Hi guys. Would it be possible to use the APRC just to study in Taiwan? I’m thinking about trying to apply for it next year and, if successful, would use the status to study Chinese full-time while working freelance/part-time.
Btw, I’m currently on work ARC under the same company for 4 consecutive years now.
[quote=“theyouhan”]Hi guys. Would it be possible to use the APRC just to study in Taiwan? I’m thinking about trying to apply for it next year and, if successful, would use the status to study Chinese full-time while working freelance/part-time.
Btw, I’m currently on work ARC under the same company for 4 consecutive years now.[/quote]
Yes, that’s exactly what I did. Got my APRC, quit my job, and studied Chinese full time. With an APRC you aren’t required to work or earn a minimum amount.
APRC= Freedom!
[quote=“Steve4nLanguage”][quote=“theyouhan”]Hi guys. Would it be possible to use the APRC just to study in Taiwan? I’m thinking about trying to apply for it next year and, if successful, would use the status to study Chinese full-time while working freelance/part-time.
Btw, I’m currently on work ARC under the same company for 4 consecutive years now.[/quote]
Yes, that’s exactly what I did. Got my APRC, quit my job, and studied Chinese full time. With an APRC you aren’t required to work or earn a minimum amount.
APRC= Freedom![/quote]
Wow! That sounds exactly what I have in mind. 
Hope it’s okay if I throw a couple more questions.
Is it okay to apply for an APRC months before your ARC expires? And while on APRC, how often do you need to be in Taiwan to keep your status?
[quote=“theyouhan”]
Wow! That sounds exactly what I have in mind. Hope it’s okay if I throw a couple more questions.
Is it okay to apply for an APRC months before your ARC expires? And while on APRC, how often do you need to be in Taiwan to keep your status?[/quote]
With an APRC you have an open work permit and don’t even need to work.
If you let your ARC expire then you reset the clock to get your APRC to another 5 years. However it is really easy to get a 6 month extension when you leave your job and I was told (but it hasn’t been verified) that the time spent on this extension counted towards your 5 years.
[quote=“Abacus”][quote=“theyouhan”]
Wow! That sounds exactly what I have in mind. 
Hope it’s okay if I throw a couple more questions.
Is it okay to apply for an APRC months before your ARC expires? And while on APRC, how often do you need to be in Taiwan to keep your status?[/quote]
With an APRC you have an open work permit and don’t even need to work.
If you let your ARC expire then you reset the clock to get your APRC to another 5 years. However it is really easy to get a 6 month extension when you leave your job and I was told (but it hasn’t been verified) that the time spent on this extension counted towards your 5 years.[/quote]
Hmm, I guess I better inquire about it with the NIA then. 
My ARC would expire this coming December, and at that time my stay in Taiwan would be 4 yrs and 11 months already. I was hoping that, instead of renewing my ARC for the same purpose (I don’t plan to immediately quit anyway haha) maybe I’ll try to apply for an APRC instead…
OR, should I just re-apply my ARC again, make sure I hit the 5-year mark first, then finally apply for an APRC? :eh:
(reread the 2nd option and it seemed more practical haha, but feel free to let me know your thoughts)
Option 1 completely depends on whether or not time spent on the 6 month ARC extension counts towards the 5 years. If that is true (as I was told) then that is the better option. Obviously asking NIA is the next step.
In addition you need to ask NIA to make sure that they agree with the date that you think you will be eligible. It turns out my date is almost 1 month later than I thought but it isn’t a big deal for me.
[quote=“Abacus”]Option 1 completely depends on whether or not time spent on the 6 month ARC extension counts towards the 5 years. If that is true (as I was told) then that is the better option. Obviously asking NIA is the next step.
In addition you need to ask NIA to make sure that they agree with the date that you think you will be eligible. It turns out my date is almost 1 month later than I thought but it isn’t a big deal for me.[/quote]
Exactly. Step 1 before anything else is to go to NIA, ask for a printed copy of your exit and entry record, and get their approval as to anything concerning when you can start bringing in the rest of the stuff required for application -step 2 would be start getting the foreign “criminal” certificate, since that takes more time, me thinks.
As to what you can do after the APRC is all yours, well, the only requisite is to stay in Taiwan 183 days a year -unless you ask for permission, up to two years of absence allowed- so if you hit the Powerball and want to stay home and paint that is your business. As long as you have your APRC, no problem.
Will do a quick trip to NIA then. I’m supposed to hit my 5th year around the 1st week of January 2017 so hopefully, I do qualify with the 1st option.
Thanks guys! 
[quote=“theyouhan”]Will do a quick trip to NIA then. I’m supposed to hit my 5th year around the 1st week of January 2017 so hopefully, I do qualify with the 1st option.
