National identification card (Taiwan)

Republic of China national identification card
Front
Back
TypeIdentity document
Issued by Republic of China (Taiwan)
First issued1946
PurposeIdentification
Valid inFree area of the Republic of China
EligibilityHousehold registration in Taiwan
ExpirationIndefinite
CostNT$50
National identification card
Traditional Chinese中華民國
國民身分證
Simplified Chinese中华民国
国民身分证
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōnghuámínguó Guómín Shēnfènzhèng
Bopomofoㄓㄨㄥ ㄏㄨㄚˊ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄕㄣ ㄈㄣˋ ㄓㄥˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhJonghwamin'gwo Gwomin Shenfennjenq
Wade–GilesChung¹-hua²-min²-kuo² Kuo²-min² Shen¹-fen⁴-cheng⁴
Tongyong PinyinJhonghuámínguó Guómín Shēnfènjhèng
MPS2Jūnghuámínguó Guómín Shēnfènjèng
Hakka
Pha̍k-fa-sṳChûng-fà-mìn-koet Koet-mìn Sṳ̂n-fun-chṳn
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingzung¹-waa⁴-man⁴-gwok³ gwok³-man⁴ san¹-fan²-zing³
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTiong-hôa-bîn-kok Kok-bîn Sin-hun-chèng
Tâi-lôTiong-hûa-bîn-kok Kok-bîn Sin-hun-tsìng

The Republic of China national identification card (Chinese: 中華民國國民身分證; pinyin: Zhōnghuámínguó Guómín Shēnfènzhèng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiong-hôa-bîn-kok Kok-bîn Sin-hun-chèng), commonly known as the national identification card of Taiwan, is a compulsory identity document issued to people who hold both nationality and household registration in Taiwan. The National Identification Card served as the evidence for the household registration in Taiwan which grants the holder the right of abode and full civil and political rights in Taiwan. The card is used for virtually all other activities that require identity verification within Taiwan such as opening bank accounts and voting.

Despite the name mentioning "national", not all nationals regulated by Taiwanese nationality law are eligible to apply for an ID card. Nationals without household registration are not qualified for an ID card. These people, mainly overseas Taiwanese or overseas Chinese, are only eligible to apply for a Taiwan passport. They will need to apply for an Exit & Entry Permit or Resident Certificate if they want to perform short-term visit or long-term residency in Taiwan respectively.