National Immigration Agency
Encyclopedia
National Immigration Agency or (NIA) (Traditional Chinese:內政部入出國及移民署) is the statutory agency under the Ministry of Interior
which is responsible for immigration, entry and exit security, border services
, citizenship
, visas
, and registration of foreigners transiting the Free Area of the Republic of China
. The agency is headed by the Director General. The current Director General is Hsieh, Li-Kung.
The agency does not manage customs
which is managed by the Ministry of Finance.
and border control
. This include the care and guidance of new immigrants, t exit and entry control, the inspection on illegal immigrants, the forcible deportation
, and the prevention of trafficking
in persons. The agency also deals with persons from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau who do not hold household registration in Taiwan.
Prior to that it was known as the Taiwan Province Garrison Headquarters and Taiwan Province Police Department. It was initially in charge of Taiwan’s border control for both military personnel and civilians respectively. In 1952, Military Personnel and Civilians Exit and Entry United Scrutiny Department was established and became the authority for border control.
In March 1957, the department’s name was changed to Entry and Exit Control Department, subordinated to Taiwan Vigilance Headquarters and then to Taiwan Garrison Headquarters created in July 1958. In 1972, the government delegated border control, originally under the defense establishment, to a common administrative agency in response to the needs for social development and consequently the Immigration Bureau under the National Police Agency was established.
For years, Taiwan’s border control and immigration had been separately administered by various agencies, resulting in the administrative inefficiency. The Immigration Act
was promulgated on 21 May 1999, which proposed the National Immigration Agency or NIA, shall be established under the Ministry of the Interior to be responsible of border control and immigration. Subsequently, other statutes related to the NIA were also drafted and then passed by the Legislature Yuan on 8 November 2005 and promulgated by the President on 11 November 2005. Therefore, the NIA has been officially established since 2 January 2007.
Ministry of the Interior (Republic of China)
The Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China is a cabinet level executive yuan agency responsible for home affairs and security throughout the Free Area of the Republic of China...
which is responsible for immigration, entry and exit security, border services
Border control
Border controls are measures used by a country to monitor or regulate its borders.The control of the flow of many people, animals and goods across a border may be controlled by government Customs services. Security is enforced by various kinds of Border Guards and Coast Guards...
, citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
, visas
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
, and registration of foreigners transiting the Free Area of the Republic of China
Free Area of the Republic of China
The Free area of the Republic of China is a legal and political description referring to the territories under the control of the government of Republic of China , consisting of the island groups of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and some minor islands...
. The agency is headed by the Director General. The current Director General is Hsieh, Li-Kung.
The agency does not manage customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
which is managed by the Ministry of Finance.
History
The agency was established in early 2007 to deal with immigrationImmigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and border control
Border control
Border controls are measures used by a country to monitor or regulate its borders.The control of the flow of many people, animals and goods across a border may be controlled by government Customs services. Security is enforced by various kinds of Border Guards and Coast Guards...
. This include the care and guidance of new immigrants, t exit and entry control, the inspection on illegal immigrants, the forcible deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
, and the prevention of trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
in persons. The agency also deals with persons from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau who do not hold household registration in Taiwan.
Prior to that it was known as the Taiwan Province Garrison Headquarters and Taiwan Province Police Department. It was initially in charge of Taiwan’s border control for both military personnel and civilians respectively. In 1952, Military Personnel and Civilians Exit and Entry United Scrutiny Department was established and became the authority for border control.
In March 1957, the department’s name was changed to Entry and Exit Control Department, subordinated to Taiwan Vigilance Headquarters and then to Taiwan Garrison Headquarters created in July 1958. In 1972, the government delegated border control, originally under the defense establishment, to a common administrative agency in response to the needs for social development and consequently the Immigration Bureau under the National Police Agency was established.
For years, Taiwan’s border control and immigration had been separately administered by various agencies, resulting in the administrative inefficiency. The Immigration Act
Immigration Act
An Immigration Act is a law regulating immigration. A number of countries have had Immigration Acts including:*Canada**The Immigration Act, 1906**The Chinese Immigration Act of 1923**The Immigration Act, 1952**The Immigration Act, 1978...
was promulgated on 21 May 1999, which proposed the National Immigration Agency or NIA, shall be established under the Ministry of the Interior to be responsible of border control and immigration. Subsequently, other statutes related to the NIA were also drafted and then passed by the Legislature Yuan on 8 November 2005 and promulgated by the President on 11 November 2005. Therefore, the NIA has been officially established since 2 January 2007.
Department Structure
The National Immigration Agency is organised in the following structure.- Entry and Exit Affairs Division
- Immigration Affairs Division
- International Affairs Division
- Immigration Information Division
- Secretariat
- Personnel Office
- Accounting Office
- Civil Service Ethics Office
Immigration and Border Enforcement
- Service Affairs Corps
- Detention Affairs Corps
- Specialized Operations Corps
- Border Affairs Corps
See also
- Ministry of the Interior (Republic of China)Ministry of the Interior (Republic of China)The Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of China is a cabinet level executive yuan agency responsible for home affairs and security throughout the Free Area of the Republic of China...
- Executive YuanExecutive YuanThe Executive Yuan is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China , commonly known as "Taiwan".-Organization and structure:...
- Exit & Entry Permit (Taiwan)
- Visa policy of the Republic of ChinaVisa policy of the Republic of ChinaThe visa policy of the Republic of China is complicated as a result of the political status of Taiwan. As one of the most politically isolated countries in the world, Taiwan has encountered difficulties in signing 'bilateral agreements' with other nations in regards to visa exemption...
- Household registration
- Republic of China passportRepublic of China passportThe Republic of China passport is the national passport issued to nationals of the Republic of China with household registration in the Taiwan Area and certain Overseas Chinese...
- Alien Resident CertificateAlien Resident CertificateAn Alien Resident Certificate , or ARC, is the identification card issued to foreign residents of the Republic of China .-Standard Alien Resident Certificate:...
- National Identification Card (Republic of China)
- Human trafficking in TaiwanHuman trafficking in TaiwanTaiwan is primarily a destination for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation. It is also a source of women trafficked to Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States...