Hi I’m a student in Taiwan and I’m about to finish my studies this September, but my ARC will expire on July 25, also it just so happens that my passport will expire on November 25. If I will renew my ARC just so that I could stay in Taiwan until September I need to present a passport that is valid at least 6 months but now it is already less than 6 months valid. How should I go on with this issue? Renewing my passport will take around 2 months.
tricky situation… I think contacting the relevant authorities can give you the correct path you need to follow on this one
Yeah, I just tried posting maybe I could get some advice but I know this is a tricky situation.
I needed to expedite a passport renewal a couple years back. When I went to AIT, they didn’t guarantee anything beyond the written guidelines but they said they would do what they could. It ended up taking about a week and a half.
You need to renew the passport, ASAP.
Preferably now.
Passport could be renewed within 6 months before expiration date.
Don’t wait until deadline.
Even in some cases could be renewed before the 6 months starts.
The problem is in the website, passport renewal could be released within 1 to 3 months, my ARC deadline is in less than a month.
I’m not an expert on passports from the Philippines, and I doubt that one exists here. But I’ll reiterate along the lines of the previous responses. Use the fastest mail service you can, apply for expedited services, and cross your fingers. Before moving to Taiwan I had to renew my US passport, applied for one day mailing both ways with expedited services and it took about 2 weeks total.
Waiting until you only have a few weeks left on your ARC to tackle this problem is a very bold move.
I fully agree with @Zapman about getting a hold of the proper authorities, perhaps a representative from your home country. You’re asking as though it’s a universal question, every country operates slightly different. I did some Google leg work for you and here’s some relative links.
https://www.dfa.gov.ph/renewal-of-passport-requirements
https://www.passport.gov.ph
http://www.philippineconsulatela.org/consular-services-2/passport/applicant-for-renewal
Before the mods get all uppity about my “harsh advice” again, here’s a quote directly from the last link I shared.
Kindly monitor the validity of your Philippine Passport and renew it 8 months prior to expiration.
Here’s the page on passport renewal from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office Philippine Representative Office in Taiwan.
http://www.meco.org.tw/passport-renewal.html
Good luck, hope this helps.
Jeez. I have to say though, why did you get an ARC that’s just good 'til July although you’re finishing school in September? That’s weird.
Anyway, I think the first authority you need to ask information from is the NIA. They’re the ones who can grant you either an ARC or some sort of ARC extension.
Philippines has (at least) two “consulates” in Taiwan. The one in Taipei could issue passports. No need mail delivery to home.
I went to Manila Economic and Cultural Office to ask about my situation, they said that it will take around 3 months for my passport to be renewed since it will be sent to the Philippines, I guess there is no consulate handling these issues.
I asked the National Immigration Agency about my case and they said that my ARC could be renewed just until 09/30. Now, suppose I have already renewed my ARC. Can I go to the Philippines and renew my passport then come back before 09/30? I think it would only take 2 weeks for that passport renewal in the Philippines. What will happen to my Visa that was placed on my old passport?
It seems you already know, but your passport does not need to be valid for more than 6 months, when you renew/apply for an ARC. It is a requirement to get a visa. For an ARC, you just need a valid passport. They issue an ARC valid till the expiration date of the passport, if it does not have enough period.
Any valid visa can still be used, even if it’s on your old passport. So remember to bring your old passport with you when leaving the Philippines to go to a country where your visa is still valid.
In any case, it seems you would be able to finish your studies 'til September regardless if you have a renewed passport by then or not. You won’t become an illegal foreigner in Taiwan, as long as your ARC is valid and you have a valid passport. So I would advise that you just try to renew your passport from here via MECO asap. OR, just ride it through 'til September, then leave Taiwan when your ARC expires. Anyway, I think you have a maximum of 15 days before you have to leave Taiwan once your ARC expires.
However, if you do plan to stay beyond September for work reasons…well that’s a different story.
I don’t advise you go home to the Philippines and try the two-week duration for renewing passports. That’s too risky. Also, I think, impractical.
That might be the case, so I’m thinking of renewing my passport in the Philippines so that I could come back here and maybe find work already. If I’m going to renew my passport here then they will have my passport so I will not have the freedom of having legal documents for 3 months. Also, I think in the Philippines you could just pay up a higher price so that they will process the renewal much faster.
WAIT there, hold up. It ain’t that easy. Well, I’m assuming you will use a different visa to come here by then? Because right now, I think it’s illegal for you to work since your ARC is a student ARC. Right?
I remember there was this guy, ninja cutting onions something, who was planning to go that route. He thinks of coming to Taiwan via a tourist visa then will apply for resident visa once here so he can get an ARC. However, his concern was that someone tried this before but wasn’t given a resident visa.
While you’re free to come back here to try to look for a job I wouldn’t recommend it. As a Filipino on a visitor visa, the longest you’re going to be able to stay here is just 30 days. If you want to look for a job here, do so while you’re in the Philippines. Or if you already know some openings right now, well, try to arrange something with your employer and tell them that you’ll need sponsorship to transition from student ARC to working ARC. Also, consider the fact that Filipinos typically have two types of ARCs here–blue collar and white collar.
Taiwan is not like Singapore. I think coming to search for work here on a visitor visa is more difficult, especially for us Filipinos. Remember, POEA.
What kind of visa do you have? If single type, forget about it. You have used it already. And after return to Philippines you will have to apply to another visa.
Single entry, but I have my ARC with me so technically I don’t need that visa anymore, I just need to present my ARC at the airport but just in case they ask for the page in my passport where my visa should be I need the old passport. I’m just saying that suppose I renewed my ARC until 09/30, then after I receive my renewed ARC, I plan to go home and renew my passport that I think will take around 2 weeks, then come back to Taiwan before my ARC expires again. At that time I have the freedom already to decide on what to do next, e.g. find work and renew my ARC to some other version, or something else.
When you reenter with your ARC after renewing your passport in Philippine, the passport number written on your ARC and the passport you use to entry differ. That might cause some trouble.
Seems risky, make sure that when you go back to Pinas you can indeed renew your passport in just two weeks, that there are no appointments necessary. Otherwise, you run the risk of not being able to come back here asap.
Also, keep in mind that once your student ARC expires in September, you need to leave Taiwan. You’ll be given 15 days grace period though. Good luck.
Good point. @shinobi20 The immigration officer in Taiwan might wonder about the difference, but if you have your old passport with you then you might be able to explain this.
Since your ARC would have the old passport number, ideally you also need to update it with the new passport number. I think you can be fined if you don’t. But since it’ll just be valid 'til September…I really don’t know. Need to check with NIA again.
To be honest, I really think you’re risking too much just to get a renewed passport and hold on to your current ARC. You do know that it’s your ARC that holds your legal stay here in Taiwan, right? And that your student ARC doesn’t allow you to legally work anyway? Not to shoot down your plans or anything, but it all just seems too mafan given you’re not yet sure if you can really get work here in Taiwan…