I asked a long term US permanent resident and here were some reasons he gave:
Brian - I think you rush it a bit - If a foriegner gets NZ residence - It is not as simple as that - sure you can get NZ citizenship after 2 years living in NZ but not if you are a butterfly.
If you never leave NZ and you have resident visa/permit - yes you can stay there forever - the problems start if you want to leave the country.
I agree with the point that there is no such thing as permanent residency in Taiwan.
I thought that an APRC was valid for 10 years only after which you need to extend it. And it cost 10K. The same amount as if you would extend your ARC every year. ARC based on marriage.
There are only a few advantages with an APRC I find.
Actually, what does my wife need to do when I drop dead in Taiwan, ship me to my home country or apply for permission to have me burried here? A dead man’s visa maybe?
An APRC is permanent, but there are many restrictions.
Where I live, arc’s based on marriage are granted for 3 years.
When they could bury sailors here a hundred years ago, an English teacher can also buried here now.
Well I have an APRC and there aren’t many advantages at all to chosing it over a 4 year work permit. ( a 4 year work permit off a friend’s co. is a better deal really - can leave for 4 years and just come back to renew).
Only advantages I can think of:
no need for work permit - which is piss easy to get from Ministry of Labour Affairs anyhow.
don’t need re-entry permit - big deal
can apply for NHI by yourself - this one is nice
Can live here as long as you don’t leave - this is good
It gives absolutely no benefits in regards to banking.
I know a Brit who has lived in the States since 1969. He goes home to the UK every December for 2 months, gets on the dole and stays drunk. He thinks it’s a great deal.
I know a Brit who has lived in the States since 1969. He goes home to the UK every December for 2 months, gets on the dole and stays drunk. He thinks it’s a great deal.[/quote]
He would still get it even if he was a dual US / British citizen. They’re tightening up on that now. They have invented a “habitual residence” test or summat, even for British citizens.
He would get 50-odd quid a week. Better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick.
50 quid a week to live on the dole in the U.K. Given the price of a packet of fags and a beer, it is less appealling now than 15 years ago.
aye…burrad luv a nice borril o’ newky broon for chrimbo
Alsatian
[quote=“Bu Lai En”][quote=“hexuan”][quote=“Bu Lai En”][quote]I’ll wager a pint of Guinness that less than 1% of the resident population of Taiwan is made up of foreigners and mainland brides.
[/quote]
Alright, I’ll take your bet. I seem to remember foreign labourers numbering 670000 or so. You can give me the pint when someone pulls up the stats.
Brian[/quote]
Er, no, Brian. You have to provide the stats ! 
[/quote]
What am I, a statistician now?[/quote]
do your own leg work!
[quote=“Omniloquacious”]Although some of the provisions of this proposed new law are rather troubling, in practice I’m sure it would not be actively applied to foreigners from the U.S., Europe and other First World countries. Clearly, it’s aimed at brides from mainland China and Southeast Asia, but has to be worded to apply to all foreigners to avoid giving rise to accusations of overt discrimination. Even if the interview requirement were actually implemented in all cases, I’m sure it would be just a token formality for people like us – perhaps conducted by telephone, with a conversation something like “Good morning! Are you Mr. X? May I ask what is your reason for coming to stay in Taiwan? That’s very good! I hope you have a pleasant stay here. Thank you very much and sorry to trouble you.”
It’s like the law requiring all foreign residents to carry their ARC or passport with them at all times, produce it on demand, and be subject to a fine for failing to do so. That, of course, is to enable the authorities to check out suspected runaway workers from Southeast Asia. Have you ever heard of any Western foreigner being stopped in the street and asked to produce such i/d, let alone being fined for not being able to do so? I certainly haven’t.[/quote]
Locals are required to carry ID at all times and produce it on demand, why should we be different (we ARE different, I’ve been caught with my wife in numerous police sweeps of clubs and we NEVER have ID…they let us go because of me being a westerner instead of hauling us in like they do the locals who have no ID).