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.”
“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.
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”
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.
Hi there I have a similar question - however my situation is more difficult I guess - so I received my gold card for two years, - I just moved last year so stayed only one year in Taiwan and my card is going to expire soon (4 months). In the last 12 months I did not work, and to be honest there were no job opportunities at all, the year passed and I am not sure I will be able to extend my gold card without any income last year and still dont have a job. Any advices or should I start packing? Best, Seb
Your employment situation shouldn’t matter when renewing your Gold Card as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria.
If salary was one of the criteria you applied under, then you need to make sure you still earned the relevant salary within 3 years of the renewal application.
You dont need to renew within the same catagory as you initial application. I applied in S&T category 2 (this was before the Digital field came out) which is based on skills and they didn’t require anything related to my income.
You can see alternative categories if you no longer meet the one you initially applied under. Its best to apply early also as some catagories are more open and take longer to review.
My gold card expires on the 13th of june. I want to send out my extension application on the 2nd of May (so I can pay tax the day before and put the tax certificate into my application).
What if the processing time of the application takes longer than the 13th of june? Will I immediately get a problem or is there an easy way to solve it (by going to the immigration office for example)?
If possible, better apply soon an use the previous year’s statement (if that also shows enough income).
You definitely need to act in this case - don’t let your ARC (or Gold Card) expire even if you have an application pending!
You can apply for a job seeker ARC in this case - but better also do this a couple of weeks before the expiration.
Well, actually I am not using the income qualification (not fullfilling it right now), but rather the “professional skills” one (which I also used for the first gold card).
I just want to add the tax certificate to “prove” I still work in the same field while in Taiwan and contribute by paying taxes Not sure if it actually helps, but I assume it won’t harm the application.
Another problem with the job-seeking visa would be, that I couldn’t freelance anymore after my gold card expires and the new one has not been approved OR is still processing.
Yeah thanks for your opinion, I’m thinking about it ~
You could go to the tax office and ask to file your tax early.
Would need to go to NIA and request the 6 months ARC extension. This doesn’t include a work permit so can’t work until the Gold Card extension gets approved.
I have a similar question - however my situation is more difficult I guess - so I received my gold card for two years, - I just moved last year so stayed only one year in Taiwan and my card is going to expire soon (4 months). In the last 12 months I did not work, and to be honest there were no job opportunities at all, the year passed and I am not sure I will be able to extend my gold card without any income last year and still dont have a job. Any advices or should I start packing? Best, Seb
Not sure if it actually helps, but I assume it won’t harm the application.