TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) launched a pilot program on Tuesday (Sept. 3) for an online passport renewal application service, where Taiwanese nationals can now renew their passports from home using their national identification card.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) highlighted Taiwan's strong international presence, noting that 168 countries offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Taiwanese passport holders. Lin emphasized, "The number is even more than twice that of the People's Republic of China," and expressed hope that the pilot program would enhance public services.
Calvin Ho (何震寰), director-general of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, reported a surge in passport applications last year due to post-pandemic travel, with a peak of nearly 15,000 applications in a single day and over 3.5 million passports issued in total.
Bureau of Consular Affairs Deputy Director Chen Shang-yu (陳尚友) explained that the pilot program would initially have a limited capacity, processing around 400 to 500 passports per day. He mentioned that they plan to fully open the service by the end of the year, adjusting the number of applications weekly.
The "conditional online passport renewal" (有條件式線上申換護照) project specifies that applicants must be over 18, possess a National Identification Card, and meet certain criteria.
After completing the online payment, applicants can pick up their new passport at a Bureau of Consular Affairs office or any MOFA office within 14 business days.
The pilot program aims to streamline the passport renewal process, anticipating full implementation by year-end to accommodate the growing demand for international travel.
