APRC Application Procedures (Official Checklist)

Legal Visa & Residency
101

[quote=“Chris”]Just FYI: the window for getting fingerprints taken at the Taipei NIA office on Guangzhou St. is Window 58, in the basement.

Questions regarding fingerprint application:

On the Cover Letter, is “Requestor’s Address” (as opposed to mailing address) my US address or my current Taiwan address?

On the fingerprint card, is “Residence of Person Fingerprinted” my US address or current Taiwan address?[/quote]I just processed a finger print card for another friend.

On the cover letter and on the finger print card I used an address in the US. Why? That’s where I want the FBI to send it when they are finished with it. I don’t want them sending the damned thing all the way back to Taiwan which would be a huge waste of time as it still needs to go to the TECO in DC to be certified. A friend at the US address designated will open it, scan it, and email it to me, I will translate it, email the translation to him, he will print it out, put the translation with the original into another envelope and mail it off to the TECO in DC with express certification fees and it will get overnighted from the TECO in DC back to his Taiwan address.

102

Thanks, NCS! I will send out the documents tomorrow!

103

I would just like to thank everyone on this forum. Especially northcoast surfer. :notworthy: :notworthy: I finally got my APRC. WOOOOOHOOOOOO. :discodance: :discodance: :discodance: :discodance: :discodance: I also applied for my open work permit. The information that i found here was extremely helpful. Been here ten years and finally got round to getting it done. The lady in banqiao is a life saver. :notworthy: Extremely helpful to say the least. Mr Lliu at the BEVT is also extremely helpful. :notworthy: They are the best. :discodance:

104

[quote=“real_jedi2000”]I would just like to thank everyone on this forum. Especially northcoast surfer. :notworthy: :notworthy: I finally got my APRC. WOOOOOHOOOOOO. :discodance: :discodance: :discodance: :discodance: :discodance: I also applied for my open work permit. The information that i found here was extremely helpful. Been here ten years and finally got round to getting it done. The lady in banqiao is a life saver. :notworthy: Extremely helpful to say the least. Mr Lliu at the BEVT is also extremely helpful. :notworthy: They are the best. :discodance:[/quote]Nicely done! Welcome to the APRC club! May the force be with you, always. :bravo:

105

I want to do mine and have for years but have never taken the time to do it. The idea of all the paper work and waiting rooms with my little kids makes me shudder. Is there an immigration office I can get to do the paperwork?

106

[quote=“piwackit”]I want to do mine and have for years but have never taken the time to do it. The idea of all the paper work and waiting rooms with my little kids makes me shudder. Is there an immigration office I can get to do the paperwork?[/quote]No one in the immigration office can do this for you. You must do it yourself. The process has really been streamlined and is quite simple nowdays, actually. There will be no waiting rooms for you and your children to wait in. Here’s a quick thumbnail of the newest steps to getting your APRC once you meet the basic qualifications for applying.

  1. [color=#000000]Federal Criminal Background Check.[/color] You must start here first because it’s the most annoying and time consuming thing you are required to get for your APRC application. Once you complete this step, it’s all downhill from this point. Get a federal criminal background check from your home country, get it translated into Chinese, and then get it authenticated at the National TECRO in your home country, and then have it sent back to you here in Taiwan.

  2. [color=#000000]Health Exam.[/color] Get your health check done at one of the hospitals here in Taiwan. I send my friends to Mackay Hospital on Chun-Shan Rd. They are professional, quick, and usually not crowded at all.

  3. [color=#000000]Your passport[/color] and two copies. (ALL pages.)

  4. [color=#000000]Your ARC[/color] and two copies. (front and back)

  5. [color=#000000]Photos[/color]. (two)

  6. [color=#000000]Household Registration[/color] and Taiwan [color=#000000]Spouse’s ID card[/color], two copies. (for those married to Taiwan nationals)

  7. [color=#000000]Past work permits[/color]. (Single applicants on employment ARCs)

  8. Taiwan Criminal Background Check for the time you’ve been in Taiwan.

  9. Official Tax Records proving your minimum $420,000ntd for the past tax year.

That’s pretty much it. The NIA will get the following document and as you no longer have to provide it yourself.

  1. Taiwan record of entries and exits for the time you’ve been in Taiwan.

So, as you can see, there are no endless waiting rooms of hell in this process.

Real_Jedi2000 am I missing anything new?

Piwackit - Good luck and Git’er done!

107

I assure you, dear, that the waiting room is not a nightmare for this processs, on the contrary, you apply in person and they can even deliver to you by mail.

Health exam can be done by appointment, no need to wait. Local police, there is usually a crowd of two: you and the officer.

The rest is photocopy and paste. Make an appoointment with the local NIA officer and that’s it. Really, the worst part is your own country’s criminal record, and that is plain waiting, no room.

