[quote=“Steve4nLanguage”]Thanks all. It’s still a year away, and I’ll definitely check with the NIA before starting to gather all of the paperwork.
I was just curious if anyone knew about the 5th year. For example, if someone arrived on Jan 2, 2008, then their 5 years would be up on Jan 2, 2013, but they wouldn’t have been in Taiwan for 183 days yet in the 2013 calendar year.[/quote]
It’s based on years here, not calendar year. I reached my five year mark on March 28th last year. I went in that same day with my docs and got my APRC about a week later, definitely less than 183 days in the calendar year. The one thing to keep in mind with this is that if your five year day comes after the new year, but prior to the tax deadline, you may still need to show the tax forms that are due in that year.
[quote=“Tiare”][quote=“Steve4nLanguage”]Thanks all. It’s still a year away, and I’ll definitely check with the NIA before starting to gather all of the paperwork.
I was just curious if anyone knew about the 5th year. For example, if someone arrived on Jan 2, 2008, then their 5 years would be up on Jan 2, 2013, but they wouldn’t have been in Taiwan for 183 days yet in the 2013 calendar year.[/quote]
It’s based on years here, not calendar year. I reached my five year mark on March 28th last year. I went in that same day with my docs and got my APRC about a week later, definitely less than 183 days in the calendar year. The one thing to keep in mind with this is that if your five year day comes after the new year, but prior to the tax deadline, you may still need to show the tax forms that are due in that year.[/quote]
Thanks; that’s the information I was looking for.
My five years will be up on May 30, 2013, and I want to take care of this as soon as possible. I’ll have the 2012 tax form by that time. Of course, I’ll still check with the NIA before I gather all of the documents to get the official eligibility date for my situation.
Just got my FBI check back today. I was comparing the FBI Chinese Translation that Northeast Surfer had done before. It appears that the version is slightly different from then. Not a lot just a little bit. His version was 01-20-2010. Currently they use 01-20-2011.
Only slight changes over the previous version of Northeast Surfer’s.
Today, I took my translation of the FBI check along with the original FBI check to the notary clerk’s office at the district court. It was relatively easy, but perhaps due to the notary clerk being lenient. I had a friend change some of Northeast Surfer’s original translation to fit the new version of the FBI check as I mentioned in my last post. In my experience:
I bought A3 Premium Color paper and cut it in the store to letter size. I’m not sure this is necessary, but it was mentioned in the original post. I asked the notary clerk and she said they prefer A4, but I think it comes down to what the NIA prefers. That is a question that may not be the same every time you ask so I personally think spending an additional 75nt on a ream of paper for just one piece fits into the equation quite adequately. We spend about 20k NTD on the whole process, so what’s 75NT?
When I arrived at the notary clerk’s office I handed the documents to the front office. They asked me who translated the document. At first I mentioned my friend, but then they told me that if my friend translated it then their signature is required. I then proceeded to say that my friend translated sections that were too difficult, but that it was after I was doing the original. I asked then if I could sign as the translator. They asked me to read sections from the translation to check my fluency. If you are going, be prepared to prove that you can read the document to prove you are the translator or it might be necessary to bring a Taiwanese friend to vouch for you. This means they may need to go to the notary clerk’s office with you. If it’s going to be hard to get a friend to go with you, you might try calling their office beforehand. The process is 750 NT, and other than proving Chinese fluency it is one of the more painless parts of the APRC procedure.
I turned in all my documents today. Just need to go to sign documents and pay the 10K next week and I’ll be waiting for yes or no.
Win… my criminal record check is already back and on it’s way with my passport and document to the TECO office in Ottawa… I should have everything by the end/beginning of the next month. tralala
Wait hang on… that business about the translation? I need my friend to sign it? I’m going to the NIA tomorrow to make sure I have all my ducks in a row so I’ll check on that as well. (I’m staggering and doing things all at once trying to get it all done before I change jobs). Picking up my health check tomorrow and my tax paper, and applying for my Taiwanese criminal record check.
