You can average it out over the year. I’m sure there will be some allowance.
here’s the official annual average exchange rate data from the tax office:
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Oh. Then should be fine. Thanks for let me know that. 
Updating on Passport Verification at overseas TRO, TECO or equivalent name.
The process really is just matching your face, the details on your passport and those entered for the Gold Card application. Total time: 30 seconds at most. So whatever interview or other funny thing you are told about is unnecessary.
The only complications, they confirmed to me, are that they need to be given access to the online platform (it takes time if you are the first in the country like me) and only one person in the whole office is granted access (must be a Taiwanese) by BOCA so your appointment might be delayed if he/she is not around.
Hope it helps.
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Also, the Officer mentioned that IATA has not updated their Taiwan file with the Gold Card yet so there is feedback of some airlines not recognising it as an ARC or creating difficulties. He suggested we contact the airline chosen for the inbound flight to check and, in case, he mentioned that the TRO can issue some sort of official statement to produce at the check-in counter.
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Aight here’s what Tammy and I just went through. Tammy got her gold card application accepted and received a “Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform - Passport Submission Notice.” You’ve gotta take this thing to a TECO with your passport to get it verified, allegedly.
Of course as we know getting a hold of the San Francisco office is impossible. But we got a lot of information when we snuck around and went to Houston TECO instead.
First, the emergency phone number guy in SF is polite but sick and tired of people trying to game the system by going through him lol. Don’t try it, he’ll just send you to 4153627681
The 4153627681 lady’s voicemail is full. If you hear an automated robot voice, you’ve already failed to get through. Luckily that happens within a second if she’s busy. So just immediately hang up and call her back until you get her. She’s there, just I guess literally on the phone nonstop her entire workday. Try to be patient with her, like damn that sounds shitty.
However, that lady doesn’t believe gold card stuff is her responsibility. She’s the “visa and taiwan passport” lady, and the gold card isn’t a visa (she giggled when she said this. I think things are getting weiiiird over there). That’s Angela’s job.
Angela’s phone number is 415 364 5632. She’s really nice. She’s the go to gold card lady.
So here it is from the horse’s mouth, Angela the gold card goddess:
- Get a return envelope (i.e. prepaid and addressed to you)
- Get your passport OR a notarized copy of your passport (you’ve got to find a notary that can do “content” and not just “verification.” Basically just drive to every UPS store in your city until you find the magic bureaucrat).
- Print off your “Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform - Passport Submission Notice.”
Put all three in an envelope and mail it to the San Francisco TECO office, suite 501. Either no ATTN is required or if you want you can ATTN the VISA DIVISION or straight up just Angela.
This is San Francisco information only, for reference, though this failed for us, Houston’s is different:
In Houston, you can go in.
Bring
- Your passport
- Your printed off Passport Submission Notice
- A notarized copy of your passport
- 15 dollars CASH ONLY.
to Houston. They might verify your passport and send it to Taiwan, they might not. They decided not to for us. They are a fickle office lol, and have been for about 8 years (I played games with them a decade ago to get a work visa).
Good luck.
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Thanks everyone for being active on this thread. I have entered Taiwan and I’m in quarantine at the moment. Since I entered using the authorization PDF, I had some questions about receiving the gold card:
- I do not have the physical card with me and it seems like it will be mailed to San Francisco. Should I apply for a new card at the local Taiwan NIA office? Is this done through the online portal? If yes, then where on the online portal? The online page to reissue a new card asks for my ARC number which I don’t yet have.
- I do not have an address in Taiwan yet, and it might take a month or two before I can commit to a lease. In the meantime, I’m planning to stay at a friend’s place. Is it okay to apply for a new card without having an address listed? I read somewhere that you need to mention an address within 30 days to the government, in this case, will they accept my friend’s address without official proof such as a lease or something?
- Do you need an initial gold card (without address) to be able to apply for an address change? Or can I directly apply for an address change without having the physical gold card?
@krrk tagging you since you seemed to be in the same situation.
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You have 3 options I think:
- Request via Gold Card website to change card pick-up location to Taiwan. I’m guessing this only works if they haven’t mailed the card; I didn’t try (didn’t realize it was an option until recently).
- Email or call the SF TECO and ask them to send the card back to Taiwan. This is free and is what my girlfriend did. Not clear how long it takes.
- Request the card be re-issued on the Gold Card website. Costs NT$500 and is straightforward. This is what I did because I think it’s the fastest and I believe I need the Gold Card to get a local driver’s license. They ask for an “affidavit” without explaining what that means. I submitted a PDF with the text “I have lost my Gold Card and would like to have it replaced.”, my name, the date, and a signature and that seemed to work.
The nice thing is you can initiate the process while in quarantine, no need to wait (like I did) to get out and go to the NIA in person. My girlfriend and I submitted our requests on the same day (6 days ago) so we’ll see which is fastest.
