Taiwan immigration steps up checks on sham marriages from China

Sep 05, 2026

Taiwan's immigration agency says it is tightening screening of Chinese spouses applying to join partners in Taiwan, a border-security win on paper that officials admit still leaks.

  • Dozens of fake-marriage cases involving Chinese nationals are caught every year through home visits and follow-up checks.
  • Applicants face two hurdles: a review of the reunion application, then a face-to-face interview at the airport.
  • Couples are questioned separately, and interviewers avoid rehearsed questions in favor of small details only real couples would know, like the order the bride changed dresses at the wedding.
  • Borderline cases can enter temporarily but must pass a second interview or be forced to leave.
  • Getting a Taiwanese ID this way takes at least six years and requires giving up Chinese nationality.

Outlook: Checks and internal patrols will keep expanding, but officials concede human judgment means some sham marriages will still slip through.

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