I. These Directions are drawn up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (hereafter “MOFA”) to accredit journalists attached to foreign news organizations who are to be stationed in the Republic of China (ROC) (Taiwan).

II. The term “journalist attached to a foreign news organization” refers to any person assigned by a newspaper, news agency, periodical, radio or television enterprise, or Internet-based media lawfully established in a foreign country to report on current events and affairs of public concern.

These Directions shall, in principle but subject to the determination of MOFA, not apply to journalists attached to organizations based in Hong Kong or Macao or to Chinese-language news organizations of foreign origin.

Both full-time and part-time journalists stationed in the ROC (Taiwan) by foreign news organizations are to be considered journalists attached to foreign news organizations.

III. The stationing of a journalist attached to a foreign news organization in the Republic of China (Taiwan) shall be registered with MOFA. Those who apply from abroad shall file an application with MOFA through a ROC (Taiwan) representative office abroad, and those who apply in the ROC (Taiwan) shall file an application directly with MOFA. In either case, the following documents shall be submitted:

 A. the attached application form;

 B. a letter of assignment bearing the signature of the publisher, president, editor-in-chief, general manager or any other person holding an equivalent position in the head office of the news organization, or the supervising editor of the organization’s branch office in an Asian country other than the ROC (Taiwan), with which the applicant is affiliated. The letter of assignment shall contain the following:

(1) a general description of the medium;

(2) the nature of the employment (full-time or part-time);

(3) a general description of the employment contract (including the duration of employment, nature of the job, working hours, etc.); and

 C. a photocopy of the identification page of the journalist’s passport.

IV. A full-time journalist attached to a foreign news organization may apply for a maximum duration of stay of two years as resident journalist in the ROC (Taiwan) and a part-time journalist for a maximum duration of stay of one year. If the applicant requires a continuance of his/her resident journalist status, he/she shall re-apply to register with MOFA for an extension not less than thirty days before the approved period expires by submitting the following documents:

 A. the attached application form;

 B. a letter of assignment bearing the signature of the publisher, president, editor-in-chief, general manager or any other person holding an equivalent position in the head office of the news organization, or the supervising editor of the organization’s branch office in an Asian country other than the ROC (Taiwan), with which the applicant is affiliated. The letter of assignment shall contain the following:

  (1) a general description of the medium;

  (2) the nature of the employment (full-time or part-time);

  (3) a general description of the employment contract (including the duration of employment, nature of the job, working hours, etc.);

 C. for a full-time journalist, ten published news reports authored by the applicant for the employing foreign news organization(s) in the preceding two years, and for a part-time journalist, five published news reports authored by the applicant for the employing foreign news organization(s) in the preceding one year. News reports authored for the previous employing foreign news organization(s) shall be submitted if the applicant has transferred to another employing foreign news organization; and

 D. a Republic of China (Taiwan) Individual Income Tax Payment Receipt issued by the applicant’s local National Tax Administration office under the Ministry of Finance. A written statement of the reason for the applicant’s inability to provide such document must be included if applicable.

V. Applicants registered in accordance with these Directions shall be issued a press certificate for journalists attached to foreign news organizations by MOFA.

The press certificate shall serve only as proof of the bearer’s credentials.

If any information on the certificate changes or is found to be incorrect, the bearer shall apply for a new press certificate, and the old one shall be declared invalid. If a press certificate is lost, the bearer shall publish an announcement to that effect in a newspaper and apply to MOFA for a new certificate.

VI. MOFA may deny an application, or revoke or cancel the registration or press certificate of a journalist attached to a foreign news organization under the following circumstances: 

 A. where the journalist has committed a serious violation of the laws and regulations of the Republic of China (Taiwan);

 B. where the journalist violates any provision of these Directions;

 C. where the journalist stops working for the foreign news organization.

VII. When a journalist attached to a foreign news organization is no longer employed in such a capacity, he/she shall return his/her press certificate and apply with MOFA for his/her registration to be cancelled. MOFA may also cancel resident journalist status if it finds that a journalist attached to a foreign news organization is no longer employed in such a capacity.