This Act is hereby enacted to unify entry and exit control, safeguard national security, protect human rights, regulate immigration affairs, and implement immigration counseling.

The competent authority which enforces this Act is the Ministry of the Interior.

The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:
1. “Nationals” refers to people who have the nationality of the Republic of China (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “State”) and with/without the household registration in the Taiwan Area.
2. “Airports and seaports” refers tothe airports and seaports approved by the Executive Yuan as the designated ports of arrival and departure.
3. “Taiwan Area” refers to Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other territories under the control of the government.
4. “Nationals with household registration in the Taiwan Area” refers to:
Nationals who have the nationality of the State, are residing in the Taiwan Areas currently or originally, and have not lost personal identification as people of the Taiwan Area in accordance with the Act Governing Relations between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.
5. “Nationals without household registration in the Taiwan Area” referes to nationals who are residing abroad have the nationality of the State and have no household registration in the Taiwan Area or nationals who have acquired or restored the nationality of the State but have not registered their permanent residence at any Household Registration Office in the Taiwan Area.
6. “Transit”means a brief stay made by a traveller in the State before entering other countries or regions through airports or seaports of the State.
7. “Visit” means a visit in the Taiwan Area for the period of less than six (6) months.
8. “Residence” means residing in the Taiwan Area for the period of six (6) months or up.
9. “Permanent residence”refers to aliens reside in the Taiwan Area indefinitely .
10. “Registered permanent residence” refers to people are entitled to register household in the Taiwan Area.
11. “Immigration service organizations” means companies or law firms that act as agents to conduct immigration matters in accordance with this Act.
12. “Transnational marriage agencies” refers to acts of canvassing for marriage opportunities among nationals with household registration in the Taiwan Area , aliens and nationals without household registration in the Taiwan Area, people of the Mainland Area, and residents of Hong Kong or Macau and of introducing people to the aforesaid people for marriage.

Any person who enters or exits the State shall be inspected by the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior (hereafter called the “National Immigration Agency”) and failure to be inspected shall not be permitted to enter and/or exit the State.
When the National Immigration Agency inspects a person who enters or exits the State, it shall collect and utilize the person’s entry and exit record through a computer or other technological facilities.
With respect to the inspections mentioned in the preceding two Paragraphs, the competent authority shall enact regulations governing required documents , inspection procedures, and collection and utilization of information of the person.