5yrs later, I guess I should comment. It’s so much easier not having to deal with updating yearly the ARC and companies are very happy to not have to apply for an ARC in return.
So, get the APRC if you can. In past US citizens used to need FBI background check which takes a lot of time and processes. Now you don’t need it. And getting Open Work Permit is a walk into office and wait 30min and its done.
Also, not confirmed, but change of address or information doesn’t require immediate change at Immigration office.
Would be useful. A nuisance to have to hand in your card until the new one arrives a few weeks later. I travel so often and the paper they give you temporarily seems to confuse all .
Seems they are worried that someone may copy an APRC if 2 in circulation
Well, you have to update the moment you get a new passport(number), for us it was 5 years, now 7 and in the future I hope they go to 10 years. The only draw back is that the immigration office in NTC is in the boonies.
When you apply for a new card (change of address, etc.), they allow you to keep the old one for travel purposes, or whatnot. When you pick up the new card, you hand the old one over to them.
At least this is for ARC, not for APRC?
Would seem they would use the same SOP. Yes/no?
When I moved 1.5 years ago, I went to immigration to change the address on my APRC two months after I’d moved. I thought it wouldn’t matter, but I was wrong.
Because I was past the 15-day deadline (or is it 30 days?) I was supposed to pay a penalty. The officer, though, hinted around that I could sign a paper saying I signed the lease on such-and-such a date but didn’t actually move until later, wink wink.
Nice officer, saved me paying a fine (can’t remember how much it was). This was in Taoyuan.
Exact same thing happened to me, also at the Taoyuan office, just over 2 years ago. Can confirm, change of address does require immediate (within 15 days of moving) change at the immigration office.
As I already posted years ago, ‘permanent’ doesn’t mean permanent.
But what I did is perfectly OK, as a passport is a travel document, when it’s expired and you don’t need to travel abroad, you don’t use it. Mine was expired for over two months before I got a new one. But as soon as I got it I went to change my APRC. No questions asked!
First of all it should not have to rely on your passport number, the ID number on the card should be enough. Recently they changed the rule for driver’s licenses (6 years to indefinitely), they could do the same for APRC’s.
Not every country gives 10 year passports BTW.
Try telling them not to rely on the passport number, when even in banks they still keep on asking for your passport. Sigh. I agree but how do we convince them? I can’t even get them to write teh correct passport number…
If they did it for driver’s licenses maybe, just maybe, we stand a chance. We need a fighter.
I do not mind having my picture renewed to reprsent better what living here is doing to my looks. I do mind trekking to that corner of the world they flung the New Taipei NIA.
Update again. I applied for new APRC cuz residence changed (cough 4yrs ago), and new passport (cough a year ago). And no penalty cuz assumption was I just moved as I showed address and date. But yes you do need to update address within 15days.
But once I get the new APCR card I gotta get a new Open Work Permit.