As a matter of fact, you will be free of ever again waiting in a crowded room with all the people processing their ARCs. I am always a number behind the agent with 20 work permit applications for South East Asian workers. No fun.

108

Thanks! I’m going to bite the bullet and get it done.

I was really nervous after one of my girlfriends got hers three years ago and ending up breaking down in some notary public’s office and crying for half an hour :astonished:

I need to pick up my ARC next week so I’ll get the fingerprints done then and mail it off to Canada. Hopefully, the paperwork can get sent to my mom in Vancouver and she can get the translation done there and bring it to TECO.

Thanks again for the help

109

[quote=“Northcoast Surfer”][quote=“piwackit”]I want to do mine and have for years but have never taken the time to do it. The idea of all the paper work and waiting rooms with my little kids makes me shudder. Is there an immigration office I can get to do the paperwork?[/quote]No one in the immigration office can do this for you. You must do it yourself. The process has really been streamlined and is quite simple nowdays, actually. There will be no waiting rooms for you and your children to wait in. Here’s a quick thumbnail of the newest steps to getting your APRC once you meet the basic qualifications for applying.

  1. [color=#000000]Federal Criminal Background Check.[/color] You must start here first because it’s the most annoying and time consuming thing you are required to get for your APRC application. Once you complete this step, it’s all downhill from this point. Get a federal criminal background check from your home country, get it translated into Chinese, and then get it authenticated at the National TECRO in your home country, and then have it sent back to you here in Taiwan.

  2. [color=#000000]Health Exam.[/color] Get your health check done at one of the hospitals here in Taiwan. I send my friends to Mackay Hospital on Chun-Shan Rd. They are professional, quick, and usually not crowded at all.

  3. [color=#000000]Your passport[/color] and two copies. (ALL pages.)

  4. [color=#000000]Your ARC[/color] and two copies. (front and back)

  5. [color=#000000]Photos[/color]. (two)

  6. [color=#000000]Household Registration[/color] and Taiwan [color=#000000]Spouse’s ID card[/color], two copies. (for those married to Taiwan nationals)

  7. [color=#000000]Past work permits[/color]. (Single applicants on employment ARCs)

That’s pretty much it. The NIA will get the following documents and as you no longer have to provide them yourself.

  1. Taiwan Criminal Background Check for the time you’ve been in Taiwan.

  2. Official Tax Records proving your minimum $420,000ntd for the past tax year.

  3. Taiwan record of entries and exits for the time you’ve been in Taiwan.

So, as you can see, there are no endless waiting rooms of hell in this process.

Real_Jedi2000 am I missing anything new?

Piwackit - Good luck and Git’er done![/quote]

Well the things i needed were :

1: Criminal record check from overseas. Got it translated here. Was very fast took like one afternoon to get it translated and verified.

2 : Health Check form along with wonderful booster shot. :slight_smile:

3 : Tax form from the tax office verifying i had paid my tax for this year. It was a blue form.

4 : A form from my work stating that I work there.

5 : Taiwanese criminal record from the banqiao police station.

6 : Tax form from school with school stamp saying how much I made the last year.

7 : Last 3 years work permits original and copy.

8 : 1 photograph

9: passport and 1 copy of each page.

10 : ARC and copy of ARC front and back.

11; Your legs to take you up the stairs and give it to them.

I think that is all. If i remember anything else ill post it.

110

Hi. I copied this from the qualification regulations:

Is the spouse of an ROC citizen who has registered permanent residence in the ROC, has reached the age of 20, and has legally resided in the territory of the ROC for at least 10 consecutive years, which must include more than 183 days a year for 5 years; or

My situation is thus: I have actually been here legally for the 10 years or more, but moved to shanghai for a couple of years, and then moved back around 4 years ago. I assumed i would not be available for permanent residency because of that break in the middle, and not having done 5 consecutive years. However, while i moved to shanghai i kept up my ARC and so, although i was only in Taiwan for a few weeks, i had the ARC. Clearly you don’t have to be here for 183 days a year consecutively. I guess the issue is: is there a minimum period of legal residency in the ROC for a year?

Oh…I just remembered. The ARC did expire for a period of a couple of months. Hmm, guess that might be crucial…??

111

[quote=“danchapman91”]Oh…I just remembered. The ARC did expire for a period of a couple of months. Hmm, guess that might be crucial…??[/quote]Just go to the NIA and have them run your residency record to see if you are qualified to apply for the APRC. That way you don’t waste a bunch of time trying to get all your documents together only to find out that you are not qualified due to a break in residency. I had a friend go through every procedure for getting the APRC only to find out that he wasn’t qualified because his ARC lapsed for two months during his five years. If only he’d checked with the NIA first to see if he met the basic residency qualifications he’d have saved himself a bunch of time and money.

112

I got my FBI background check!!!

In the interests of not re-inventing the wheel, has anyone here had this translated into Chinese before, and happens to have a file of the translation handy?

