It looks like renewing US Passports in the US (by mailing it in) is extremely delayed. I was reading about people who submitted their applications in Feb, just receiving their new passports now in June, and that there is a backlog of over 1.6 million passport renewals. I’m currently in the US, but will need to be in Taiwan before the end of the year with a renewed passport to renew my ARC.
I was hoping to go to Taiwan to renew my US passport at the American Institute on Taiwan, hoping it’d be faster, but they told me they send the passport to the states for printing, so the delay is the same as the US.
I’m currently in the US and have a US Passport that expires on Dec 31, 2020 and also a Taiwan ARC, which expires on the same date. I need to be in Taiwan before Dec 31, 2020 to renew my ARC, but it’s tied to my passport, so I can’t renew it past Dec 31, 2020. I’m trying to decide between two options:
Submit my US Passport for renewal here in the US, and once i receive my new passport, fly to Taiwan to renew my ARC.
Fly to Taiwan before June 30, 2020 (since I believe i have to have 6 months of validity on my passport to enter Taiwan), and then when in Taiwan, renew my US Passport through the American Institute in Taiwan. Then once that’s renewed, renew my ARC in Taiwan.
In both situations I would have to have my US passport renewed and I would have to be in Taiwan to renew my ARC before the end of the year.
Does anyone know if I have any other options and what would be the best thing I should do to increase my chances of being able to extend my ARC?
Taiwan does not (and hasn’t for a long time) require US passports to have a minimum amount remaining like six months or something. It only has to be valid for your intended length of stay and the airline may or may not even check when boarding. Once you’re in Taiwan they won’t really care at immigration.
You didn’t mention how long you have to hang around Taiwan or when you need to be back in the USA so… could take awhile to get your passport completed while in Taiwan. I always do mine overseas.
Given the choice right now, I’d almost certainly be in Taiwan, where there’s a better chance of work, they seem to be renewing visas for folk here, and it’s possible the passport renewal would be expedited. You’ll also want to check the status of quarantines and the like, since I think they can be expensive also.
Since the Forum won’t allow me to create new topics, I’ll put this here.
Went up to Taipei to apply for new Canadian passport on June 15. In and out, 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Got my new passport by return mail today, June 24. Elapsed time, nine days- only I.D. required was old passport.
Bleeding Tartarus, I just got an email that it’s been printed and mailed back to AIT. I just mailed it to them on Tuesday. I guess that hints at the questions above.
In a similar situation - in the US and both passport and ARC are expiring in 6 months. I submitted the renewal for my US passport today. (FYI for anyone renewing a US passport, instead of going to the post office, you can do it online for this month only as part of a pilot program.)
Can I still enter Taiwan on my new US passport + old ARC with the old passport number on it? I plan to enter Taiwan before the expiration date on my ARC. More concerned about the airline ticket counter than the e-gates blocking me at TPE.
Carry your old expired passport and you’ll be fine.
It’s happened before to me, as long as old ARC is NOT expired.
Airline ticket counter will not block you.