YAY three weeks from prints to application meeting at the NIA, I wrote this up like the one the American guy did, because the process is a little different for us Canadians. I hope this helps some people! Cheers
Step By Step Process For Getting an APRC
for a Canadian 2012
I recently went through the whole process and documented it for other Canadians
(Depends, only took me 15 minutes, free) Open through lunch 8am-5pm
Go into your NIA office (National Immigration Agency, where you go to get and renew your ARC # 15 Guangzhou street, Zhongzhen district Taipei city. Tel: 02 2388 9393) And ask if you’re eligible for the APRC, they will do a check and make sure you’ve had an ARC for long enough (5 years) and make sure to ask if you have any gaps in your ARC that you might not know about. Also make sure you made enough money in the last Calendar year… the last I checked it was around 450,000nt but confirm with the agents when you’re at the NIA. You can ask the Tax office for that information if you’re not sure.
(less than 5 minutes, free) closed at lunch 8:30-am-5pm
Go to the Canadian Trade office in Taipei: pick up fingerprinting papers
This was easy as pie, just scooter over, parked by the Mitsikoshi malls zipped up, asked the receptionist and voila.
6F, Hua-Hsin Building, No. 1 SongZhi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei 11047, Taiwan Tel: +886 (2) 8723-3000
(10 minutes, Free calling with Skype)
Call the law office in Canada and confirm what they need from you as well as have them send you the application form for them to submit the check for you. Need to call after 10:30 pm Taiwan time, during Alberta Business hours. You need application form, sign the release to have your criminal record sent to someone in Canada. Photocopies of two pieces of Canadian ID,
Webpage: canadianlegal.org/ Phone: 1-800-320-2477
Copies of my driver’s license and Passport (Canadian) as well as my ARC. Printed the Documents, and application forms.
(30 minutes or less, 100nt per fingerprinting set) Friday 13th open for lunch
Go to the NIA office in your area, go to counter 58 in the basement of the Taipei office and have the officer take your prints.
(5-10 minutes, 300nt)
Friday 13th it arrived Tuesday the 17th and was submitted to the RCMP that day
Mail documents to the legal office in Canada, there is a post office in the basement right next to the counter for the fingerprinting. I sent it EMS (express post) and it’s supposed to arrive within 3-5 days. I also took photos of everything that was included in the packet and emailed them to the law office in Calgary to make sure everything was in order.
(10-15 minutes, free with skype)
Converting and Processing of prints costs $78.75 including taxes
Called the law office again and gave them my credit card number. Also called the TECO office in Ottawa to confirm everything needed for them to authenticate my Criminal record check. taiwanembassy.org/CA Tel: (613) 231- 5080 ext. 225 or 239
(20 minutes, 750nt) Thursday 19th open at lunch 9am-5pm
Had my letter of power of attorney notarized, allowing my friend (that my Criminal record check was being released to) to apply for the authentication. The notary office was very friendly and easy to deal with.
Phone 02-2729-3139 twnotary.org (last I checked their site was down, but just call they speak English) The office is just upstairs of the Tavern, on the corner of Keelung and Xinyi, the door is right next to the Hang Ten. You’re also meant to authenticate a copy of your passport, but it was expensive and annoying so I didn’t bother , I sent my passport itself.
(20 minutes, 300nt) Thursday 19th
Arrived in Canada Tuesday 24th, so did the Criminal Record check from the RCMP
Mailed my power of attorney letter, my passport, the TECO application form to my friend who was getting my Criminal Record Check in Canada. Used EMS again 3-5 days.
(2 hours, 1660nt) pick up a 5-10 business days later Friday 20th CLOSED at lunch
You can do it at most national hospitals, I went to He Ping Hospital (because of their quick processing time, 5 days) unfortunately because you need to get health check type B, NOT type A (the one you get for your ARC) which many Taiwanese people need to get, so you might need to do some waiting. Blood test and X ray themselves were quick. Went back on Friday 27th to pick it up.
