in Chinese
https://www.ndc.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=114AAE178CD95D4C&s=24C5E2428BD7D59A
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I went from visa free, to a vistor visa issued in Taiwan, to an ARC. But of course every case is different depending on who exactly you are dealing with and your exact situation. Anyway, I’ve always found NIA super helpful and flexible so I’d always try them with an unusual request and hope for the best.
(P.S. replying in this thread as its more relevant to the gold card than to the virus)
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Oh okay, that’s interesting. I’m just reporting what I was told by BOCA a couple of years ago during another stay in Taiwan (I was intending to apply for a job here and asking about extending the exemption then changing that to an ARC, but ultimately I decided against taking the job). I don’t know how it is with the gold card though.
Thanks for moving the discussion. I’m actually also in this thread (I have a recent post above about the application itself), but my question in the coronavirus thread was more relating to the best visa run destinations at the moment until we got sidetracked.
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Yea sorry, I think it might have been me that side tracked it too. 
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if you get a white collar job, most status can be converted to ARC without leaving taiwan.
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So the current situation is that I’m going to try to head over to the Straits Exchange Foundation office today or Monday (no e-mail address I could find on their website, of course) to ask about getting the certificate and patent verified.
Well…this has turned into a major ****ing hassle. I’ve just finished 45 min at the Straits Exchange Foundation office trying to clarify the situation.
The several staff members who assisted me were helpful and understanding, but apparently they can’t do anything with the documents I brought/uploaded (the postdoctoral certificate and a Chinese patent).
For the certificate, I apparently need to get the original notarized in Nanjing first (the original is currently at my dad’s house in the UK, although I guess I could get it sent over). Which seems to mean flying over to China with the original - something I’m obviously not keen to do right now for the sake of a sheet of paper - not to mention the fact that the university is closed at the moment and my former supervisor is stuck in another province for the foreseeable future. After that, and the mandatory 14 days somewhere outside of China before I’d be allowed back into Taiwan, the SEF might be able to help me more once I have the notarized certificate.
As for the patent (which is publicly available online, like most of these things nowadays), the SEF wasn’t quite sure. It may be that I need to first try to get a copy of the original patent certificate, presumably from the closed university, and then do something similar. I’m not sure whether that would also involve a trip to Beijing.
Honestly, this seems close to impossible at the moment. I’m definitely not going to be flying to China to verify a sheet of paper, at least for the next several months. I’m also not sure what other documentation I’ll be able to obtain to confirm what the MOL is asking for. I’m very tempted at the moment to just give up on this and let the application cancel itself in 6 months or whatever. 
everything related to Mainland China, they have special regulations.
When foreign workers whose academic credentials issued by Mainland China and with the certificates of working experiences in China, what documents required to be attached?
https://ezworktaiwan.wda.gov.tw/en/News_Content.aspx?n=35C4C6202979ECD0&sms=2D58889BB41F75D7&s=22BFC5A3D864DB06
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Yea, as I suspected then. I’d imagine most people are in a position where they can get someone to submit if for them to the public notaries in China.
Another layer of catch 22 is that visa agents in Taiwan - as far as I know - don’t process China visas unless you have an ARC, and you cant do visa free for a simple return trip.
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Yup, unfortunately it seems that you were correct…
Anyone knows, how much time we have to make first entry to Taiwan after getting gold card? Is there a limit for that?
Iiuc the post, before the expiration date of your gold card?
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But when does the time limit start? On pick up, or entry? And I was sure that I read that you can pick the card up after arrival in Taiwan …
I am sure it starts from when the card is issued. And the post says “the document, the expiry date is the same date as your Gold Card”. So, iiuc, there is printed the expiration date of the already issued gold card, which is waiting for you to be picked up in Taiwan.
When the card is issued that determines the expiry date. If you applied overseas you will get the Resident Authorization Form (basically a paper version of the card) to show immigration at the border.
Your card is printed and sits at the Immigration Center until such a time you collect it.
When I collected mine the agent at the counter looked through a stack of cards to find it.
To be clear, the expiry date is not counted from time of entry or pick-up.
I have checked my emails and expiry date and it seams to work like the below example:
Apply for 3 year duration Gold Card.
Received email on 2020-02-12 stating your application has been officially approved and is now entering the certification stage.
Gold Card expiry date will be 2023-02-12.
It took me a month from getting approved to entering Taiwan, though that didn’t change the expiry date.
Hope that helps clear things up.
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Thank you all for answers, just to make it clear, if i receive card at 2020-02-12 (with expire date 2023-02-12), and i make first entry to country after year in 2021-02-12, can officials cancel my card, becuase i haven’t used it last 1 year? Is there a limit in that term?
This is great and very clear. Exactly the answer I needed. Thanks.
“the employing company mainly provides tax related services, which doesn’t seem to be of the financial industry as stated in the Requirements and determination principles for “Foreign special professional” with financial expertise announced by the Financial Supervisory Commission. It is advised for you to change to another category or field that you may meet the criteria.”
Methinks they are clueless to the complexities of international business tax law. It doesn’t appear that I qualify under any other category.
Should I bother to write a letter in rebuttal?
Just apply under the “Economy” category and be done with it (if you made enough income). It seems that category is an umbrella category where you only have to fulfill the income requirements, regardless of what you do (for now).
I actually am very curious if anyone has applied in the Economy category, had the required income, and has been denied. Anyone?
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more than 90% of gold cards were issued under this category.
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My point exactly.