New rule urges self-reporting by illegal foreign nationals: ministry

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) A new rule took effect Wednesday that cuts by half fines for overstaying foreign nationals or Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) nationals without household registration who turn themselves in before being apprehended, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) announced.

The amendment to the Regulations Governing the Recognition and Reduction Standards of Special Reasons in Article 74-1 of the Immigration Act encourages overstayers to not "live in hiding," but turn themselves in and "return home sooner," the ministry said in a news release.

According to the poster attached to the release, such individuals also need to prepare their travel documents and depart before a deadline, with failure to comply resulting in the full fine being imposed.

Meanwhile, the national security authorities will step up investigations, in the hope that combining enforcement with leniency will improve border management efficiency, the ministry said.

The MOI said that measures to manage the foreign national population in Taiwan need to keep pace with the times by balancing human rights protection and safety, as well as taking into account population mobility trends.