Thanks guys! [/quote]
FYI. I hit my 5 year mark only a few weeks after my ARC expired. I just went ahead and renewed my ARC in Sept. and got around to applying for my APRC in Nov. When I renewed my ARC in 2013 (2 year work permit), I knew there would be a very small gap from when that one expired to when my eligibility for an APRC would be ready. They advised me to just go ahead and renew my ARC for 1 year, then apply for the APRC when I could.
For me, the criminal record only took a week.
[quote=“chubbypanda”]
-no prior appointment/phone call needed, this isn’t Taipei county
-easiest way to prove “financial independence” is pastel-color slip & certificate documents from National Taxation Bureau
-application for police record is available online eli.npa.gov.tw/E7WebO/index01.jsp and ready after few days
(easy to plan for short paperwork time, both offices are within walkable distance; same for taxation bureau as well)[/quote]
Ermmmm… “New Taipei City” is the current term, you nincompoop.
Adding information to crowds, when you renew your passport, most country will change your passport number (apparently ROC did not), you need to change your APRC to reflect your new passport.
You need: copy of new passport, copy of new passport and a picture, fill the usual form (for ARC) and get a number in normal counter (not the APRC officer).
It’s similar process when you update information for your ARC. No payment, just time consideration as you will be two weeks without any IDs.
Just an update. Paid a visit to NIA last week and the folks over the information counter were gracious enough to battle through my story in English, bless them. 
Anyway, they told me to renew my ARC first then apply for the APRC when I finally hit the 5th year mark. The lady mentioned something about extending my ARC for 6 months then the APRC. I’m guessing (because I forgot to clarify) doing this would mean that I no longer have to pay the usual 1K that often happens when I extend my ARC for another year. She also mentioned that in case I change my employer within the year, it wouldn’t affect my 4 years and counting status as long as I drop by the NIA again, and inform them of the change. This means I’d need to show my formal termination letter from old company, employment certificate with the old company, tax record, and new work permit from new company.
Hi there,
Need your advice to proceed:
-after unhappy marriage, I and my wife wish to divorce (uncontested, we both agree to separate without conflict).
-I got APRC last year.
-I already found a new house, and moving in these days:
So my question is about the divorce and changing my residence adress:
how to proceed to change residence, what documents are needed?
Don’t know if it’s important, but do I better complete divorce procedure first or changing residence first? (would like to avoid troubles,dont know if this will affect the process…)
Any suggestions welcome!
Thank you all, forumosa was great help when applying APRC last year!
[quote=“greg2003”]Hi there,
Need your advice to proceed:
-after unhappy marriage, I and my wife wish to divorce (uncontested, we both agree to separate without conflict).
-I got APRC last year.
-I already found a new house, and moving in these days:
So my question is about the divorce and changing my residence adress:
how to proceed to change residence, what documents are needed?
Don’t know if it’s important, but do I better complete divorce procedure first or changing residence first? (would like to avoid troubles,dont know if this will affect the process…)
Any suggestions welcome!
Thank you all, forumosa was great help when applying APRC last year![/quote]
IIRC, you are supposed to change your address within 14 days of moving. Changed mine last month on my APRC. Just had to go into the NIA office (Taoyuan for me) and used the normal application form. No charge, just had to wait a couple weeks to get my card back.
I had to bring my lease contract, APRC, and passport (actually, forgot mine…but sweet-talked the lady into doing it anyway so I wouldn’t have to take another day off. 
).
IMO, whether or not the divorce has gone through yet should be irrelevant since it is an APRC and not a Joint Family visa. 
sorry.
You first have the ROC, and when pass 1 year migration office give to you the APRC?
[quote=“pablito6000”]sorry.
You first have the ROC, and when pass 1 year migration office give to you the APRC?[/quote]
Qué cómo? Qué quieres decir?
I think you are confusing ARC and ROC.
ARC = alien resident certificate
ROC = Republic of China
If you intend to say that after 1 year you get an APRC = alien resident certificate, then no. It takes 5 years, if your ARC is based on marriage or work visa. If you are a student with a student visa ARC, then no.
And Migration does not give it. You apply for it. Another bit of paperwork. But not that much of a hassle.
What is the waiting time for APRC after submitting all papers? I applied on May, 26 and till now, no any letters or phone calls from Immigration…
Did Immigration give you a time frame? When I applied 3 years ago (in Taoyuan) they told me it would take 4-6 weeks. I got my approval letter exactly one month after submitting. I imagine the number of applications has risen in the past few years.
They told me, the longest waiting time is 2 months…Hope, it will not end up with 2 months. Sincerely do not know why it takes 2 months.
They only have one ID printing machine. Seriously.
Only one for all standard ARC and APRC? …