I’m a foreign citizen who is considering applying for a gold card, with a goal of establishing permanent residency.
I recently also discovered that my father is a NWOHR and was at the time of my birth. From what I understand, this means I am also an (unregistered) NWOHR. Were I to acquire HHR, I would also be military-aged.
I understand that being NWOHR doesn’t prevent me from applying for visas (e.g., gold card) on my foreign passport, nor does holding a visa revoke my NWOHR status.
However, this still complicates things as the simplest way to 定居 is blocked, and instead I would need to stay on 居留 status for a while: Gold card APRC route is unavailable to nationals, so I have to renew (stay eligible for) gold card or other ARC.
The next best alternative is TARC conversion to TAPRC → HHR, but that triggers military obligation, so I need to not only get sponsorship but also stay eligible for TARC renewal.
As an unregistered national, I would suppose I don’t exist in the eyes of the Taiwanese govt. Is it possible for me to do the gold card → APRC conversion for now, and then register my NWOHR status later in life? Or would this lead to issues later on?
I also read that reinstating nationality is possible if you have ties to Taiwan, like an APRC. What if I renounce NWOHR, get APRC, and reinstate later on?
Alternatively, is it possible to stay on TAPRC indefinitely without registering HHR?
Thanks in advance for any help! And please correct me if I’ve misunderstood anything.
If they discover you have a nwohr passport, your aprc will be automativally canceled and you will be subject to deportation with the instruction to fix your papers in your home country
So only a pretty minor disadvantage, then?
And it can be renewed indefinitely? Would one need another health check on each renewal…?
So it would probably be the best way for OP?
(There is surprisingly little information on TAPRC on here: The search function only brings up this thread - and another one where someone probably wanted to write APRC)
There is no TAPRC as Marco mentioned (or better said HHR is the ‘permanent resident certificate’ for nationals). You can renew TARC indefinitely. There is no obligation or timeline to register HHR and get Taiwan ID after becoming eligible. Many wait until they age beyond military service age limit.
This is just a transitional piece of paper from NIA office to apply for your first HHR at the HHR office and Taiwan ID. One still keeps the old TARC card, or maybe they already take it away. Can’t recollect.
Having HHR proves your permanent residency going forward.
I am not sure how it works for nationals whose parents were Taiwanese to begin with. But then the children should be Taiwanese with ID number by birth anyway, no?
Ah, then this paper might be the TAPRC then. So it’s not a plastic card - and nothing someone would use to reside in Taiwan.
Just the name (at least the English one) is then really confusing because it suggests the TAPRC is comparable to an ARC/APRC/TARC - but this doesn’t seem to be the case.
Yeah, then “staying” on a TAPRC doesn’t make much sense… And even less so planning to stay it long-term if it already “expires” after 30 days
If I understand it correctly, they can directly apply for TAPRC in most cases (and can skip the TARC), thus getting HHR directly.
So for OP this would mean: Stay on a TARC until you’re 36 - only then apply for a TAPRC and directly afterwards apply for HHR.
Thanks everyone for the responses! Lot of discussion so I want to make sure I’ve understood correctly.
So even though I could do gold card → APRC now (while I don’t have NWOHR passport), the moment I try to register the passport, I’ll run into issues. Meaning that even though this is by far the easiest conversion (self-sponsored, relatively short, no military), it’s not worth it if I ever want to go the citizenship route.
Sounds like there’s no long-term status where you are NWOHR but with permanent right of abode – you’re either a TARC holder (and have to renew, stay eligible), or you have a paper TAPRC with the intention of registering HHR within 30 days.
In other words, I should stay a non-permanent resident (TARC or Gold Card/other type of ARC), then switch to permanent residency through TARC+HHR directly.
Couple follow up questions:
Any thoughts on the renounce → APRC → reinstate route?
If I use the TARC route, it’d most likely be an employment TARC. Couldn’t find much info about using it long-term.
Can I still reside or enter/exit freely until the 1/3/5 years that count towards calculating HHR eligibility?
I know I’d need a sponsor for the initial application, but do I still need sponsorship/employment/some sort of eligibility at the time of renewal? Or is it mostly a formality?
Can I apply for an open work permit after getting my initial sponsored work permit + TARC? (in that order, if I understand)
The TAPRC both of you are referring to is indeed designed to be temporary until person gets on the HHR. It looks just like an Exit and Entry permit issued mainland or HK/MO persons or for NWOHRs who get their TARC application approved from overseas with variations to their fields (you check 事由 purpose for the exact reason).
If a NWOHR plans to stay long term without going on the HHR, they indeed need to get a TARC (which looks like an ARC and APRC).
TAPRC Duplicate
The “duplicate” version is issued to you while you are overseas and gives you 6 months (extendable for another 6 months) to exchange for the other TAPRC at NIA in Taiwan if you decide to do your application while overseas. (You get this one stamped at the entry port seen here)
TAPRC
This version is what you get when you either exchange the duplicate for this in Taiwan or when you bring your documents to start the settlement application in Taiwan. That gives you 30 days to complete your HHR establishment at the HHR Office responsible for the address you are establishing your HHR at.
With a TARC, check the reason code you are on. A lot of these “reasons” give you the 1, 2 or 5 year route to establishing your HHR such as for skilled work (AF370). Some like study do not give you a route or direct route.
Article 9 gives you all the TARC reasons, first part of Article 10 tells you the Article 9 reasons that allow you to establish HHR after staying for a certain period.
Yes, if they figure out you are a NWOHR you aren’t eligible for a APRC. You can keep staying on a TARC as long as the reason still exists, I do think some people do that until they are no longer eligible for conscription but I think a lot of them have a lineal relative who is on the HHR (AF353) which makes it easier/less stressful for them.
I do think you can apply for a 6 month (+6 months) extension to look for another job under 臺灣地區無戶籍國民停留居留及定居許可辦法 - Art 18 if you ever lose your job.