I wish there was a clear process for people who want to do passport inspection abroad but collect the card in Taiwan 
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Thanks @krrk, I’m looking at the “Re-issuance of Employment Gold Card Application” page on the portal to get a new one like you did, but it asks for the ARC number… How did you get that? It doesn’t seem to be on the Authorization PDF. Thanks!
Also, @krrk, did you do a change of address as well on the portal? Or will you do that later? I haven’t found a permanent place yet, but it seems like we’re supposed to report our address within 30 days?
You can get your ARC number via the Gold Card website. IIRC there is a form where you can enter your application ID to look up your submitted application; the ARC number will be populated on the submitted application. I’m AFK right now, recommend searching this thread for more info.
I haven’t dealt with the address change yet as I also do not have a permanent address.
Damn man. I feel blessed now with my 30 seconds and efficient staff. Definitely not good publicity for the Gold Card if every office goes its own way.
This amazes me
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Does anyone familiar with the process ( @fifieldt ?) recommend using the “Case Status Check / Application Progress Enquiry” function within the application website, while waiting for application status to move from “Professional Review by Workforce Development Agency” to the next step? Might this help move the application forward a little faster? (My application has had this status since I applied in Taiwan in the Economic category based on salary 11 days ago.)
@Taiwanyear As far as I know, it’s an automated search that would just repeat the same label (i.e. “Professional Review…”).
TBH, 11 days is still early. The average based on my experience and what I have been reading here is around a month. If you are in a rush, maybe you can give a call to Mr Huang/Ms Chien.
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BTW of thanks to everyone on this forum my own experience/timeline
- Mid March - entered Taiwan under Visa Waiver (90 days)
- Applied under Economic category
- Attached copy of resume, 1040 (US Tax Return) plus cover letter (explaining my income which was not a W2 but via a K1 partnership).
8/28 AM - Submitted application
8/28 PM - Received a question related to an old ARC number - they requested I update the application with the old ARC #, however, the website logic does not allow you to enter “old” numbers. I responded with a Word doc and included screen shots to show the website issue on 9/29. I did not receive any other follow-up question
8/31 Status changed to review
9/1 Status changed to “Workforce Development Review”
9/7 Called Mr. Huang (it took a few times) and was advised that as of 9/7 they were not yet processing Aug applications - he advised me to call back on 9/21 to check again
9/16 Received a call from the WDA person to send Schedule K1 - which I sent via email
9/18 PM Status changed to passport check
9/21 Handed passport and printout to BOCA (Taipei)*
9/28 Advised passport can be collected
- If you have been in Taiwan longer than 180 days then you will need to have NIA stamp your passport - hence a trip to NIA in Taipei to receive a passport stamp before heading back to BOCA to had over the passport for verification…
Depending on when (hopefully) I receive the Gold Card, it looks like it takes around a month from start to finish. I’m not sure there is anything that can be completed to move the application forward any quicker…
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Just wanted to update on my application process…
7/26 - Applied in Economic category (provided last year’s W2 only)
7/27 - Workforce Development Review
9/9 - Passport Verification Notification
9/14 - Verified at Seattle TECO in person
9/16 - Application Approved (Can download pdf)
If anyone else is applying in Seattle, I highly recommend emailing or calling beforehand, they require an appointment to get the passport verified in person and if you do it by mail they will give you instructions on what to provide (they asked for print outs of payment and the passport verification receipt, address to mail card, and passport itself.)
For passport verification, I did it in person, they just took it, showed it to the supervisor, then gave it back. I had several back and forth emails with them before I went, they were quick to respond.
I was told that it would be about ~21 days for it to arrive in the US after approval. I’m waiting to get my passport renewed anyway (2+ months for that) so it’s not a big deal… Though I’d hoped to get out of here before the country explodes in November 
Also looking over this thread it seems like they are processing people faster who are in Taiwan, I applied in the economic category and it was ~50 days to approval. Seems like some people in Taiwan have done it under a month.
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PSA,
What I found out recently is that tax break only apply to “salary income.” So if a lot of your income is allowance, stock etc, you may not get much tax break at all.
Thanks for sharing your experience, @kenianbei 
I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, and I don’t know if US passport numbers change when you get a new one, but: the gold card is linked to a specific passport number. It has your passport number printed on the front, and if the passport number changes you need to update the details in the system and get a new card issued.
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I think I’m close to the end but here’s my timeline so far.
7/25 - Submitted application and paid fee
7/31 - Professional Review by Workforce Development Agency
8/20 - Received notice to present my passport at Atlanta TECO for inspection
Numerous calls and emails to Atlanta TECO and reached out to NIA contacts before the TECO staff finally understood what I was asking them to do and was invited in for an appointment.
9/11 - Visited Atlanta TECO with passport and documents
9/17 - Emailed Atlanta TECO to ask if they’ve submitted my verification. Response: not yet.
9/23 - Status changed to “Under Inspection”
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Thanks, I’m in Taiwan! I hope to receive the Gold Card to continue the stay that I just started.