Greetings everyone and thanks in advance for trying to help me with these question.
My wife is a Taiwanese citizen and we are planning to move back to Taiwan on 9/20. I’m an American citizen and currently trying to meet all the requirements for being accepted into Taiwan.
This is what I believe I need to do and what I’ve done so far:
Criminal background check from FBI (completed. I received it in the mail from them yesterday).
Get this document translated and notarized? Mail both copies along with money order (how much?) to TECRO in DC?
Get health certificate for residence application. Where do I find the specific requirements for this certification? What medical tests do I need to take?
Covid test with negative result 72 hours before flight. How can I time this properly? Are there special facilities that can provide immediate results after I test?
I believe I need to bring all of this paperwork to Taiwan and file it once I’m there. How long do I have after I finish the 15 day quarantine to complete this?
I had a minor marijuana possession on my criminal background from 1999 when I was 20 years old. Will this cause me any problems with applying for ARC when I’m in Taiwan?
Is there anything I’m missing in my requirements check list?
Thank you all again for any help you can provide. I’m feeling over whelmed by this process.
One question i have is , i think (After you make it thru paperhell)they want you to apply to change your status within 15 days of arrival.
But with qt how is that possible?
Is there a rule change for that?
I think actually qt is 14 days so you must go to boca on the 15th day?
I think your list looks good,i hope they are only looking for felony charges. There are many veteran posters here they may chime in.
Sorry about your kid… i have a issue with a woman as she refuses to share a child in two countries!!
Fathers lives matter!*^#€¥£~
I will be going thru the same process, but im in tw riding on extensions currently waiting for a way to stay here without traveling into the sick world
You or your agent should convert your resident visa to ARC within 15 days, but now they may give you a 60 day visitor visa with a special entry permit instead of a resident visa, then you change it to ARC in Taiwan.
Just wanted to clarify that it sounds like you’re looking to get the JFRV visa (a sticker in your passport) while you’re still in the US.
Note that I did mine while in Taiwan, so this may not be correct (but is my best guess) – I’d definitely call TECRO in DC to verify the process before submitting your application (or have your wife call and ask in Chinese)
I believe you’d submit all of the paperwork to your local TECRO office and they would give you a JFRV visa (stamp in your passport) that you could enter Taiwan on, and not be carrying the documents with you to Taiwan
I do not actually believe that you need to get the FBI background check translated and notarized if applying for the visa at TECRO in DC (you can call and ask to make sure though). If applying for a jfrv visa at a local TECRO, you may still need to get the background check notarized in English at the DC TECRO, but I do not believe you need to get it translated if applying for the visa at a TECRO office in the States.
Does your wife have household registration (forgetting the Chinese now, but the document that lists all family members living at a particular house in Taiwan)? I’m not sure if that’s something that goes away if you move abroad, but if she does, then I think you’ll need to submit all documents on this list to TECRO DC get your JFRV…
If she does have Household Registration, are you on it? If not it may be a pretty big scramble to get you added onto it and printed out before 09/20 (not how that’s done abroad?)
I have no idea how quarantine would work, as you have to take your JFRV visa and change it to an ARC (a little plastic card like a green card) within 15 days of landing (Notice #6on the link above)… maybe they expect you to do it on the 15th day?
The health check has to have specific tests done and in the US might be fairly expensive… Perhaps your local TECRO could help you out by directing you to a specific hospital to go to (or a document of tests you need, I can’t find one at the moment)
Another option that you can consider (though I’m not sure if they are issuing Visitor visas of any kind right now, again check with TECRO) is as tando suggested to get a “Visitor Visa for Visiting Relatives” (a sticker in your passport).
I believe that you’d still need the above mentioned Household Registration doc, but it looks like you’re name doesn’t have to be on it (maybe?)
