Does that mean that you can get a NWOHR passport?
We did not have to get a visitorâs visa abroad.
Does this mean that your son re-entered Taiwan on his US passport with a Resident Visa? Specifically a Resident Visa for Foreign Students?
http://boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=6139&ctNode=778&mp=2
(This is described as, âFull-time PhD, Masterâs, Bachelorâs program, or senior high school Students and belowâ)
There are many kinds of visas, plus there are different ways to enter Taiwan without a visa, so it will help a lot to be specific for this specific situation: Minors with dual nationality (one ROC, one Other) who normally enter and exit Taiwan on their Taiwan passports, but now need a resident visa to study in Taiwan
I had assumed that you would apply for a Visitor Visa for your son, as opposed to a Resident Visa. There are many kinds of Resident Visas, and the link above seems to have many requirements.
When you say you left âthe country on his Taiwan passport and [re-entered] on his US passport only,â it suggests your son came in Visa Exempt or with a Landing Visa since US passport holders can enter Taiwan this way without a Visitor Visa. I believe that Landing Visas are extendable in exceptional cases (but would still not be convertible into an ARC).
Quick update: the answer to my question is that for a 5 year old, he should apply for a âResident Visa for Minors Under Age 20 Joining Parents or Grand Parentsâ (http://boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=6138&ctNode=778&mp=2) - and he should not sweat the health exam because it is not required for applicants below the age of 6.
FYI
I called the Information for Foreigners hotline at 0800-024-111 to ask my question about what kind of visa a 5 year old dual citizen who wants to re-enter as a foreigner should apply for. They explained that this wasnât the kind of question they would normally field and - since I am based in Taipei - I should contact the National Immigration Agency on Guangzhou Road. They gave me the number (02) 2389-9983
The person who answered told me she could not speak English, so I struggled to speak in Mandarin (I imagine her struggle to understand my gibberish was much worse). After several stretches where I could not make out any of what she was trying to explain, she suggested I call another number: (02) 2388 9393 extensions 3122 or 3133.
This person spoke excellent English and answered my questions crisply and with obvious confidence. Here was someone who not only understood every word I spoke (in English or poor Mandarin), but responded in a way that I made me believe she was probably correct. She initially agreed with my suggestion that the Resident Visa for Foreign Students was correct, but then pointed out that for a 5 year old kid, it would be more expedient to go with a joining resident visa instead.
So, I will now complete the online visa application for a resident visa for dependents and then fly to a TECO office overseas to have that application processed. Q.E.D.
Maybe I misunderstood what you wrote, but we ran into problems not removing our son from the household registry before leaving Taiwan to apply for his visa. Hereâs what happened.
I accompanied my son to HK last week to apply for a Resident Visa from the TECO there. It takes one day to get a Visa there - you apply in the morning (between 9am and 12 noon) and you pick it up the next day at 2pm.
Before leaving for HK, I stopped by the District Office to get an official copy of my wifeâs household registration - it describes our wedding status and it includes our son as well. I thought about removing my son from the Household Registration, but I thought of this thread and figured I could handle things when we are back in Taiwan.
When we got to the TECO office window, the officer explained that we had everything we needed EXCEPT for the fact that the household registration copy that I produced still had my son listed there. So, I could apply for a Visitor Visa which could not be converted to an ARC, or I would have to come back with a Household Registration that did not have my son there. If I came back the next morning with that kind of Household Registration, then she could issue me a Resident Visa.
Once I stepped outside the TECO office, I called my wife, âget thee over to the District Office anon!â I then called my travel agent and others who were expecting us to fly out of HK the next day to make a whole bunch of adjustments to our stay.
My wife and I quickly texted back and forth other logistics while she went to the Household Registration office to remove my son from her Huji. She reported that Fedex said they could only guarantee a noon time delivery to our hotel in HK the next day. That was too late and would mean extending our stay 2 days instead of just one. But DHL said they could deliver before 9am â HOWEVER there is a tropical storm that could become a typhoon between Taipei and HK so that could delay their flight.
My son and I ended up spending the afternoon at Victoria Peak and we witnessed first hand how strong the storm was.
In the end, DHL came through for us and we were able to pick up where we left of the next day.
I just got a letter from the BNHI (https://www.nhi.gov.tw/english/Default.aspx) informing me that we need to take action on my sonâs health insurance since it appears he has left Taiwan. Of course, he has since re-entered Taiwan as a foreigner and now has an ARC.
Is it best to tell the BNHI this? Or do we create a ânewâ profile for him in the system â and will doing so disconnect his health record from any valuable information that was added over the first 5 years before he âleft Taiwanâ?
I will post more in the future as we address these issues. Please share any insight or questions you may have faced in a similar family situation
If they wanted intentional schools to be used by international students only, they should disallow students that hold dual (Taiwanese + foreign) passports.
In fact the law used to state this, but it was changed to allow students with Taiwan passports. Hence why intentional school students are now 99% Taiwanese.
Ok, so TAS still have this requirement in place (child must be living in Taiwan on an ARC), but all other international schools Iâve looked at donât have this requirement.
For example, TES doesnât require the child to be on an ARC: https://taipeieuropeanschool.com/index.php?id=21
What Should I Provide?
- A completed application form
(with the signatures of one or both parents / legal guardians on each page where this is required)- A copy of the studentâs valid foreign passport
- The most recent school reports, in English, covering the previous 2 years
- Two passport-size photos
- Evidence of the studentsâ legal residency, i.e. Taiwanese passport or 60-day visa or Alien Resident Certificate (A.R.C.) as soon as it has been obtained
So has the law changed in Taiwan to remove this requirement, or are all international schools apart from TAS ignoring the law?
It doesnât look like it says that to me. The part you bolded says a Taiwanese passport or even a 60-day visa is sufficient?
Sorry for the confusion, that quote is from TES.
TAS still has the requirement:
https://www.tas.edu.tw/admissions/frequently-asked-questions
Q. Must a student hold a valid foreign passport and visa to enter the school?
A. Yes. This is required by both the ROC government and TAS admission policy. No exceptions are made.
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the vast majority of kids in TES are TW dual nationals, (or Taiwanese with passport of convenience from burkina faso :P) .if they didnt change the rules they would not have enough students to pay tuition
Can the child have dual passports?