(Time?, $107 Canadian) Wednesday 25th arrived in Ottawa on 26th (2 days for processing)
My friend took a photo of my criminal record check and emailed it to me (so I could have it translated). She put everything in an envelope and sent it to the TECO office in Ottawa. My friend got a certified cheque or money order, made out to “TECO in Canada” from the bank for $16 Canadian. This link explains everything you need to do taiwanembassy.org/CA/ct.asp? … =166&mp=77
My friend went and got a money order/cheque, the application forms, copies of their ID, my passport, my criminal record check, a letter requesting they send everything back to me in Taipei, and the money order for $76 and put them all in an express envelope to the TECO office in Ottawa. Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada 45 O’Connor Street, Suite 1960, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1P1A4 (613) 231-5080. $60 for the EMS to send it back to Taipei, $16 for TECO processing plus postage to send it to Ottawa.
(5 minutes, 100nt) pick up in 5 days Friday 27th open at lunch 9am-5pm
Went into the foreign affairs police station in Ximen, gave them my ARC and 100nt and requested a criminal record check. Picked up my Health Check from the Heping hospital.
(an hour or so driving around, gas money) Friday the 3rd
Picked up my Taiwanese Criminal Record Check, went to the tax office (open at lunch) and picked up my blue tax paper, went to my boss and picked up my employment letter.
(an hour or so, 750nt) Monday 6th open at lunch
My passport and authenticated criminal record check arrived in the mail on the 4th. I took them into the notary on Xinyi with the Chinese Translation of the Criminal Record Check AND MY TRANSLATOR (this is very very important they are not authenticating your translation they are notarizing your translator’s signature on the document, which means they must see them sign the document in front of them). Also popped by my work and made a photo copy of every page of both my current and previous passports. Then went to my meeting at the NIA with the APRC agent.
Check list of everything you need to prepare
o Fingerprinting document from Canadian Trade Office in Taipei
o Photo copies of ID, application form, completed fingerprint forms for your Criminal Record Check (valid 3 months)
o Authenticated and certified copy of passport, or original passport, application form, letter of power of attorney to be sent to the person receiving and forwarding your Criminal Record Check to the TECO office for authentication
o Chinese Translation of RCMP Criminal Record Check, anyone can translate but you need them to go with you to the notary office to sign their translation in front of the officer (the signature needs to be notarized )
o Health check type B (valid 3 months)
o Taiwan Criminal Record Check (valid 1 month)
o Tax ‘income’ form from the previous fiscal year (it’s blue) (valid 1 month)
o Employment certificate (letter from your boss, same one you use for your ARC)
(valid 1 month)
o The originals of your work permits, for the past 5 years (at least) and a photocopy of the most recent year.
o An ID photo
o Photo copies of every page of your current and previous passport and if your ARC on A4 paper (You can copy both of them on the same paper, it just has to be clear).
I’m that American guy! Good work!
It sucks that you guys can’t get the translation authenticated at the TECRO office anymore and kill two birds with one stone.
I’m that American guy! Good work!
It sucks that you guys can’t get the translation authenticated at the TECRO office anymore and kill two birds with one stone.[/quote]
Ha cool!
Honestly though it’s easier without getting the translation confirmed by them. (if you’re trying to be as efficient as possible) because that means you need to wait for the translation after the criminal record check has arrived before you can send it to the Taiwan embassy thingy. Also they charge more to confirm it (in Canada anyway). I found it easier to just have a picture sent to a friend here and have it translated while it was being authenticated, the only stick bit was bringing the translator with me to the Notary office. But, in my experience, most Taiwanese friends are delightfully accommodating. So wasn’t all that bad. Important note though… everyone kept telling me it just needed to be signed (not that I physically needed to bring said signy person with me) so I had to call my friend in the middle of the day and drag her over to the office which sucked and I felt bad about.
… Holy crap balls. So from start to finish, I’m talking from getting fingerprints on Friday July 13th… to getting the card in my hand (just now) Tuesday August August 28th. I think that has to be a record, 6 weeks and 2 days. YAY
I’m in the very initial stages of applying for my APRC, and thought I’d share this experience today.