You’d then probably need to submit a marriage certificate if your name is not on the Household Registration – really not sure how this part would work
Then after entering Taiwan on this visitor visa (valid for 60 days), you’d have to change it over to an ARC by the 52nd day (which should give you plenty of time to get through the quarantine)
You would then bring your FBI background check with you and need to get it translated into Chinese. You’d need to get it notarized (just the English copy) in TECRO DC first, before bringing it over. Then translated into Chinese (my wife did it herself, there are blog posts online, make sure the number of sentences match exactly). Then get the translation notarized by a notary office in Taiwan (like $800NTD)
You could then also get the health check done here, which would be considerably easier (and probably cheaper)
If you needed to get added to the Household Registration, this would definitely be easier to do in Taiwan
I believe that this way is a little more expensive as you’re essentially paying for 2 visas (the visitor one first, and then the jfrv one), but you’d probably more than make up for it on the costs of the health check and hassle
I wrote a list of documents that they looked for once in Taiwan here
Good luck! In any case, I’d definitely give TECRO in the US a ring to see what they recommend
I am going through the same process and might be able to help clarify a few points. I’ve been on the phone with TECRO office and TECRO DC multiple times.
No you don’t need to get the FBI background check translated, but you need to get it certified by the TECRO DC office.
There is no list of accepted hospitals for the US so any US hospital should do. Here’s the link to the form:
I just wanted to thank everyone here for their thoughtful responses. It really help my wife and I with trying to figure out the entire process. My only real concern is the marijuana possession from 1999. Here in the US something like this isn’t a big deal but I realize that in Taiwan they have a different perception about these types of things. I feel regret now that I never took the time to get this expunged when I was younger. It was a very small amount when I was in my youth. If anyone knows anything about ARC and how strict they are about this issue please let me know. I believe I recall someone somewhere stating a record which goes back 10 years. Well this was over 20 years ago so I’m hoping it’s not viewed as relevant! So stressed about this ugggg… In my 40s I’m the healthiest person you can imagine this issue happened when I was basically a child.
Hi, did you already get a special covid entry visa to enter Taiwan from your local TECO? Or is your plan to simply fly to Taiwan with your wife and then show your papers to the immigration officer at the arrival terminal and hope they let you in? I think both are supposedly viable routes but the second one seems a bit risky to me in that what if the immigration officer decides your paperwork is insufficient – would you then be turned back to the US?
For US citizens, I believe the pre-covid visa-exempt entry is currently suspended so I’m not sure what the backup plan would be if they deem your documents insufficient to enter Taiwan. Would be genuinely interested to hear your experience if you go this route.
While you’re still in the US and if you have time, here are some actions that I’d suggest if you haven’t done them already:
Get FBI check’s English version authenticated by TECRO in DC. Then, translate it using a template you can find online (message me if you can’t find this) and then authenticate the Chinese version at your local TECO (unless you also happen to live in DC? In which case I think you could do both at the DC TECRO). Note: the “authentication” process is different from having it “notarized” or “certified” – authentication of the FBI check’s English version can only be done by the TECRO in DC (because the FBI issues the document from DC), whereas the FBI check’s Chinese version can be authenticated at your local TECO if you show up in person and sign the translation in front of them. If you don’t do this in the US, I believe you can get the translation “notarized” but the notarization must be done by a notary in Taiwan (cannot be done by a US notary), and I hear Taiwan notaries are expensive (it’s not like the US where you can go to a bank and get things notarized for a few bucks or free). Each authentication at a TECRO/TECO costs US$15. Even if you got the translation notarized in the US, I believe that’s still not acceptable – unless the notarized translation is also authenticated at a local TECO.
(By the way, while you are on this step, you might be able to find out more about your minor marijuana possession concern from TECRO. In my experience they’re one of the nicer overseas missions and they’ve been responsive and helpful on emails. Plus they presumably see minor infractions on FBI reports on a somewhat regular basis since they’re the only overseas mission that can authenticate FBI background checks so perhaps they can give you an idea of how problematic it might be when it’s used for an ARC application in Taiwan.)
Ask your doctor how much it’d cost to fill out the health check form. Doing it in Taiwan costs roughly US$50-$70, I think, so if you could get it done for less here then why not. Also factor in that if you do it in the US, the completed health check form itself needs to be authenticated by your local TECO so add in US$15 to your doctor’s costs plus the TECO wait time. Note that the Tuberculosis test portion likely requires a lung x-ray even if you’ve never had TB before, so make sure the quote your doctor gives you is all-inclusive of the items needed to fill out the form. Also be sure that after your doctor signs all 3 signature lines on the form, ask the office manager/receptionist to stamp the “logo” section on page 1 and seal the envelope and stamp the sealed flap of the envelope. I know, it sounds over the top, but I was standing in line at my local TECO and heard the lady next to me get rejected for her authentication request because her medical check form was not delivered to them in a sealed and stamped envelope.
