Patent Act Article 4

Foreign applications and the principle of reciprocityA patent application filed by a foreign applicant shall not be accepted if the home country of such foreign applicant is not a signatory to an international treaty for protection of patent rights to which the Republic of China (ROC) is a signatory, or if the home country has not concluded a treaty or an agreement with the ROC for reciprocal protection of patent rights, or if no patent protection agreement has been concluded between organizations or institutions of the ROC and the said foreign country, approved by the respective competent authorities, or if the laws of said foreign country do not accept patent applications filed by ROC nationals.