That would only mean all seven would have different procedures, as would be the norm down there…
And then you have all South America, with only Paraguay as diplomatic ally. At least ROC allows you to do your paperwork at the most convenient place. Got many friends who’ve had their stuff done in Miami, as flights there are far more convenient than driving through two countries…
[quote=“Icon”][quote=“Naughtius”][quote=“Chris”]Yes, I translated it on my own. I didn’t need to hire a licensed translation agency, or get it notarized before sending it to the DC TECRO.
In fact, it’s the TECO in your home country that will read and approve it, and then give it an official stamp that’s essentially the notarization that the ROC government needs.[/quote]
I did the same. No problems at all.[/quote]
I gather both of you are from the US of A?[/quote]
Affirmative.
I received my notification on Wednesday, two weeks and one day after I lodged my application. Overall, a fast and relatively painless process - about 10 weeks from start to finish. I will go to Banqiao on Tuesday to pick it up. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and to Northcoast Surfer in particular.
FREEDOM!!
[quote=“Yingko”]I received my notification on Wednesday, two weeks and one day after I lodged my application. Overall, a fast and relatively painless process - about 10 weeks from start to finish. I will go to Banqiao on Tuesday to pick it up. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and to Northcoast Surfer in particular.
FREEDOM!![/quote]Yeah! Congratulations and welcome to the APRC club! :bravo:
Aaaaand…don’t forget to go and apply for your Open Work Permit after you get your APRC.
[quote=“Yingko”]I received my notification on Wednesday, two weeks and one day after I lodged my application. Overall, a fast and relatively painless process - about 10 weeks from start to finish. I will go to Banqiao on Tuesday to pick it up. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and to Northcoast Surfer in particular.
FREEDOM!![/quote]
One of us!! One of us!! We accept you… etc. :bravo:
[quote=“Yingko”]I received my notification on Wednesday, two weeks and one day after I lodged my application. Overall, a fast and relatively painless process - about 10 weeks from start to finish. I will go to Banqiao on Tuesday to pick it up. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and to Northcoast Surfer in particular.
FREEDOM!![/quote]
Congratulations and welcome to the (no longer so exclusive 
) club! :bravo:
I sent in my criminal background request a few weeks ago. Does anybody know if there is a way to check on its progress 
?
[quote=“Whole Lotta Lotta”]I sent in my criminal background request a few weeks ago. Does anybody know if there is a way to check on its progress ?[/quote]Ooooh. We are going to need a whole lotta lotta more details in order to answer this loaded question correctly.
Which criminal background check? Taiwan criminal background check or the federal criminal background check from your home country?
If it’s the federal criminal background check from your home country, which country would that be? Are you asking about the FBI background check for the USA, the RCMP background check for Canada, or UK, or Austrailia, or New Zealand, or South Africa, or etc. etc. etc.?
[quote=“Northcoast Surfer”][quote=“Whole Lotta Lotta”]I sent in my criminal background request a few weeks ago. Does anybody know if there is a way to check on its progress ?[/quote]Ooooh. We are going to need a whole lotta lotta more details in order to answer this loaded question correctly.
Which criminal background check? Taiwan criminal background check or the federal criminal background check from your home country?
If it’s the federal criminal background check from your home country, which country would that be? Are you asking about the FBI background check for the USA, the RCMP background check for Canada, or UK, or Austrailia, or New Zealand, or South Africa, or etc. etc. etc.?[/quote]
Oh. Ok. Sometimes I can assume too much. It is the federal criminal background check from the USA.
[quote=“Whole Lotta Lotta”][quote=“Northcoast Surfer”][quote=“Whole Lotta Lotta”]I sent in my criminal background request a few weeks ago. Does anybody know if there is a way to check on its progress ?[/quote]Ooooh. We are going to need a whole lotta lotta more details in order to answer this loaded question correctly.
Which criminal background check? Taiwan criminal background check or the federal criminal background check from your home country?
If it’s the federal criminal background check from your home country, which country would that be? Are you asking about the FBI background check for the USA, the RCMP background check for Canada, or UK, or Austrailia, or New Zealand, or South Africa, or etc. etc. etc.?[/quote]Oh. Ok. Sometimes I can assume too much. It is the federal criminal background check from the USA.[/quote]Aaaalllriiiighty then. [quote=“FBI Website”]Note: Although the FBI employs the most efficient methods for processing these requests, processing times may take [color=#FF0000]up to 12 weeks[/color] depending on the volume of requests received.[/quote]Here are some of my recent statistics so you can bench mark your FBI background check request. Don’t forget to take into account the X-mas and New Year’s non-working holidays into your projection for completion.