If your marriage certificate is issued outside of Taiwan, then make sure it gets authenticated by the TECO that governs the jurisdiction that the certificate was issued (so for example, if you got married in Georgia, you’d need to mail it to the Atlanta TECO, not your local TECO). Then, translate using a template and authenticate the Chinese version at your local TECO.
I hope this helps. I’ll caveat all this by saying I’m going through a similar process myself with my spouse and we’re still in the US, so a lot of the information above is gathered from other posters on this forum and also from asking a lot of questions at TECOs. Each TECO seems to operate differently, and these days with covid the wait to authenticate a document at a local TECO might be a week with inflexible pick-up times so if you plan to do any of the above before you go, make sure you call and check wait times in advance. If you don’t have time, then you can skip the authentication of the Chinese translations and just pay the Taiwan notaries, but I would make sure to get the FBI check authenticated in DC and also your marriage certificate authenticated before you go if you got married outside of Taiwan. Otherwise, you might have to risk mailing originals back to the States.
I hope you can share your experience if you got a Visitor Visa or a Resident Visa combined with the covid special entry permit. Plus your experience of applying for the ARC after arriving for 14 days of quarantine. I’m trying to do the same so any advice would be appreciated!
If you tried to fly to Taiwan with just your documents you wouldn’t even get on the plane. Do not try that. You have to get your visa through the TECO office. You will also need your negative covid test 72 hrs before departure. Finding testing that is fast enough can be tricky depending where you live.
One item to note is to get your health check notarized. If your doctor doesn’t have one in the office, you’ll have to bring one. My check ended up costing over $300 after insurance since I didn’t have my immunization record and had to do antigen blood tests instead for every vaccine.
The 72 hr limit is 3 BUSINESS days (or at least it was back in July). So take a COVID PCR test on Thursday morning, and you have until Tuesday to depart on the first leg of the flight to Taiwan. That’s what we did - we got our COVID test results back on Sunday morning and left the US on Sunday evening via Seoul. To make things simpler, we got the COVID special entry permit (visiting relatives) and then applied for a Gold Card once we got here (no health or background check required). Good luck.
Can you clarify this – do you mean authenticated by TECO rather than notarized (by a US notary public)?
If the health check is done outside of Taiwan, I didn’t think it was an option to simply get it notarized by a foreign notary public, I thought the requirements said that the health check needed to be authenticated by TECO. Did it work for you without the TECO authentication? And if I may ask, where did you submit the health check (the NIA or BOCA or both)?
Good tip on the 3 business days language – thanks!
The Gold Card route is so streamlined and attractive. It really is tempting. What I’m about to say is more of a theoretical idea/gripe but I’m not sure I understand why the authorities don’t consider applying the same well-run online application process and simplified paperwork requirements from the Gold Card side to those who can otherwise qualify to live and work in Taiwan via blood or spousal ties to a path of full nationality.
For example, if you think you have the skills to qualify for a Gold Card, but you also happen to be born abroad to Taiwanese parents, it seems that you would likely choose to apply via the latter route and not the Gold Card route. This is because there’s a path to full nationality after living in Taiwan for 365 days (or non-consecutive multi-year options), whereas the Gold Card doesn’t seem to offer this and must be reapplied for at least once every 3 years. But the parental route requires a mountain of paperwork such as the FBI check, health check, authentications, translations, etc. Skilled and talented people get deterred by this! And perversely, this might deter skilled and talented Taiwanese descendants. If the goal is to attract talented people worldwide to contribute to Taiwan, seems to me like the systems could be more efficient if they meshed and reconciled – such that if you can submit financials/skills/advanced degrees or whatever proof Gold Card applicants typically provide, then you get to bypass the health, background check, translation and other burdensome requirements and still can have a path to full nationality.
The health check was first notarized by a US public notary. I then submitted the health check along with the authentication form to my local TECO office. Because the health check was conducted in the same jurisdiction as the TECO office, they were able to authenticate (after confirming the form was notarized).
The only reason you send the FBI background check to DC is because the background check comes from Virginia under the TECO DC’s jurisdiction.
