Unfair, hmmmm But you can get yours back. It’s just the way the rules are. I can’t say they tickled my fancy either but it was a case of ROC citizenship or leaving. There was no PARC available when I did it.
My original pink/orange ARC was stamped not allowed to work in Taiwan. Back in the good old days being married got you an ARC that said you couldnt work, yet the Tax office said if you were here you more than 183 days you had to pay tax even if you didnt show an income.
I showed them my ARC, work Verboten… . Had some nice discussions about why I should have to pay tax if I wasnt allowed to work. They exempted me and gave me the tax document so that I could apply for those lovely 6 month entry exit visa’s. The newer people to Taiwan don’t have these issues anymore.
Many things in life are unfair. Like the NZ super 12 teams doing so poorly this year. hehehehe
Flicka,
Could you be more specific about cards and phone numbers, please? I’m very interested in what company gave you a phone number and when. Credit cards, as well.
I got a “Fan Ya” phone number (I guess that’s called Trans Asia) back in '98–the second month the company was in business. I used my ARC. A friend of mine lost his phone (that had his ex-girlfriend’s number SIM in it) and he tried to get one himself. He was refused. It was a Fan Ya number. I recently went to Fan Ya to change my name to Chinese and for their system to reflect my new ID card (Taiwan Nationality). They told me they’d do it, but if I were to apply I would be refused. It’s as if they’re admitting that even today they wouldn’t give me a new number, even though I’m now an ROC national but have a few months before I get a “proper” ID card. My friend went through many companies and was refused every time.
I recently applied for two PHS phone numbers and my “Taiwan-national Taiwan Area Residence Card” was just as “foreign” as an ARC to the folks at Da Zhong telecom (English: FITEL First International). Now I get my PHS bills with friends’ names on them.
Coolingtower
Another thing I just forgot to mention is the “open work permit”.
My friend (before his divorce) had a PARC and the open work permit. He wanted to continue his job working in a busheeban. To the government, this is considered a blue-collar job and he was still required to apply for a work permit. If teaching in a busheeban is considered “blue collar”, imagine how many other jobs would be the same way. He and I lost faith in the open work permit for this reason.