[color=#FF0000]Case #1[/color]
On March 25, 2010, DHL delivered a criminal background check request to the front desk at FBI headquarters. On May 15, 2010, the completed check arrived at my mailing address in Seattle Washington. That’s a total of 52 days. If we pare that down a bit, we can say it took them a total of 37 actual working days. However, the document itself reads that the request was received by them on March 29, 2010 and was “returned” on May 5, 2010. Utter bollocks! :fume:
[color=#FF0000]Case #2[/color]
On November 10, 2010, DHL delivered a criminal background check request to the front desk at FBI headquarters. To date, the check has not been completed. Based on the FBI’s published time frame of 12 weeks, it “should” be completed and returned to my mailing address in Seattle Washington on or about February 10, 2011, without taking the X-mas and New Year’s non-working days into consideration.
[color=#FF0000]Case #3[/color]
On November 29, 2010, DHL delivered a criminal background check request to the front desk at FBI headquarters. To date, the check has not been completed. Based on the FBI’s published time frame of 12 weeks, it “should” be completed and returned to my mailing address in Seattle Washington on or about March 1, 2011, without taking the X-mas and New Year’s non-working days into consideration.
I’ll PM Chris and ask him for his stats because he recently got his FBI background check completed in the past few months, too.
I sent my FBI application by overnight courier from Taiwan on March 29 and received it in the US on May 29.
As soon as I could, I sent it to DC with the application, translation, fees and return express mail envelope, and received it back, duly stamped, 10 days later. I got it all back the day before I was scheduled to return to Taiwan.
I was lucky: the timing couldn’t have been better.
[quote=“Chris”]I sent my FBI application by overnight courier from Taiwan on March 29 and received it in the US on May 29.
As soon as I could, I sent it to DC with the application, translation, fees and return express mail envelope, and received it back, duly stamped, 10 days later. I got it all back the day before I was scheduled to return to Taiwan.
I was lucky: the timing couldn’t have been better.[/quote]Actually the question is, how long did it take the FBI to process and complete your application from the day they received your application? If you look at the front, the completed FBI background check will have a “received” from you date and a “returned” to you date.
Oh, I get it.
Received: 04/06/2010
Returned: 05/21/2010
[quote=“Chris”]Oh, I get it.
Received: 04/06/2010
Returned: 05/21/2010[/quote]So, it looks like applying for the FBI background in the spring yields the fastest turn around and applying over the holiday season is slower. I’ll post the results of the two pending FBI background checks after I get them back.
Just wanted to post my results for others waiting on their FBI check:
Mailed from Taipei Nov.26th, arrived at FBI on Dec. 2nd.
Received the background check today! The letter was dated Jan.7th and the envelope was postmarked Jan.10th. It’s a little strange though, there’s no stamp or signature or anything on the letter. Is that normal?
Also weird, I had put my brother’s address in the States on the form as where to send the document, but they sent it to my address here anyway. I’m waiting for news from my brother to see whether or not they sent a copy to both addresses.
My plan now is to have my brother send me out a money order and a global express pre-paid envelope and I’ll just send everything from here to the TECRO office in DC.
[quote=“Tiare”]Just wanted to post my results for others waiting on their FBI check:
Mailed from Taipei Nov.26th, arrived at FBI on Dec. 2nd.
Received the background check today! The letter was dated Jan.7th and the envelope was postmarked Jan.10th.[/quote]Cool. Thanks for sharing.
[quote=“Tiare”]It’s a little strange though, there’s no stamp or signature or anything on the letter. Is that normal?[/quote]Yup. Normal. It only has a printed FBI seal in the upper left corner, but the paper is a special security paper. If you try to photocopy it, or scan it, the copy will show the word “COPY” all over it. Here’s what it looks like.
Here’s a Chinese translation which the TECRO in Washington DC has accepted for 4 different FBI background checks that I have processed for others. Use it if you need it. Just change the name and personal information to protect the guilty!
I just received a letter today from the Immigration department. It was all in Chinese and I could only read a few words (enough to know it was about my application, that they had made a decision, and that they were stating their reasons), so I assumed it was bad news (this is the government’s usual tactic). A colleague helpfully informed me that it was in fact my acceptance letter.
[quote=“Fortigurn”]I just received a letter today from the Immigration department. It was all in Chinese and I could only read a few words (enough to know it was about my application, that they had made a decision, and that they were stating their reasons), so I assumed it was bad news (this is the government’s usual tactic). A colleague helpfully informed me that it was in fact my acceptance letter.[/quote]Alright everyone…A collective sigh of relief. We have a new member of the APRC club. Allow me to be the first, even before Irish Stu, to introduce Fortigurn, a man who fought against insurmountable odds, with twists and turns, walls and locked doors at every juncture in his battle to get his APRC…and SUCCEEDED! 
:bravo: Congratulations.
p.s. You must have had good documents. I mean good good documents. Very good good good documents! :roflmao:
Congrats!! :bravo:
Yeah, that’s how they inform you: they send you a CC of an internal memo. I don’t know why they can’t just send a normal acceptance letter.
Thanks guys. Yes Chris that’s just what it looked like. I wasn’t expecting a ‘Welcome our new resident!’ letter on Hello Kitty paper wrapped in a pink bow, but something I could read would have been polite. And many thanks to everyone on this forum who has helped out. Time for that OWP. I gather that’s a rather easier document on which to lay hands?