1 .Qualifications for Overseas Compatriot Identity Review All of the following criteria must be met:
(1) Must possess one of the following identities:
* A valid South African passport
* A South African permanent residency permit
* A South African ID card
(2) Must have resided abroad cumulatively for at least 4 years, excluding residence in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
(3) Must have continuously resided in South Africa for at least 6 months or have accumulated at least 8 months of residence in South Africa each year in the 2 years prior to the year of application.
For males who have not yet fulfilled their military service obligations, in addition to meeting the above requirements, the following qualifications must also be met:
(1) If a conscript first left the country after January 1st of the year following the year they turned 15, they may not legally obtain overseas compatriot status before fulfilling their military service obligations.
(2) Near-conscripts or conscripts who have only been eligible for overseas compatriot identity endorsement after January 1st of the year they turned 16 must meet the following requirements to process an overseas compatriot identity endorsement:
* Departed from [Republic of China] before December 31st of the year they turned 15 to any overseas country.
* Accumulated no more than 183 days of return to Taiwan each year during the near-conscript period (from January 1st of the year they turned 16 to December 31st of the year they turned 18).
* If there is a record of returning to Taiwan after January 1st of the year they turned 19 (regardless of whether holding a ROC passport or a foreign passport), they must have met the qualifications for processing an overseas compatriot identity endorsement before their first return to Taiwan after reaching conscription age.
(3) Acquiring overseas compatriot status does not exempt conscripts from military service obligations.
According to Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Act Governing the Military Service of Naturalized ROC Nationals and Returned Overseas Compatriots, conscripts who were originally ROC nationals and possess overseas compatriot status shall, upon returning to the country, be subject to conscription processing one year from the following day. The calculation of this one-year period shall, in accordance with Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the aforementioned Act, be based on one of the following situations:
* Continuous residence for a full year.
* For conscripts born before 1984, based on having resided for more than 4 months on 3 occasions.
* For conscripts born in 1984 or later, based on having accumulated more than 183 days of residence each year from January 1st to December 31st for 2 consecutive years.
2. First-time Application for Overseas Compatriot Identity Endorsement
Please bring the following documents:
Original Republic of China passport
Original South African passport or original South African identity document (such as original South African permanent residency permit, original South African ID card)
Application form for Overseas Compatriot Identity Endorsement or Transfer
For minors under the age of 7, the application must be made by their parents, and a birth certificate and marriage certificate of the parents must be provided. If the application is made by a legal guardian, a court certificate must be provided.
For minors aged 7 to 17, if applying on their own, they must have their parents fill in the "Consent" section of the application form and provide a birth certificate and marriage certificate of the parents. If there is a legal guardian, the legal guardian shall fill in the "Consent" section of the application form and provide a court certificate.
Fee: ZAR 128
3. Overseas Compatriot Identity Transfer
Please bring the following documents:
Original Republic of China passport
Original South African passport or original South African identity document (such as original South African permanent residency permit, original South African ID card)
Application form for Overseas Compatriot Identity Endorsement or Transfer
For minors under the age of 7, the application must be made by their parents, and a birth certificate and marriage certificate of the parents must be provided. If the application is made by a legal guardian, a court certificate must be provided.
For minors aged 7 to 17, if applying on their own, they must have their parents fill in the "Consent" section of the application form and provide a birth certificate and marriage certificate of the parents. If there is a legal guardian, the legal guardian shall fill in the "Consent" section of the application form and provide a court certificate.
Fee: Free
