRs to establish household residency. In particular, adult NWOHRs, at least of whose parents was a NWHR at the time of birth, were eligible to directly establish household registration. While this eliminated the legal distinction with respect to eligibility for household registration between underage and adult NWOHR children of NWHRs, there remain several administrative differences to actually register, such as the requirement for the adult NWOHR to enter Taiwan on
an NWOHR passport (in contrast, underage NWOHRs can enter Taiwan on a foreign passport before establishing household registration). For foreigners who have naturalised as ROC nationals as well as all other holders of TARCs, the above periods of time (continuously for one year, 270 days per year for two years, or 183 days per year for five years) also apply after they receive their TARCs before they are eligible for household registration. ==Usage==