Are you still able to use it as a pre paid card later?
I don’t think you can. When I asked (when I bought it), they seemed to think that I needed to get a new number through an ARC. I haven’t hit the 3 month mark yet though.
The Unified Identification Number (UI#) It’s kind of a halfway step to getting an ARC that allows you to preemptively apply for bank accounts and other things that require an ID or ARC number, without having to wait for the ARC itself (which because of missing documents and special circumstances, it took me 2.5 months and 4 visits to the NIA).
Keep in mind that whether you use ARC or UI, it’s going to be a bit of a process; most banks work by appointment only, and even the most competent clerk might take 45 minutes, but a little over an hour if they don’t know what they’re doing and would have to call the main branch.
Oh, almost forgot! If you have a Chinese name in mind, I also highly recommend you get a name stamp; although it’s theoretically optional for banks, lots of legal documents do require a stamp alongside your signature, or even exclusively.
Also, try not to get too fancy with your signature; most people would want a legible version of it… I’ve made one that’s harder to forge in both English and Mandarin, but 7/10 would be asked for a clearer one, even if it doesn’t match your officially registered signature.
Back on topic: When you apply for your ARC, you have to bring it along as it is reused as your ARC number… Just keep in mind that if qualifying for citizenship is in the future for you, this will be replaced with a national ID number, so this number isn’t as “eternal” as your SSN (US) or NIN (UK).
I would recommend against this. I have lived in Taiwan for many years and never used a stamp. I have been asked for one many times, but I say I do not have one and never have had one and never will have one. The same with the bankbook. It is gone. Lost. Never use it and do not want a new one.
Often when I get asked for my signature and sign with my signature they then ask to please write my Chinese name. So I do recommend learning to write a Chinese name in Chinese.
I’m not sure if a stamp (chop) is completely useless; there’s at least one occasion here where someone wasn’t able to get something done without it, and I’ve personally almost had to go get mine until they got a manager’s approval, but that was another few minutes down the drain.
My chops were done by default and accepted as the cultural norm for me, since my mom actually made one for me when I was 8, but she also had a set done using my late grandpa’s ivory chop as a family heirloom of sorts, where she shaved his name off and put my name on them (as in one square, one round for different purposes), so I figured to just use them anyway.
I agree about the passbook though; I forgot to tell the post office I didn’t need one, and even then I only got one since my mom recommended it for public benefits and a reduced transaction fee for estate matters, so it’s mostly dormant. I definitely opted to not get one for my other accounts though; we live in the age of online banking, and if I needed one for work or whatever, the bank would often generate a replica of it as a PDF.
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Newbie. Can you handle chopsticks?
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Do you need an address to apply for the ARC?
Are there any problems if I register my ARC at a hotel, or at a friends place or something? I’m concerned I won’t have a place to stay in the first 2 weeks
I don’t know if it would be different for a WHV, but to get my employment based ARC I needed to provide a rental contract.
Dupuytren contracture can be an impairment.
Is it going to be trivial to get a rental contract within 10 days of arrival?
I’m not sure I understand the 10 day limitation you mention. Are you somehow required to get an ARC within 10 days of arrival?
Sort of sorry, it’s a requirement of my visa to apply within 15 days of arrival apparently
Ah OK it’s related to the WHV scheme, of which I have no knowledge. Perhaps another Forumosan can help. I think @justintaiwan might have experience with a WHV?
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Why don’t you just contact a few places in the first place you would like to visit and get them to set you up a sort term contract (maybe summer camp or something depending on when your coming) and ask then to sort out accommodation as part of the contract.
The UK is different (better) to all other nationalities who can get WHV for Taiwan.
British passport holders get ARCs, all others don’t.
But you can get a rental contract regardless, just depends on how big of a wanker the landlord is
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I want to move to Taiwan and have a permenant address, the visa is only for one year and I am expecting to sign a 12-month contract of sorts.
Ah I didn’t realise it was British only, that explains why there isn’t much info.
I’m not worried about getting an address before the ARC, I am worried I won’t be able to get the ARC without the address, do they mail it to you?
You pick up the ARC in person. You could use a friend’s address?
Or your bosses and then just change it after?
You will probably not end up where you start off, think of it as a stepping stone to get your feet on the ground and give you time to sort out more permanent stuff.
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I don’t have friends or bosses, I’ve never been there and don’t have a job 
In the UK if you register in somebodys address it triggers all sorts of tax collection stuff too is that not an issue?
I’ve got a hotel for the first two weeks, happy to get an emergency airbnb if needed mostly just concerned with complying to the visa reqs
Government agencies in Taiwan are notoriously bad at talking to each other. It also helps that the address registration system for foreigners is independent from the household registration system for citizens.