I called the Taoyuan office to make an appointment with the APRC officer to have them run my records. The person I spoke with (Miss Xi) initially wanted to fax me the general information that’s available online. I told her I wanted to check my eligibility date, the income requirement, etc. She discouraged me from coming to the office to speak in person because they were so busy; she said she’d look up my info while I was on the phone. Not my preference, but OK.
She looked up my ARC number on the computer and said my eligibility date was May 30, 2013, which is the date I had figured. She also mentioned the health check required (type “B”), the FBI check, etc., all of which jived with what I had already read on this forum.
She then told me the income requirement was $429,120/year or $35,760/month.
This figure didn’t sound right, so after I got off the phone I read through the current info on this thread again. One page 1 it states:
I immediately called Miss Xi back and told her about the above information. She insisted that the $429,120 figure is correct for me. :ohreally:
Fortunately, I am aware of Taiwan’s bureaucratic inconsistencies, so in the near future I will go to the office and try to speak to someone in person–hopefully a different officer–and see what information I get.
Thankfully, when I first read about the higher income requirement on this forum, I asked my boss to adjust my reported income to make sure it’s over $450,480 for 2012.
I immediately called Miss Xi back and told her about the above information. She insisted that the $429,120 figure is correct for me. :ohreally:
Fortunately, I am aware of Taiwan’s bureaucratic inconsistencies, so in the near future I will go to the office and try to speak to someone in person–hopefully a different officer–and see what information I get.
Thankfully, when I first read about the higher income requirement on this forum, I asked my boss to adjust my reported income to make sure it’s over $450,480 for 2012.[/quote]
The number $429,120 is correct for this year. My APRC agent told me that there is a good chance that the number will be raised in 2013. You never know what the it will be, so it is best to check. As for this year, $429,120 is correct. If you will be applying this year than you should be fine. This is what happened to me when I applied for my APRC. The government suddenly raised the minimum wage without letting anyone know almost 2 years ago. You couldn’t even find the information on the NIA’s website. When I went into the NIA with my APRC packet, I was 6,000nt. Luckily my cram school boss likes me and she immediately made some changes for me. It was a nightmare, but in the end I got my APRC.
I asked and confirmed the figures (in English and Chinese) and Miss Xi stuck to her guns. She said the $429,120 figure is correct for me–someone who will be applying in 2013.
As I mentioned before, I’d already made sure that my 2012 reported income will be above the new $450,480 threshold, so I’m not worried. I just worry about others who may be getting wrong information from the NIA.
I asked and confirmed the figures (in English and Chinese) and Miss Xi stuck to her guns. She said the $429,120 figure is correct for me–someone who will be applying in 2013.
As I mentioned before, I’d already made sure that my 2012 reported income will be above the new $450,480 threshold, so I’m not worried. I just worry about others who may be getting wrong information from the NIA.[/quote]
As long as the government doesn’t raise the minimum wage again like they did 2 years ago then $429,120 is the correct figure. The minimum wage will be raised sometime in the future it is just a matter of when, so people that apply for their APRC’s will just need to pay close attention. If you are over $449,000nt than you should always be fine and I wouldn’t even worry about it.
Hi Folks
I am worry about my situation since I have read the qualification for applying to APRC
They generally need a 5 year ARC without interruption.
The problem is, I have studied here for 4 years and currently I am working for Taiwanese company
So that means, did I qualify for next year application (since my staying time here has passed 5 years)
Thanks for your reply!!!
[quote=“vanhoivanbinh”]Hi Folks
I am worry about my situation since I have read the qualification for applying to APRC
They generally need a 5 year ARC without interruption.
The problem is, I have studied here for 4 years and currently I am working for Taiwanese company
So that means, did I qualify for next year application (since my staying time here has passed 5 years)
Thanks for your reply!!![/quote]
It depends on what your ARC is based on.
At this thread it states that work based or JFRV based ARCs count towards the 5-year APRC requirement, but [color=#FF0000]student visa based ARCs do not.[/color]
