Parents move to Taiwan

Hi everyone,

I apologise in advance if what I am about to discuss has been covered before.

Recently, my wife and I moved back to Taiwan to be closer to her family and to start our own. My dream is to have my parents move here to Taiwan so that they too will have a chance to see their grand children and so that we can be one big family. Thus, my question is whether it is possible for them to relocate here permanently? I am aware that Taiwan does not offer a retirement visa like Malaysia and Thailand but are there any other options one might be able to pursue?

If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated, or if you have been in a similar situation and found a workaround it would be even better.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Kind regards,
Otsi

2 Likes

How do your parents feel about moving to Taiwan? Is this something they want?

1 Like

Hi DrewC, yes it is something they wish to do.

  1. are they Westerners who cannot speak Chinese?
  2. have they ever been abroad?

They need to get some kind of resident visa.

https://www.boca.gov.tw/lp-166-2.html

If they have enough money, they can apply for visa based on investment.
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-166-278-9b20e-2.html

If they are business persons, they can apply for the visa based on entrepreneur.
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-166-277-41131-2.html

If they find an employer that support their work permit, they can apply for a visa based on work.
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-166-276-48430-2.html

If they are from a country where English is an official language and have a degree, English teacher may be one of the easiest jobs they can get.

https://ezworktaiwan.wda.gov.tw/en/Content_List.aspx?n=3840722B002ADEAB

If they are highly talented, gold card is an option.

After living in Taiwan for 5 years on those visa, they can apply for permanent residency or naturalization.

2 Likes

As much as my parents love my daughter (and me), they’d never want to move here. Why do they want to join you exactly? Just to be close to you? Or are they seeking jobs, or a better life? Parents following their adult children here to settle down is not something I’ve ever heard of.

I would also suggest they look into the Gold Card. I have some friends who recently retired and they were able to come here because of it. There are different requirements depending on what industry you work in. Not sure what industry your parents have worked in in the past, but I know a couple of the categories just have income requirements which make it fairly easy to get.

I don’t know much about this one, but I wonder too if your parents could technically apply as your dependents? Then they would be able to stay as long as you are here.

I hope you’re able to figure something out. I think about this with my father-in-law too and wonder if he would ever be able to live here with us and enjoy his grandkids. I sure miss him!

Hi CTaitung,

  1. Yes, they are westerners who cannot speak Chinese
  2. Yes, they have travelled abroad and lived abroad

Hi Tando,

Thank you very much for all the info and links. I will use the time I have today to work my way through it.

Thanks again!

Hi Hannahjweav,

The Gold Card does look like a good option, however my father would not qualify I believe. He is a retired air traffic controller with 40 years of experience. None of the Gold Card employment categories seem to cater for that.

As Taiwanese say, strighforwraqd and honestly, bo ko ling ah! (Translation: no way Jose)

What people do is get their parenst in with visitor visas and leave every X number of months. Or get them fake jobs. Or fake spouses. But we currently are barely holding on to our children with recently opened “options” for them to stay. Parents not yet.

Also remember not all foreigners are treated the same. If you are from US or Europe, you have more leeway. If not, tough luck. Money helps too.

Not even the Economy category? From what I understand it’s just a salary requirement, although I could be reading this wrong: https://foreigntalentact.ndc.gov.tw/en/cp.aspx?n=128B875DE9CBEBE3&s=34CE1172A850A3A6

Hi Icon,

Thanks for the feedback. My inlaws have their own company so perhaps I can go that route.

Yeah, point 4 makes reference to people who have held ‘specialized or interdisciplinary positions at a … transportation … sector’. That may be it, Ill ask my dad to take that to the Taipei liaison office back home and see what they say.