APRC Application Procedures (Official Checklist)

Need to change my ARC. Can anyone give me the latest address of the immigration office in Banqiao? Haven’t been there in years. Started to look online, couldn’t find it quickly. Maybe it quicker here. Thanks! :slight_smile:

Have a look here. Actually now I guess it’s Zhonghe, not Banqiao (um, that’s different, right? One isn’t a district within the other?)

Note that the English website from the government apparently still has the old and now inaccurate address, for Taipei County no less - which is, what, at least three years out of date?

Have a look here. Actually now I guess it’s Zhonghe, not Banqiao (um, that’s different, right? One isn’t a district within the other?)

Note that the English website from the government apparently still has the old and now inaccurate address, for Taipei County no less - which is, what, at least three years out of date?[/quote]

Thanks, lostina! :slight_smile: Zhonghe is actually closer to my place than Banqiao, so that is good news. :thumbsup:

My condolences. I strongly advise taking a taxi from the MRT station. The place is in the middle of nowhere -and I mean, hidden up a hill, next to the morgue.

That thing of still having the old address is really nasty. the new location is several kilometers away, no walking distance from the old one.

Address:
No. 135 Mín’ān Street, Zhōnghé District, Xīnběi
地址:
新北市中和區民安街135號

Phone:
(02) 8228-2090

Nearest MRT:
Fǔzhōng Station 府中站

Again, be warned about the right size picture -no machine in Xinbei last time- and better take enough cash -make sure cellphone has enough battery, reading materials, snacks, etc.

May the odds be in your favor. This place is located in what we in Spanish call fin de mundo.

EDIT:
Remember they offer the service of selling a stamped, self addressed envelope so you do not have to go back again to pick up whatever it is you need.

Can anyone comment on item 5 listed here? https://taiwanease.com/article/21/Getting_your_Taiwan_APRC_Alien_Permanent_Resident_Certificate

(I know, I know, Taiwanease— I feel like I’ve been cheating on Forumosa.

Is it true we can leave any time for up to 5 years? I know they were talking about passing something like that, but did it actually pass? If so this is going to be a huge weight off my shoulders.

Went there by scooter last week. Totally agree, a very inconvenient location for anyone without his/her own ride. There should be a bus line there from Banqiao I assume, but didn’t need to take a bus. Telling from Google map, probably best to take bus 667 from Banqiao Railway Station and get off at Guoguang Police Station, from there it’s still a bit of walking, or maybe I would just take a cab.

I don’t think convenience for foreign applicants was one of their priorities when moving to that location…

[quote=“NonTocareLeTete”]Can anyone comment on item 5 listed here? https://taiwanease.com/article/21/Getting_your_Taiwan_APRC_Alien_Permanent_Resident_Certificate

(I know, I know, Taiwanease— I feel like I’ve been cheating on Forumosa.

Is it true we can leave any time for up to 5 years? I know they were talking about passing something like that, but did it actually pass? If so this is going to be a huge weight off my shoulders.[/quote]

Not yet but almost, and we can stay away up to 5 years. It is in the pipeline.

Item 5: The local record is indispensable. As said, you go to your local office, according to where you live, pay 100 NTD, I think they also have a self addressed envelope service to send to you. No biggie. 5 minutes in and out.

As to where it is in Yilan where you live… beats me. Xinbei I sort of know, vaguely remember it is a stone’s throw away from the MRT…

Auntie Peng would like to remind all candidates that the first step is to check if you qualify time wise. Once that is peachy, then it is very probable you won’t need a police record from abroad nor a medical exam. Then it is easy as pie getting a local police record, taxes and nice pictures. So no running around until you go to NIA and have them check if you are Ok with your residence time. then Bob’s your uncle, the world’s your oyster, you are the king of the world.

Not sure if this titbit has been posted on this thread before. Got my APRC. The new process seems really easy, but then again, my wife organised all the required documents. Note. If you are married to a Taiwanese national, you DON’T need to apply for a separate work permit. It works the same way as a marriage ARC. If by some chance you get divorced, you can apply for the work permit at any time.

Update checklist please.

