Legislature Extends Deadline for Religious Groups to Resolve Property Registration

The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading today of an amendment to Article 5 of the "Provisional Act on Handling Real Estate Registered by Religious Groups under Natural Persons," extending the application deadline from four to six years. Legislators Li Bo-yi, Wang Mei-hui, and Cheng Tien-tsai noted that religious property has a public nature. To resolve existing issues with property registered under individual names, protect religious property rights, prevent public-funded property from becoming private assets, and reduce disputes, the Ministry of the Interior enacted the act in 2022. The proposal stated that the original application period was two years, later extended to four in 2024, and was set to expire this June. To protect the rights of religious groups, the deadline was extended to six years, expiring in June 2028. The Ministry of the Interior stated that over 900 religious groups have applied, completing over 1,000 name changes and 2,200 restricted registrations. For groups that have not yet applied, issues such as non-compliant property rights or lack of consent from registered owners remain, requiring more time for guidance and preparation. The Ministry supports the extension.