Thanks for this website! With its help (especially the “Do I Qualify” section), I just submitted my application today!
The only thing I noticed was an incomplete URL that led to a 404 error on “The Gold Card Application” page, under the “Filling out Resident Information” section.
“process /goldcard-holders-faq/validity/).”
Otherwise, fantastic job!
Thanks @bsharp8 
Thanks for reporting the error, it’s now fixed!
Also, all the best with your application. Let us know if you have any further questions or ideas.
Dear All,
This is my first post in Forumosa and I am glad to see so many helpful forumers around.
I am from Singapore and would like to apply for the Gold Card.
I have some queries which I hope you guys can help to enlighten.
A little bit on my background:
I have 13 years of working experience in the ICT industry with a government agency serving the Defence Ministry. I am a Network and System engineer and have done a wide range of IT projects ranging from infrastructure, server to application. I am also doing Operation and Support as well as System Admin roles.
My highest qualification is a Bachelor degree (2nd Upper) from our Singapore local University. My salary is above the 160,000 NT mark. I do not hold a Phd or publish any papers.
My questions are as follow.
Would it be more advisable to apply under Economics as I have met the salary requirements as many forumers have advised that it is more straightforward with less checks?
What are my chances of success and what is the estimated time of processing? (Please ignore this question if it is too difficult to answer)
What is the validity of the Gold Card? Do we get to choose the duration we want?
When I get the Gold Card, how can I bring my spouse and child along to Taiwan to stay for that period? How do I do that?
Any criteria I need to fulfill that would allow me to renew my Gold Card? E.g. minimum stay in Taiwan? Minimum employment period? Minimum wage in my company in Taiwan?
What if I am not able to find a job despite having a Gold Card, now that the world’s economy is in a bad state? Does that mean that I do not get to renew my Gold Card?
Is there anyone who went into Taiwan on a Gold Card but chose to be an entrepreneur or simply did not work in Taiwan? Is that allowed?
If I am applying from overseas, how do I drop my passport? My literal interpretation means I have to surrender the original copy of my passport for verification purpose?
Last question, if I have the intent to travel to Taiwan next year, is it advisable that I start applying for my Gold Card now?
Thanks all for helping out on these queries.
One benefit of the technology category vs economic is tax incentives if you work in tech in Taiwan (based on my phone chats with labor department). Otherwise there’s no reason not to apply for the easier economic category.
Welcome to Forumosa, and hopefully Taiwan 
Some quick answers and links to relevant portions of the FAQ.
30 days, but due to COVID sometimes 80. The big time sink is in verification of your skills.
1-3 years, you choose. Validity starts on card issuance and ‘renewal’ is simply going through the application process again - you need to again reach qualification level of any of the then available qualifications.
There are no minimum stay restrictions, but there are minimum wage restrictions if you get a job.
Helpful info in the FAQ, but basically you first get your card and then subsequently apply for visas for them.
You can work for whichever and how ever many companies you choose. The underlying purpose of the Gold Card is to allow you to work, if you don’t plan on working at all I’d suggest an alternative visa as there is precedent for cancellation of visas where it’s discovered the stated purpose of residence in Taiwan is false (eg students who don’t go to class).
‘renewal’ is simply going through the application process again - you need to again reach qualification level of any of the then available qualifications. For example, if you apply on the basis of your salary and then don’t achieve that salary during the duration of your card you won’t be eligible to use that same regulation to apply again.
Yes, you must hand in your physical passport at the local Taiwanese embassy. (See After passing skill assessment)
I would wait until 3-4 months before you plan to travel. You don’t need to fly in straight away after getting your card.
Thanks so much @fifieldt for your thorough replies and useful info shared on your website. I have readd so many compliments about you. Keep up the good work!
If I am applying based on economic category, do I need to prove my technical skills after submitting my latest pay slip? If yes, how should I prove when I do not hold any phd or publish any papers?
Is the dropping off of passport for that day only? Or my local embassy will take a few days?
For spouse and child, are they allowed to stay for the validity of the Gold Card too? E.g. 3 years?
Thank you.
No need for that It’s actually highly useful to have someone brand new to the process ask a lot of questions. Some of us here went through it so long ago we’ve had some of the basic answers so ingrained it’s easy to forget to write them up
Economic category regulation 1 (“salary”) does not require proof of technical skill, just make sure your tax statements are in order.
The passport verification normally takes 1 week, but sometimes you can get it done on the spot if you ask very nicely.
