The new front cover design for Taiwan’s passport was unveiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a special press conference Sept. 2 in Taipei City, with the official launch date set for January 2021.
The design will help ensure the dignity and rights of Taiwan’s citizens when travelling abroad, the MOFA said, adding that it will also mitigate inconvenience caused by other countries mistaking ROC (Taiwan) passports for those of China.
It follows a resolution passed by the Legislature in July requiring the government to make Taiwan more prominent on the passport, a move prompted by a desire to distinguish the country more clearly from China following the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the MOFA, since the word “Taiwan” was added to the passport cover in 2003, the country’s global visibility has been greatly enhanced, with citizens enjoying visa-free, landing visa or e-visa privileges in 170 countries and territories.
The new design retains the color and structure of the current version alongside most of the elements, including the official country name in Chinese and English, as well as the national emblem.
Major changes include enlarging the English font for Taiwan and placing it directly above the word “passport” to clearly indicate holders’ national identity. In addition, the country’s official name in English is embedded three times in the outer circle of the national emblem for greater aesthetic appeal.
Passports using the current design will remain valid until their expiry dates, the ministry said, adding people can choose to apply for the new passport in advance. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw