NHI waiting period reset or extension?

[Tombo]

Is the NHI waiting time extended or reset when leaving the country more than once?

Background: Went to the NHI center in Taipei where they confirmed to me that I need to wait 6 months to enroll in the NHI (spouse ARC, remote work).
I can leave the country one time for a max. duration of 30 days. What the lady was not able to clarify (due to language barrier) was, what happens if I leave twice, for example for 4 days each time. Will I have to wait 6 months plus 4 days, or will the clock reset once I return from my second trip?

[dbrown4]

If you leave the country that one time, the clock pauses until you get back.
If you leave the country a 2nd time, the clock resets and you have to start again from the day you get back.

[Tombo]

Damn, that’s worse than expected.
Time to find a reasonable private health insurance I guess…

[rooftopclown]

@Tombo

Damn, that’s worse than expected.

Taiwan isn’t that bad! You can easily spend 6 months here. Try to avoid the summer though, if you can.

[Andrew]

I’ve also been wondering about this. I got the gold card earlier this week, and my last 2 entries were on something like November 17 and February 18 with visa exemptions.

My understanding/interpretation was that I’d be able to apply for NHI 6 months after the November 17 entry (possibly excluding the several days I was outside Taiwan in February), meaning somewhere around late May.

Is that correct, or did the clock reset to zero when I entered in February (as seems to be implied by one of the posts above)?

[tando]

@Andrew

my last 2 entries were on something like November 17 and February 18 with visa exemptions.

isn’t it a 180d physical stay on ARC?

[Andrew]

Good point. I’m not sure about that.

I haven’t fully figured out the best option yet. I was intending to mostly do freelance work for international companies, and I’ve already got the contacts set up for that.

There’s also the possibility of me taking a part-time science tutoring job, which I understand would mean I’d be able to register for NHI immediately (?), although I still need to figure out how NHI works with multiple sources of income.

[tango42]

For initial enrollment, must remain in Taiwan for 6 months continuously with no more than one exit not to last over 30 days .

Can read through my experience including calculation examples.

An Independent NHI Enrollment Experience

My first time visit to NHI office for enrollment. Had APRC for a couple few years and attempting to enroll first time enrolling *without employer or family connection (those requirements are different). I went in assuming a penalty because the requirement is to register with in 6 months of APRC but that isn’t exactly correct. Saw advisor within 2 minutes who was very helpful and articulate at explaining details and calculations. For initial enrollment, must remain in Taiwan for 6 months conti…

[Andrew]

@tango42

For initial enrollment, must remain in Taiwan for 6 months continuously with no more than one exit not to last over 30 days .

Thanks. This is what I’d read too. I realise this is just the English wording, but I don’t see anything there about needing an ARC. By May I will have been in Taiwan continuously for 6 months with no more than one exit not lasting over 30 days.

[tango42]

@Andrew

@tango42

For initial enrollment, must remain in Taiwan for 6 months continuously with no more than one exit not to last over 30 days .

Thanks. This is what I’d read too. I realise this is just the English wording, but I don’t see anything there about needing an ARC. By May I will have been in Taiwan continuously for 6 months with no more than one exit not lasting over 30 days.

NHI eligibility requirements vary. My experience is only one eligibility example.

But initial enrollment 6-month calculations should be similar.

[tando]

@Andrew

I don’t see anything there about needing an ARC.

it is 6 months on ARC. You said you got a gold card, so it is 6 months from the issued date of the card, if you applied for and got it in Taiwan.

https://mlc.cycu.edu.tw/wSite/ct?xItem=75801&ctNode=24496&mp=1301

@Andrew

There’s also the possibility of me taking a part-time science tutoring job, which I understand would mean I’d be able to register for NHI immediately

yes, if you are employed, you should be enrolled immediately.

[Andrew]

Thanks again for that. It’s very helpful. So another question arises here, if you don’t mind.

If I went the part-time tutoring job route, it would be very part time - a casual/hourly thing with no minimum salary/number of hours (which I understand I’m allowed to do with the gold card), through a test prep organisation. Something like several hours a week typically, sometimes zero, up to probably less than 10-15 hours a week on occasion, in the ballpark of 1000-1200 TWD/hr.

If I signed a contract there, would that really be sufficient to qualify me for NHI? What about the extra income from elsewhere (outside Taiwan) - I assume I’d need to declare that somewhere and pay an additional percentage to the NHI?

[tando]

@Andrew

If I signed a contract there, would that really be sufficient to qualify me for NHI? What about the extra income from elsewhere (outside Taiwan) - I assume I’d need to declare that somewhere and pay an additional percentage to the NHI?

if you are employed and go to work everyday, you should be enrolled through the employeepr regardless of your working hours. If you don’t go to work everyday, if you work more than 12 hours a week, you should be enrolled through the employment.

Almost all of your income should be included to calculate your NHI premium, and the adjustment should be made through the employer, if you are enrolled via the employment.

In Chinese
部分工時員工參加全民健康保險資格之認定原則
https://mohwlaw.mohw.gov.tw/FINT/FINTQRY04.aspx?starDate=00000000&endDate=99991231&no=&n1=&n2=&kt=&kw=84031133&kw2=&kw3=&kw4=&valid=&type=etype_&RowNo=2

There are different rules for some occupations, such as univ. teachers.

Regulations Governing the Deduction and Payment of the Supplementary Insurance Premium of the National Health Insurance
https://eservice.nhi.gov.tw/2nd/

[Andrew]

Thanks for that. On the basis of what you wrote, it seems like I wouldn’t be eligible to enrol through this “employer”. I definitely wouldn’t go there every day (perhaps once a week at most), and I’d seldom work more than 12 hrs a week there (that would perhaps only apply 2 or 3 times a year).

I’m also not especially keen to pass all of my financial info from other work, which would be the majority (>80-90%) of my income, on to this casual “employer” so they can calculate the premiums. So this option seems like a non-starter.

I guess I’ll need to do some more research and check with the NHI people, then move the discussion on over to the gold card thread to see whether anybody there has some suggestions. I’ve been considering starting my own company within the next year or so anyway, which might provide another option, although I don’t want to rush that just for the sake of obtaining NHI.

This is more complicated than I expected! Thanks again for your help.

[Tombo]

Same boat here. It got simple with the virus. I don’t feel like leaving the country anytime soon, anyway. Just wait 6 months and that’s it.
Of course, if you need to leave the country for work or so, you’re in a complicated situation.

[skilmosa]

@Andrew - how did you bridge over the 6 months initial gap? …is there a local private insurer offering coverage?

[Andrew]

I didn’t/haven’t. Paid out of pocket for anything essential and hoping I don’t get hit by a bus or develop a brain tumor.

No idea about local insurers. Considered that option briefly, but didn’t really look into it much and there didn’t seem to be a simple solution.

[yinggeaussie]

My 6 month waiting period will be up soon and I can then go and enrol for the NHI.

The web site is silent about the documents required, and I cant find a form either, does anyone know what I need apart from Passport, ARC?

https://www.nhi.gov.tw/english/Content_List.aspx?n=C88B41A4EAB5E692&topn=778856C209BCE527

[projectmaximus]

@tando

it is 6 months on ARC. You said you got a gold card, so it is 6 months from the issued date of the card, if you applied for and got it in Taiwan.

Wondering how this calculation works if one is switching over from NHI via employment? When I seek to self-enroll for me and my family, does it need to happen after a period of 180 continuous days in Taiwan with no more than one 30-day pause?

At the time that I wish to make the change, I’ll have been enrolled in NHI for almost 10 months. However I will only have been in Taiwan for literally 187 days (excluding a <30-day pause) by the time I need to leave again, so my window for applying is quite small. Thanks for any suggestions!