[Legal Topic] Look for Legal Assistance to Protect Basic Rights
- 地點:Taiwan
- 發布日期:
- 單位:National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior
- 更新日期:2020/07/23
- 點閱次數:260
![[Legal Topic] Look for Legal Assistance to Protect Basic Rights](public/Data/f1593502071659.jpg)
New immigrants living in foreign lands and unfamiliar with Taiwanese laws and regulations will inevitably be at a loss when faced with legal issues, which might impair their own rights. In order to protect their basic human rights, government agencies and non-governmental organizations provide free legal advisory services. In addition, the government also establishes an interpretation system to help solve the problem of language barriers.
New Immigrant Development Fund expands range of subsidized legal assistance for new immigrants.
When some new immigrants face problems such as marriage, child custody, property, residence, etc., their rights are impaired due to the lack of understanding of Taiwanese laws and regulations. No matter whether it is the legal services before the legal proceedings or the appointment of a lawyer, it costs a lot, and it is a huge burden for new immigrants.
In order to provide assistance for new immigrants’ legal needs, the New Immigrant Development Fund will expand the scope of grants for legal fees for “New Immigrants’ Personal Safety Protection Program” and “New Immigrants’ Benefits and Support Program for Special Situations Before Establishing Household Registration” and offer “each person subsidy with a maximum of NT$50,000, including the cost of appointing a lawyer (including consulting, court appearance, reading, writing, inspection, and escorting arrival), and the same case is subject to one grant subsidy.” For details of the subsidy, please visit our website under and look for “New Immigrant Development Fund Subsidy Grant Program Application and Guidelines.”
Where to find free legal advisory service?
In order to assist the general public in solving daily legal problems, all county and municipal governments, public offices, mediation committees, courts, and district prosecutors offices provide free legal advisory services. Professional lawyers are hired to provide on-site counseling, which is a convenient consultation channel. The local legal consultation service usually adopts an appointment system. In addition to providing on-site meetings and telephone consultations, some agencies also have video-consulting services that allow people to have video meetings with lawyers during their appointments. The location and consultation time of the free legal consultation service offered by various government agencies can be found on our website at the “Legal Advisory Services Window” or on the website of Ministry of Justice.
Legal Aid Foundation and cooperative units provide legal assistance.
The Legal Aid Foundation (abbreviated as LAF) currently has a total of 22 chapters nationwide. It mainly provides "legal advice" and "application for lawyers’ assistance" services. If there are needs related to legal services, such as legal advice, legal document writing, or hiring lawyers to represent civil, criminal and administrative litigation, the general public will no longer feel helpless. The Legal Aid Foundation, established with Judicial Yuan’s donation, will provide assistance.
The Legal Aid Foundation provides three types of legal consultation services, including "telephone," "on-site," and "video meeting." National Immigration Agency’s service stations also cooperate with Legal Aid Foundation to provide legal consultation services. For getting information about service locations throughout the country or making appointments, please visit the website of Legal Aid Foundation or call Legal Aid Foundation’s hotline at 412-8518 Ext. 2 (area code 02 should be added if calling with a cell phone).
Interpreting service guarantees basic rights.
New immigrants share the same legal protection as citizens. To solve the problem of language communication difficulties, interpreters become bridges between the involved parties and law enforcement personnel. Due to the increasing demand for interpreters, National Immigration Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, local governments, police stations, courts, and other agencies organize interpreter training courses for interpreting talents. The training includes professional ethics, amendments to laws and regulations, visiting and interviewing skills, and other professional training. Foreigners who need the service can apply for it. Interpreters will assist the communication between the two parties and escort them to the police station to take notes or go to the court to assist with the hearing to protect their basic human rights.
New immigrants living in Taiwan and unfamiliar with the language and the land usually feel helpless when faced legal issues. Thus, central and local governments and non-government agencies cooperate together to provide legal consultation services for new immigrants. Whether the legal issues are related to marriage, custody of children, property, residence, etc., they can seek assistance. Even if they encounter language barriers, they can apply for interpreting services to protect their own rights.
References:
Development Network for Immigrants-New Immigrant Development Fund expands the range of subsidized legal assistance for new immigrants.
Ministry of Justice – Legal Consultation Resources
Website of Legal Aid Foundation