Here’s my situation: I have an ARC by virtue of my cram-school job. I’d rather spend my limited time looking for properties than teaching.
I would love to declare my rental income, pay taxes, play by the rules, and stay here legally. Is this possible, or is Taiwan not interested in letting people like me stay? I noticed an “investor” option when I got my ARC, but my research leads me to believe this is more for setting up representative offices of an existing foreign business, not just buying a couple apartment complexes.
I apologize if this belongs in the visa section, but I was hoping someone here would be in the same position as I am. I further apologize for being a newbie to Taiwan’s visa regulations.
You could do this if you set up some kind of investment company here and then have the company sponsor you for a resident visa. The best choice, as I recall, is a rep office for an existing foreign company. You cannot do this as a private individual. You should be able to find an accountant to help you do this stuff.
There are several different options for setting up a foreign invested company. Which one is best for you depends on the circumstances. It is possible to have a company that is not a branch or representative office. My company is a local company owned by one individual. Setting up a branch or representative office could be as simple as registering a shell corporation overseas to own the company here. You typically need at least $5m of registered capital (remitted from overseas) to be able to apply for an ARC for the company director.