Anyone up on what needs updating?

That the health certificate or health exam and the police report from your country of origin are not required if you haven’t left The Island for more than 3 months comes to mind.

Updated amount of money required -as the minimum wage also has “increased”. 44k I think.

Anything else?

EDIT:
If anyone has the latest handout from NIA listing the requisites it may be used to substitute the old one currently on the first page.

Applied a week ago (in Taipei). They have a newer, apparently stream-lined handout for requirements. At least the font is different, I reckon. Unfortunately, I tossed it in the recycling after my application was submitted.

The procedure was incredibly simple. No health check or criminal background (as per the 3 month rule). Went in with copies of every single work permit, tax certificate, employer certificate I could think of. Stacks of nonsense. This is what they eventually took from me.

  • Completed all-purpose Immigration form (APRC is check box No. 7? Or 6?)
  • This year’s (2014-15) work permit (and copy) in Chinese
  • This year’s tax certificate (2014 earning period)(and copy) in whatever
  • This year’s employer certificate (and copy) in Chinese, with company chops
  • Recent Taiwan police clearance
  • Copies of every page of my passort(s): info pages, pages containing entry/exit stamps and visas - just copy everything
  • Passport photo
  • Copy (front and back) of ARC
  • 10,000 TWD, payable upfront, right there at the counter, hand it over, laowai

And that’s it. Can’t think of anything I missed. No appointment necessary if you live in Taipei. Take a number. Few lolly-gaggers on the first floor. Whole thing took 30 minutes, tops. The “interview” was negligible. Her: “Do you have ______?” Me: “Yes.” Her: “Have you ever stayed outside of Taiwan for more than 90 continuous days?” Me: “Nope. But you can see that on your computer screen, can’t you?” Her: “Yes.”

I would like to point out that the language on the new sheet is a bit confusing. I’ve never received a “salary certificate” from anyone. What they’re referring to is either (a) the uniform tax withholding statement which shows your gross yearly earnings, or (b) the certificate issued by the tax people, which is what the clerk included in my file. She took a look-see at the withholding statement but ultimately handed it back. The pastel-colored tax payment certificate is what she wanted. I wasn’t sure if you had to file taxes first, or just come in with the withholding statement. Couldn’t get a straight answer out of anyone. Play it safe. File now.

Otherwise, she said expect a letter in 6 to 8 weeks; a week or two later, should I be approved, come on down and fetch the APRC.

Did they make you sign every page of the copies, especially every single page of the passport copies?

Nope. In fact, I signed the general purpose form in the wrong place and she said, “No problem. Sign again here.” That was only signature required. I’m a U.S. citizen, not that it matters but I’ve heard the “sign this” routine from second-hand sources. Seriously, it felt like they were waiting for me to show up. If I get denied, the real fun will begin.

[quote=“Icon”]

EDIT:
If anyone has the latest handout from NIA listing the requisites it may be used to substitute the old one currently on the first page.[/quote]

If someone does and can e-mail a copy, please let me know. I’ll dig around online.

The last time I checked (about 2 yrs ago), you could not hand in the application until five years have passed. My five years will be on the day my work permit expires and I was told I would need my sixth year work permit and arc before I could apply. Is this still the case? They have been giving me 2 yr. work permits the last 2 times and I’ll probably get another if I need to go that route, which means I could wait another 1.5 yrs or so before I really need to apply for an aprc. Any chance things have changed and I could apply for my aprc before my current work permit expires?

This year’s employer certificate (and copy) in Chinese, with company chops. Just told to get a new one as they expire in 1 month!

Latest detailed info on the NIA website here:

immigration.gov.tw/ct.asp?xI … 30085&mp=2

Updated 2013 though. Anything seem amiss?

Must be applied for after 5 years + (at least) 1 day: that seems to be correct (happened to a friend of mine late last year in Taipei county Immigration Agency branch).

If you’ve been given 2 years working permits repeatedly, you could just one more after 4 years (2 + 2 + 2) and apply for permanent ARC right in the middle of your last 2 year permit period: after it’s been 5 years since you started to work. You don’t need to wait till the current permit expires.