Spouse and kids visas should match yours in terms of expiry.
you are too kind @fifieldt, thank you. Hope I will be another success case and can contribute back to this forum in future
Btw, if I prepare my salary slip for the past 3 months, will it be sufficient?
I can prepare my income tax statement too but we usually do it in March/ April period.
Does it mean the more documents I give, the higher my chances? 
I’m having some trouble figuring out how to fill out the ‘resident’ tab of the application.
In the FAQ, it says, " You’ll also be asked for a local address. It’s entirely normal and accepted to apply without one. Once you get a place to stay, you can (must) update the details on your card, free of charge. Only fill an address out here if you’re confident you will be able to receive important documents there."
I’m here in Taipei, but living in a hotel, so not a great place to receive important documents. I also don’t have any friends or relatives that I want to list on the application, and what does “resident call” mean? All of these are required fields that I cannot leave blank to proceed with the application.
Any help/advice appreciated!
Hi, welcome to Formosa and thanks for using the FAQ site.
This is the first time I’ve heard that these fields were required. My suspicion is that they’ve been marked as required since you are applying from inside Taiwan. You could try calling the NIA Gold Card Contact from the official list to explain your address is likely to change during the application and see what they say. The annoying thing is, if you list an address there, it will be the one printed on your card. If you’re no longer staying there, you’ll have to get another card printed (～2 week delay) before you can use the card for eg opening accounts and such.
I think it’s safe to put “N/A” in some of the other fields there.
This will be a poor translation of landline phone.
Thank you so much for the welcome and quick response!
I think I’ll repost in the mega thread and see if anyone else has advice.
See you there
I confirmed with the portal: if you are applying domestically, the required fields for the resident tab are as you’ve shown. For overseas applications, they are not required. I also checked that (when it is a required field) it’s possible to enter “N/A” in the address fields provided a city and district are selected, but this may cause more harm than good.
Based on what you discover, we’ll update the site’s advice.
Much appreciated for checking on that. I’ll keep you updated on my status. I’m starting to think that it might be best to list a coworking space like the Hive or Futureward as a contact and address. I’ll ask them if this is possible.
I’m trying to figure out what my NHI premiums might be after the 6 months to become eligible, given a Gold Card while working for a foreign employer paying into my US bank account while I live in Taiwan. Do I have to pay 4.69% of my foreign salary by myself? That is a bit expensive.
Yes, but there is a salary cap at 175k TWD/mo (see “Bracket 10” in the table at the bottom), above that it’ll probably be more like 1.91%.
I saw that. But since my income is from abroad and my employer is not paying into local Taiwanese insurance, how would they know my salary? And is there a way to not pay into NHI but instead select private insurance (which would be cheaper if what you say is true)?
You’ll declare that to the NHI, and again when filing your tax return in Taiwan. Either might request evidence. I’m not 100% sure about what happens above the salary cap - please double check that. Though, speaking of tax returns definitely check out the deductions you can make on NHI premiums - that might help the math stack up a bit better for you.
Anyone eligible for NHI is required to enrol.
and if you are not eligible for NHI, you cannot enroll.
I asked in the other gold card thread with no response, maybe someone might know the answer over here.
Is there any time limit for completing the passport check step? Or can I, in effect, delay my approval by just waiting for the best time to complete that step? Thanks!!
No need to read on but I know forumosa seems to always ask for more details so here it is if you’d like:
For context, we are tentatively planning to enter in October 2021…a very long time from now. But due to the worsening covid situation here in the US and other circumstances with family, my wife and I might like the option to come sooner.
Also, I am applying through the arts and culture category which brings much less clarity about my end result since I have no international awards. I expect this means my application “process” will take longer as well since I will be procuring letters of recommendation from multiple sources all over the world.
Finally, I care about the timing because I am hoping to stay in Taiwan for at least three years minimum, and in the chance they reduce APRC eligibility to three years for Gold Card holders then I’d hope I could avoid any uncertainty and hassle over applying again.
iirc, someone posted in the thread that when you are requested the passport check, your card is already issued with an expiry date, so the date may be the limit. I remembered wrongly.
https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141465/141808/168969/
After passing the review, Employment Gold Card will be issued with a validity period chosen by the applicant via the Foreign Professionals Application Platform. The validity period of the Card starts from the next day of issuance.
Iiuc the instruction, review and passport check are different steps.
Found the post
