Which poses the question - how do I tell them I have no address in Taiwan first… I think on the change address I can only put a Taiwan address - not a foreign one, right?
I wonder if I can even re-enter without having an updated gold card with correct passport number…
I think the amendment on extension etc. is not effective yet.
Hey folks! Is the Gold Card no longer a friendly option for freelancers, specifically in the Arts & Culture category?
I looked on the website and it looks like their requirements for Arts & Culture have changed greatly this past month. You now must have previously served as a member / employee of an international arts organization, have won a major award (or judged a major award), with W-2 or employment certificates as proof.
In the past, the guidelines were more vague, “made special contributions to your field and have over 5 years of experience.”
For my situation, I have won grants from the MacArthur foundation, NEA, Sundance, Smithsonian Institutes, (amongst others) have over 5 years experience, and I qualify for the >NTD160K category within this year. But I was just told that they need proof that I was an executive of a major record company or sent me a list of awards that I needed (Grammy, Oscar, Cannes, etc.) 
I’ve seen other people who aren’t famous or haven’t won those kinds of awards, have a small scale freelance business, some non-profit qualifications, or are even YouTubers as well get the Gold Card. Is it me or have the requirements gotten much more strict? 
Why is this?
And for those who have been denied from Gold Card - what are some other options you can pursue for visa as a freelance artist?
thanks a bunch!!!
You can apply for your work permit as a freelance artist. The bar is slightly lower than gold card, iirc.
Work Permit and Administration for Foreigners Engaging the Artistic Work
You will find more information on Chinese site of EZ Work Taiwan .
Google translate of the qualification
Permits and Management Measures for Foreign Professionals to Engage in Art Work Article 4 Work Qualifications
Category Work qualification
Performance and visual arts
Should meet one of the following qualifications:
- Have more than ten years of working experience in the art field you are applying for, with originality and special performance.
- Obtain a domestic and foreign master’s degree and have more than five years of working experience in the applied art field, or have a domestic and foreign doctorate degree and have more than three years of working experience in the applied art field.
- Have originality and special performance in the field of art, and have a recommendation or certification document issued by the official agency of the country to which it belongs.
Publishing business: Those who have more than eight years of working experience in the publishing field they are applying for and meet one of the following qualifications:
- Served as editor-in-chief or senior supervisor of internationally important newsprint, magazine media, publishing house.
- Has won important awards in literature, comics and related fields in its home country or internationally.
- Have originality and special performance in the publishing field, and have a recommendation or certification document issued by the official agency of the country to which it belongs.
Movies, radio and television and popular music
Should meet one of the following qualifications: - Has been shortlisted for important awards in the fields of film, radio and television, and popular music in my country, the country where the applicant belongs or internationally.
- Served as an international medium-sized or above film, radio and television, popular music legal person or middle-level supervisor or above.
- Have originality and special performance in the fields of film, radio and television and popular music, and issue relevant certification documents.
The important awards specified in the first point of the preceding paragraph shall comply with the announcement of the Ministry of Culture.
The craftsmanship should meet one of the following qualifications:
- Has been shortlisted for domestic or internationally recognized craft related competitions.
- Previously taught in the engineering department (institute) of foreign colleges and universities, and has the qualifications of associate professor (including) or above.
- Have originality and special performance in the field of crafts, and have a recommendation or certification document issued by the official agency of the country to which it belongs.
Other special cases have been reviewed and confirmed by the Ministry of Culture
1 Like
Shouldn’t be much of an issue, tough. For many people that might actually be more convenient compared to going to the TECO twice.
1 Like
interesting. So they actually changed the language on the official website? And who exactly was it who told you this:
I was approved in April and I’m certainly not famous or super accomplished. I have decent credentials across several arts categories and happy to answer any specific questions you have.
As for backup options, as Tando noted there is an artist work permit which supposedly has slightly looser requirements. You could also explore the Entrepreneur Visa route.
1 Like
I have no residential address on my new gold card. It seems that, I need a residential address to open a bank account. How long will the whole process take before I can open the bank account?
Update your address online. Pick up new card at NIA, I assume. Normally it sounds like it’s two weeks after address change approval but with COVID restrictions in place, not sure. Maybe someone else has done it recently can chime in. But technically, you’re supposed to do it within 30 days once you’ve moved into the new address.
Any news on the halt on visa processing to be removed after aug9?
No updates or changes since the last notice.
Just curious. Are GC holders allowed to enter TW borders yet? US citizen here with GC in hand but held off going because of the lock down. I read level 3 somewhere denied ARC (GC holders) people entry.
Were never denied entry, actually. Even the Resident Authorization Certificate will suffice if one doesn’t have the physical card.
I myself entered with “Resident Authorization Certificate” last month.
So, I’m prepping here being proactive while waiting to do my passport inspection, and need to start working on ARCs and Resident Visas for the rest of my family (wife & kid). One process which may end up being a pain, is having our marriage certificate authenticated. Great, not a problem… unless you were married overseas. Which happens to be, in Italy.
I reached out to the Ufficio Consolare di Taipei, Taiwan in Italia via email and they came back with instructions on what to do. It’s… very involved.
Long story short, I’d rather just hire someone, service, or company in Italy to do this for me via a Power of Attorney that I have to have notarized TWICE, once by your typical notary, and then my local TECO has to authenticate the POA and notarize it too. But I’m unsure where to start looking for whom might be able to do it for me. Otherwise, I’d have to figure out a way to fly to Italy to handle this myself. Of course, the backup and easier option (least here in the U.S.) is just to run down to the local county courthouse and get married… “again”. But it seems like a tacky solution… although the easiest and cheapest one too.
Any help, suggestions, even off the cuff comments, welcomed. Thanks in advance.
P.S. If you think the bureaucracy in Taiwan seems bad, you haven’t dealt with government and public services in Italy… 
EDIT: In case you want to see how involved it is… here are the instructions I was given.
So new ARC’s are not possible right now? Dang… I hope that changes in the next couple of months. I wanted to celebrate the new years in Taipei 
Any help confirming this on TW’s immigration website? I had trouble navigating to find this info
Residence Permit Holders have never been denied entry into Taiwan. You’d hear about the outcry if that was the case.
Do you mind sharing how the Resident Authorization Certificate look like?