Intending to Extend ARC myself in next few days

My ARC will expire at the emd of the year so I intend to make a 6 month extension–without the involvement of agents. I need to check a few things. Is the following correct?

  1. I need to take the application form, photo, passport and old ARC to Immigration office. Do I need to photocopy the passport? Can I do it there? I know I need to pay them too.

  2. I completed the application form in pen and in English. It seems clear, but I hope this is okay? I suppose they might want to change the information to Chinese?

  3. Because the extension is done on the multi purpose form I am not sure how much is relevant to me. I put the name of the High School where I work, but I hope this is actually unnecessary as I might not be there after December.

  4. I put my own residential address in English, but I hope they don’t need a contract as proof? The contract is out of date as I have continued with my present landlord on a month by month basis for over a year. I kept intending to move but the proximity to work kept me there.

  5. Anything else I need? I don’t really wish to involve the agent or school in this.

  6. I intend to go on 2 December. Is this okay? My ARC expires 31 December.

Help much appreciated.

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Yes.

Yes.

That’s fine.

If its the same address as the old ARC, they likely won’t need to see proof. Just tell them that you still live there.

Thanks for your help.

Hey, just requesting a follow-up update. I’m also planning on extending my ARC soon and I’m curious about the timing as well. Can you let me know if going around a month early is the right call? Thanks!

It went fine. Some initial confusion because the guy thought I wanted to get a new work visa, but as soon as he realized I wanted an extension of 6 months it took only about 10 minutes. I was told to pick up the card in 2 weeks.

He let me keep my present card and I pocketed my passport too. An agent probably wouldn;t bother saving your old card for you.

Your not supposed to be able to keep the old card, but sometimes they forget. They may ask for it when you pick up the new card.

Yes you have the option of keeping the old card. You would have to trade it for the new one.

Keeping the old card is necessary to use as ID like getting into night clubs and stuff.

I have been told I couldn’t keep it before whilst they printed the new one. It just depends who you speak to, and whether they decide to take your old one or not.

never had a single person deny me and I have insisted to take it every time.

I picked up my ARC extension with no problems a day early. Now I need to get to NHI office as I will definitely have a break between jobs–so need to pay contributions myself for 2 months. I did this once before and I seem to remember it was very easy. They sent me a bill which was lost and I finally paid after 6 months. Do I need to take my passport? I don’t think I did last time.

Does anyone know if you are able to do part time work with the residence extension? I suppose it is not relevant as work depends on the work permit? Are you able to do any part time work with the visa extension? What if you want to do 10 hours a week for a few months?

no. You need a work permit for the part time job, and the job type, wage, and employer should meet the requirements to get a work permit.

I’d just like to add an extension to this question. If you have a 6 month extension to your ARC and are starting a new job does it make sense not to update the ARC until you are sure you are staying–i.e. until after the 3 month probationary period finishes? That way if the job doesn’t work out it won’t affect your ARC? Change it immediately and you might be out of a job AND lose your employment related ARC.

If you have a job, you have an employment related ARC, and if you lose the job/dislike it, you qualify for a further six month extension.

Is there any way to extend the extension–other than by getting a job?

Iirc, you can extend the 6 month extension once. So, it is 1 year in total. You may want to confirm it in their official site, or by phone call.

Other than that, by marriage to someone with the right types of residency.

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That is great to know, Under normal circumstances, you could be out of the country most of the time?

Can you pay your own NHI contributions for a year–or is there a limit on that?