If not, I can do my best to translate it myself, and have a Taiwanese person (or two) review it for errors, and we can keep the translation on file for the benefit of other APRC applicants.

113

[quote=“Chris”]I got my FBI background check!!!

In the interests of not re-inventing the wheel, has anyone here had this translated into Chinese before, and happens to have a file of the translation handy?

If not, I can do my best to translate it myself, and have a Taiwanese person (or two) review it for errors, and we can keep the translation on file for the benefit of other APRC applicants.[/quote]
Chris…as luck with have it, I too received my FBI background check today. However, I received mine from the TECRO in DC all nicely authenticated and ready for submission for the APRC. Here is the Chinese translation. You don’t have to change anything except your name, address, and dates because like I said, TECRO authenticated my translation. If you would like a nice MS Word soft copy, just PM me and give me your regular email address and I’ll email it off to you. It’s a guaranteed winner! Have a look. I even put the FBI’s logo on it.

114

Fantastic!

Thank you ever so much! Actually, I had already started, and have translated down to the SSN part. The beginning of my letter started, tentatively: 聯邦調查局刑事司法資訊服務部(CJIS)已完成以下指印提交:

:notworthy:

115

Question: A friend said that once you get your APRC, you have to pay a lot more in taxes., as compared to JFRV. I’ve never heard this before. Is there any truth to this?

116

No. Not so at all, in my experience. You can still file jointly, if married.

117

Thanks, citizen k.

Now I’m at this point:

I have my FBI letter, translated it into Chinese, and had a native speaker proofread it. I’m in the US right now. Now I want to mail it out by tomorrow (Saturday) morning at the latest (since Monday is a national holiday and post offices are closed).

Let me see if I have my next step right:

I need to Express Mail the following:

  1. Original FBI letter
  2. Translation of FBI letter
  3. US$15 cash
  4. Self-addressed stamped envelope
  5. Application Form for Authentication
  6. Copy of Passport

to the following address:

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States
4201 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016

Question: Do I have to send anything else?

118

[quote=“Chris”]Thanks, citizen k.

Now I’m at this point:

I have my FBI letter, translated it into Chinese, and had a native speaker proofread it. I’m in the US right now. Now I want to mail it out by tomorrow (Saturday) morning at the latest (since Monday is a national holiday and post offices are closed).

Let me see if I have my next step right:

I need to Express Mail the following:

  1. Original FBI letter
  2. Translation of FBI letter
  3. US$15 cash
  4. Self-addressed stamped envelope
  5. Application Form for Authentication
  6. Copy of Passport

to the following address:

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States
4201 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016

Question: Do I have to send anything else?[/quote]
Here’s the list of the required items for authentication.

  1. Application for authentication. (and 1 copy)

  2. Original FBI background check. (and 1 copy)

  3. Chinese translation – FBI background check. (and 1 copy)

  4. Copy of your main passport page. (and 1 copy)

  5. Copy of your ARC, front and back. (and 1 copy)

  6. Self-addressed stamped envelope.

  7. $45 USD money order for authentication. ($15 for authentication for the original FBI background check, $30 for authentication for the Chinese translation) Payment can be in cash, money order, or cashier’s check only (no personal checks or credit cards) It’s best to use a money order from the US postal service.

  8. Address the package to:

TECRO
Authentication Services – Consular Division
4201 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
(202) 895-1815

119

Many thanks!

120

All express-mailed to TECRO DC today (Sat), after an interminable wait at the post office. Monday is a holiday, so they should get it Tuesday.

By the way, my translation (based partly on my original attempt and partly on yours, and reviewed and improved by a native speaker), is as follows (with most pertinent part in red). If anyone can give suggestions for more improvement, I’d be grateful, and this can serve as a template for other American applicants.

1-787 (Rev. 01-12-2010)
美國司法部
聯邦調查局

美國西維吉尼亞州克拉克斯堡市26306

20??年??月??日 XXXX

FULL NAME
ADDRESS IN CHINESE LANGUAGE AND ORDER
(美國??州??市??街???號) (Not certain where to put Zip Code)

聯邦調查局刑事司法資訊局﹝ＣＪＩＳ﹞已完成下列之指紋提交：

對象姓名收件日期回覆日期________結果
FULL NAME_____20??年??月??日___20??年??月??日____[color=#FF0000]無逮捕紀錄[/color]-FBI

社會安全號碼： XXX-XXX-YYYY

上述回覆的結果，只於回覆日期截止前有效，若需更新的資料，請提交對象新的指紋圖譜。

為了保護個人身分資料，自從公元2009年8月17日起，聯邦調查局改變政策，不再退回指紋卡。此公文為聯邦調查局之正式回覆。

若有任何疑問，可向客服組詢問：(304) 625-5590。您也可以參考本局網站 (fbi.gov) 以獲得進一步的說明。

刑事司法資訊局
生物識別技術服務科