MOFA warns of buying, selling Taiwan passports after convictionsStaff writer, with CNAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday urged Taiwanese not to sell or buy their country’s passports, warning that such moves were illegal and could lead to sentences of up to seven years in prison. According to local media reports, the four were charged with selling Taiwanese passports to a Chinese human trafficking ring. Prosecutors said the Chinese human trafficking ring had over the years asked the accused to buy local passports before selling them to buyers overseas, local reports said. Since then, it has closely monitored passports believed to have been sold overseas, MOFA said. Buying or selling passports to others violates Article 29 of the Passport Act (護照條例), which stipulates that violators will face a maximum seven-year jail term and a fine of up to NT $700,000.

Source: Taipei Times January 20, 2026 16:39 UTC