APRC and replaced lost/stolen passport question

About 2 months ago I lost my passport and I applied for a new passport at the AIT (I’m American). After receiving my new passport replacement, the lady at the counter in the AIT told me that I needed to bring my new passport to the NIA and apply for an exit permit in order to leave Taiwan. I asked if I needed to apply for it right away or if it could wait (I’m an APRC holder so I wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon) and she said yes but you need to apply for it before you leave Taiwan. Anyways, a family member of mine is sick and I am planning on going back to visit for 2 weeks. I’m wondering if I will get in any sort of trouble for not presenting the immigration with the new passport right away when I go in to the NIA to apply for my exit permit. Anyone have any experience with this?

I don’t know about the exit permit, but when I got a new passport here I had to get a new ARC to match my new passport number.

Really? Maybe because I have an APRC, it’s not necessary? I asked at the AIT but she said I didn’t need to get a new APRC. Maybe she was wrong :ponder: I was under the impression that once you get your APRC, it doesn’t matter. You just you have to report it stolen to the NIA and give them the exit permit next time you leave…I’m really worried that I was wrong.

I have an APRC now and had to change my address when I moved. I don’t know about the passport number though.

There was one time a few years back when I had an ARC, I forgot to report my change of address to the NIA after moving and they just fined me around 2,000NT…If reporting my new passport is necessary, would it be similar to a change of address(just fine me a few thousand)? If it was required, I hope I don’t get in any serious trouble when I go in (ex:deportation, revoke APRC…etc).

In my experience the people in the office are very understanding and helpful. As long as you take care of everything before you leave you should be OK.

Thanks for the reply. Hopefully things will go smoothly.

  1. When you change your passport, by any reason, just as when you change your address, regardless whether it is ARC or APRC, you must inform them NIA the soonest. They will give you a new ARC or APRC with the new information. If you delay, if you get a sourpuss NIA agent, you will get a fine. Yes, there is a fine in the books for not telling them any changes in your situation -passport number, address included within a certain timeframe. Yes, there will be trouble when you get out of the country.

  2. Hence, do change the APRC -yes, you will need a new one, so take pictures with you. Show appropriate contrition and say that you were distraught/overwhelmed by family situation/loss of passport/etc. As said, the people at NIA are usually helpful and if you have the right attitude -meaning don’t be a jerk- they will bend the rules in your favor. This has been seen time and time again. So as long as you do not ruffle their feathers, things will go smoothly.

  3. While you are at it, try to get the E-Gate sticker. It will make your sailings in and out of the country much easier.

BTW, why do you need an exit permit to get out of Taiwan?

[quote=“Icon”]1. When you change your passport, by any reason, just as when you change your address, regardless whether it is ARC or APRC, you must inform them NIA the soonest. They will give you a new ARC or APRC with the new information. If you delay, if you get a sourpuss NIA agent, you will get a fine. Yes, there is a fine in the books for not telling them any changes in your situation -passport number, address included within a certain timeframe. Yes, there will be trouble when you get out of the country.

  1. Hence, do change the APRC -yes, you will need a new one, so take pictures with you. Show appropriate contrition and say that you were distraught/overwhelmed by family situation/loss of passport/etc. As said, the people at NIA are usually helpful and if you have the right attitude -meaning don’t be a jerk- they will bend the rules in your favor. This has been seen time and time again. So as long as you do not ruffle their feathers, things will go smoothly.

  2. While you are at it, try to get the E-Gate sticker. It will make your sailings in and out of the country much easier.

BTW, why do you need an exit permit to get out of Taiwan?[/quote]
Thanks for the information. I’m really upset with the AIT for not informing me when I asked them if there was anything else to be done. The lady said I only simply had to apply for an exit permit before leaving. At the time I thought I needed it because my new passport didn’t match my APRC but now I have no idea why that is necessary. It is mentioned on the AIT’s website (http://acs.ait.org.tw/lost.html) as well. When I was at the NIA filing the report for a missing passport, the man working there acted like it wasn’t a big deal that my APRC number didn’t match my new passport either. So I’m really frustrated (although I appreciate it) to hear this information. If I have to, I can pay a fee but aside from a fee, is there any other trouble I could face for not reporting my passport in time?

  1. It is not AIT’s duty to know how NIA works. Heck, with the way things are done here, it is very difficult for them to keep up to speed with whatever procedures are outside their jurisdiction. have you seen the website in English for NIA? It is 5 years behind…

  2. Again, I repeat my question: what is this exit permit you speak of?

  3. I do not think you filed the report at NIA because NIA is not a police station. Not anymore, anyways. If it was NIA, they should have told you to change your APRC as soon as you had the new passport in your hand. Now, this is not a Get Out of Paying the Fee Card. They hate to be told they are wrong. They are very helpful except when they are in the wrong.

NIA is National Immigration Agency, Taipei office is in Guanzhou Street close to Hoping Hospital, New Taipei is next to the morgue. Foreign Affairs Police is something else, somewhere else.

I do not think they will make you pay the fee at all but bring 1000 ntd in case. Just get a new card before you leave, and get to the airport early so you can fill your E-Gate application and all will be peachy.

Went there on Monday, everything went smoothly, I’ll be picking up my new APRC in a week. They didn’t charge me anything.

Again, I have no idea what it is. I only know that they told me I needed it and it’s mentioned on their (AIT) website as well . Turned out I didn’t need it.

I’m 100% sure I went to the NIA. I have the report right here stamped by them. It’s also the same exact place and building that I went to apply for my new APRC.

Anyways it seems like everything is taken care of, thanks.

The last time I heard of exit permits, we were using paper ARCs. Goes to show how hard it is to keep up with changes.

Glad to hear it all worked fine.

I got a new passport this summer back in the UK, and thought they’d want to see both new & old passports when I came back through Taoyuan Airport, as only the old passport matches the APRC. Of course, the immigration officer didn’t care / notice, so I didn’t show the expired document.

I think Icon is right though, and the APRC should be replaced, updating it to the new passport number. I was thinking about not bothering, but I’ll run down to the office sometime this week and see what they say.

Yeah, so new APRC on the way, with changed passport number. 2 week turnaround, no charge :thumbsup:. 1 photo needed.

i lost my passport and arc, how can i fix this?

First file a police report. Maybe someone found it and gave it to the local police. This cannot wait. Do it the soonest. They are open 24/7, 365 days a year. If you have language issues, they can call you a FAP representative, but you need that police report pronto.

Then sit around and wait until New Year celebrations are over in order to go to your nation’s representative office and see about their procedure to get a new passport. After you get a new passport, take it and your police report to NIA and get a new ARC.

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Thank you. But If ever I report in police station are they going to look for an id ? because the only id i’ve got are the passport and arc which is i lost, and i’m a former student here at taiwan but sadly, I’ve kicked out because of lack of finance.

You don’t have a NHI card yet? Or don’t you still have an expired student card?

Anyway, better to visit soon police, representative office of your country, or NIA. They will tell you how you should do.

Sounds to me like the ARC isn’t valid anyway. How long ago did you get kicked out?

Well the overstay is not going to disappear because you lost your documents. They have computers nowadays.

But losing a passport is more serious business. Report it to the police immediately. Consequences are far more serious than overstay.

The ARC:. One more time: the date printed on it is only a reference. Your ARC became invalid once you left school. But that is not the issue now. Passport is.

Not having a passport makes you vulnerable to all kinds of issues. Get your passport ASAP.

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