Suppose I have met the five-year residency requirement (183 days/year) for APRC, do I need to maintain it between when I first become eligible and when the application is submitted? Let’s say the gap is two months and I am abroad for most of that two months. Does the NIA calculate the residency by looking back five years from the day before the application (most recent five years) or only the five-year period when I satisfied the requirement? If it’s the former, I may not be eligible anymore if my stays for the first year are in the first half and some days may now sit outside of the sliding window.
5 years of at least 183 days residency per year at the date of application
Thank you Mataiou for the clarification. So it’s essentially the most recent five years.
The reality seems to be more complex than that: If you’ve been eligible before (and don’t apply within a specific time frame!) you can forfeit the entire time:
If you apply once you become eligible, this shouldn’t matter - however, there are situations where - despite having 5 continuous years with 183+ days at the time of application, one might be ineligible.
Not sure about the exact background of your question, just keep that detail in mind!
I understand that you must file within two years of becoming eligible. That was why the guy was asked to wait for one more year, essentially for the eligibility window of his second five years because he forfeited his eligibility for the first one.
this
My hypothetical scenario is as follows,
From Jan 1st, 2021 to Jan 1st 2026 I stayed in Taiwan for exactly 183 days/year including the entire month of January of 2021. I am absent from Taiwan the entire month of January of 2026. If I file on Feb 1st 2026, I will be short 30 days if calculating for the most recent five years because January 2021 slid outside the five year window going backward.
From my understanding, you have until 1st January 2028 to apply for an APRC for this 5-year period (given that you still keep holding a valid ARC etc.!).
I don’t think that’s the case (if you already have fulfilled the required time before). But that contradicts what @Helpful1560 is saying - and they might be more knowledgeable than me in those laws. I just remember reading about those “eligibility windows” - if it’s just the most recent 5 years, then @Mataiou ‘s friend shouldn’t have had the issues he faced…
Best bet would be to ask at NIA when exactly you’ll become eligible for APRC and in which timeframe you need to apply. Usually, they should be able to tell you reliably.
I think both requirements must be met
- File within two years of becoming eligible
- Maintain 183 days/year in the most recent five years from the day before the application
Mataiou’s friend forfeited his eligility. The most recent five-year policy is also consistent with the treatment of application for Gold Card holders (an average of 183 days/year in the most recent 3 years). See Taiwan APRC FAQ 台灣永久居留常見問題
This is how it was explained to me by the APRC worker when I applied, but #2 was more like “Maintain 183 days/year in the most recent qualifying five years.” In other words, if you’ve met the 5 qualifying years, you could then not qualify for up to 2 years afterwards and still apply.
Perhaps I’m just repeating what others have already said. Anyway, that was back in 2013. Best to check at NIA, specifically with APRC rep, to verify.
Thank you for the reply. I think i had better inquire at NIA to get a definitive answer which I will report back.
Yes
I went to the NIA and was told that the five-year period is calculated backward from the day before the application is filed. Therefore you do need to maintain residency after you become eligible.