Ok understood, so you had your health form both notarized and authenticated. Maybe different local TECOs have different requirements for authentication of the health check then, because my TECO didn’t require a notarization but what they did require was for the doctor to seal sign, stamp the front page, seal the envelope, and then stamp the seal envelope itself. I submitted my completed health form inside this sealed & stamped envelope along with the authentication form to my local TECO (without the health check form first being notarized) plus $15 and it was accepted and authenticated. The blue authentication document says “This document has been seen at the TECO in [locality]” whereas because yours is notarized so I’m guessing yours might say something along the lines of “This is to certify that the Signature/Seal of the Notary Public of [locality] is authentic”? Either way, the health check is considered properly authenticated at that point.
In any case, I’m adding a data point here that I’m not certain notarization is always required in order for TECO to authenticate the health check – perhaps TECOs’ policies are inconsistent or perhaps it could be different based on what type of application the health check is submitted to support (visa, TARC, ARC, etc.) Best to check directly with the local TECO one is dealing with.
EDIT: After posting the above, I just dug up the detailed instructions my local TECO provided and I see that they said the health check should either be sealed & stamped or notarized. So that makes sense that I chose the former whereas @Malasang88 chose the latter. Anyway, still safer to confirm directly with the local TECO.
There is a legislative initiative to reform the process and better align the paths to citizenship. I believe the Gold Card allows the holder to leave and return to Taiwan without restriction, whereas the birthright path requires you to stay in Taiwan 365 days consecutively (unless you are under 20 in which case you immediately become a Taiwan citizen).
TECO explained to me that the limit is three days between the date on the PCR test report & flight time, not three days between the date the PCR test was administered & the flight time (& yes excluding weekends in the counting). That was good news. What wasn’t clear to me was which flight time – only the international flight or any domestic flight that is part of the trip? For example, the domestic carrier that brought me to the international departure told me over the phone days before that they would not ask me at the ticket counter for my Taiwan “Health Declaration of Quarantine System for Entry”. The carrier said that was for the international carrier. Yet when I checked in to my domestic flight, the ticket agent did ask for the certificate.
From experience, I wouldn’t trust what TECO said - would go by whatever the airline ticket agent says. I believe if the ticket has a domestic connection (e.g., part of same ticket), then the 3 day pertains to the domestic flight time. Never figured out how time zones fit in (e.g., departing at a 12:50 am flight counted as an extra day).
@Taiwanyear That is good news. I don’t suppose we have the good fortune of this TECO explanation having been put in an email to you or otherwise in writing on a website though, right? Because I agree with JohnTN that a verbal explanation is probably not going to go far with an obstinate airline agent or immigration official if either chooses to take an alternative interpretation.
I suppose it’s a good scenario if the only time you’re required to show the certificate is the first domestic flight that brings you to the international departure, because that is much more likely to be within 3 working days of the PCR report date. Were there any points in other parts of the journey (such as during your transfer to the international flight or after arriving in Taiwan immigration) where you had to also show the certificate, and did they count
the days differently?
It seems potentially problematic if let’s say one’s most affordable flight option were Maine-Dallas-Seoul-Taiwan. After all those flight hours and connection wait times inside the airports of Dallas & Seoul, the certificate might have already expired by the time one boards the Seoul-Taiwan segment.
I reviewed some BOCA webpages & I don’t know where are all the statements of the three-day requirement. There may be several points in the journey where a traveler has to show either “Health Declaration of Quarantine System for Entry” or the PCR report or both, including domestic ticket agent, international ticket agent or gate, CDC agent upon arrival, & immigration agent (last step before taxi/bus to quarantine). The immigration agent took the most time to review the documents, it seemed, though no one questioned the three day count from test report date to travel. It will go more smoothly upon arrival if one already has already completed the “Health Declaration of Quarantine System for Entry” with a SIM card that works in Taiwan, since the cell phone is key for communication with authorities during quarantine. If not, SIM card purchase is the first step upon arrival.
Q11:If a traveler transfers to Taiwan through a third country, which voyage is the three-day period of a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result based on?
A11:In principle, the three-day period would be counted from the first boarding time. However, if the traveler transfers through and stays in a third country for more than 3 days, the three-day period would refer to three days prior to boarding the following connecting flight to Taiwan.