I would like to understand the realities of applying for a Taiwan Employment Gold Card extension. According to the information provided in Validity & Extension | Taiwan Gold Card (nat.gov.tw):
“Please note that the application button is different for the ‘re-application’ and the ‘extension,’ although the required documents are the same. In both cases, you must continue to meet the criteria you previously qualified for. If you change any criteria, then you will need to meet the qualifications of the new criteria.”
On the other hand, the Gold Card Holders FAQ states:
“A ‘renewal’ is almost the same as a new application. Your ‘renewal’ application will still go through skill assessment like your first one, and it has been stated that your activities in Taiwan during your first card will form part of the assessment. Keep this in mind when planning your time in Taiwan - you must still meet the qualification criteria in order to receive another card. As of February 2021, the ‘renewal’ capability in the Application Portal has just become available. It is rumoured to be faster than a first-time application as parts such as the passport verification step may be skipped.”
Has anyone encountered any issues when renewing their Gold Card or it is a straightforward process?
The FAQ basically means that “renewing” is the same process as “reapplying”. So there is no simplification in the process for card holders (except that they auto-add all documents from your previous application).
You still need to meet the same application criteria as a new applicant - if you qualified by salary, you still need to earn that salary which might not be the case for everyone. And you definitely need more recent proof of salary. If you qualified by having a PhD or something, the renewal should be really straightforward, on the other hand.
2 Likes
Any real-life experience of renewing the gold card by salary requirement? Any additional document requested during the renewal process described below in FAQ mentioned earlier?
"and it has been stated that your activities in Taiwan during your first card will form part of the assessment”
I uploaded my tax certificate from Taiwan which they accepted without any issues.
2 Likes
Upload your Taiwan tax filings during the time you had the original Gold Card.
2 Likes
Is there anything about your case that isn’t straight forward? Assuming you lived and paid tax as a resident then it’s pretty straight forward to renew
It would become less straightforward if one initially qualifies through salary and then either doesn’t work in Taiwan or works a local job with a lower salary. Not sure if the OP is in that situation, but it seems to be rather common.
In that case, the suggestion is usually to apply for a (job-seeking) ARC extension and go directly to an APRC (given that one has stayed and average of 183+ days per year during the duration of their three-year Gold Card).
I am exactly in that situation and I am planning to get the 2-year gold card strategically. I was thinking I can use the salary qualification (tax return) that technically can be any year in the past 3 years. For example, if I apply for the gold card in 2024, upon renewal in 2026 I can still use my tax return in 2023 (same tax return when I originally apply for the gold card) for renewal.
Or I have to show tax return in Taiwan upon renewal?
Technically, the renewal shouldn’t have any additional requirements compared to the initial application.
So if your foreign tax return was accepted in the initial application, I’d say chances are high that they would also accept it in a renewal (unless it has become too old). So I’d say your plan sounds feasible.
However, there is no guarantee: The ministry reviewing your application could still ask for a Taiwan tax return if you stayed in Taiwan during those years. And the rules can always change. YMMV.
If you can, that route would definitely be the “safer” approach as it has apparently been used be quite some people. You don’t even need to qualify for a Gold Card a second time or pay the application fee twice.
Very good suggestion, qwert_zuiop. Maybe I can still apply the gold card renewal 4 months before expiry. If it is rejected, I can still get the (job-seeking) ARC extension to apply for APRC.