So the previous announcement said visa processing for gold card halted until Jan 10. Today is Jan 10 and I no longer see any note. So…does this mean it’s for real, seriously open to all now?? Not just “urgent cases?” 
Level 2 epidemic alert was extended to January 24th.
oh pssshh. Ok thanks. Interesting that this is the first time in several months that the gold card website doesn’t update to the new date.
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Ah yeah, so gold card website wise the method of notification has changed and would now need to refer to the Covid Announcement news page which has January 24th rather than the banner that previously had been used.
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I hope it’s ok to ask this here, but what’s the latest about arrival quarantine?
Is there any way to get around the 2 week prison sentence hotel stay?
No. And it’s probably going to become more strict.
For applicants who get stuck at the Passport Inspectation stage:
I’ve helped four of my clients to have their passports verified in their local missions in the past couple of months. Now they are all permitted to enter Taiwan with R.O.C. Resident Authorization for overseas applicants.
I use the route that’s provided by the Gold Card office:
“If you are at the Passport Inspection Stage and you or your family have an urgent need to enter Taiwan, are fully vaccinated, and are not coming from high-risk countries, please fill in the online form. We will try to help you expedite your passport inspection and apply for emergency visas for your family to enter Taiwan.”
Only one of my clients has got an offer from a Taiwanese company. The rest of them are not employed by any Taiwanese company. None of them have family in Taiwan. So basically none of them really have an ‘urgent need’ to enter Taiwan.
I did phone up the Gold Card office to ask them to clarify the ‘urgent need’. I feel that they just need a reason/excuse to put you on the list. I asked them if the applicants need to provide any document to support their ‘urgent need’ to come to Taiwan. They told me that they won’t vet it. So I’ve come to the conclusion that all I need to do is to come up with a reason for them.
Such as:
（1） I already made an plan to immigrate to Taiwan with my family toward the end of 2021. I’d like to let my two children enroll in a Taiwanese school before the new academic term begins.
or (2) My company has some customers in Taiwan. I’d like to move to Taiwan and visit them on behalf of my company as soon as possible.
After you write an email to the gold card office (or fill out their online form mentioned above), they’ll send your case to National Development Council (NDC). and then NDC will put you on the list and send it to CDCC. Once the CDCC approves, the NDC will send an official document to your local TECO by email. Once the TECO receives this official document, they will ask the applicant to submit his/her passport.
This process takes 1-2 weeks. But three of my clients have encountered problems communicating with local TECO missions. The Gold Card office told them that the relevant documents have been sent by the NDC to the TECO office, but TECO office claimed that they didn’t receive it. After back and forth comunication with TECOs, BOCA, the NDC, and the Gold Card office for about a month, the TECOs magically found the email and told my clients to submit their passports.
Hope all the information above is helpful.
Previous articles:
- Post-submission Gold Card review process:
The Employment Gold Card Super-Thread - #2976 by yixianosaurus - Can I switch my current Visitor Visa to a Gold Card without leaving Taiwan?
The Employment Gold Card Super-Thread - #3039 by yixianosaurus
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I’m trying to apply while presently in Taiwan but the application is rejected immediately due to having arrived on a Working Holiday visa. I have to go to immigration every month with proof of an airline-cancelled flight to renew for another month - marginally better than leaving and trying to squeeze through passport inspection for now. I left my job in May 2020 so the clock is ticking for meeting the salary requirement. 有點麻煩
Have you witnessed anybody break through while stationed in Taiwan on a Working Holiday visa? Is it as impenetrable as it seems?
A Working Holiday Visa cannot be transferred to a Gold Card (except France Working Holiday).
If you are on one of these visas your application will be rejected: for Foreign Officials and their Family (FO), International Conference Visa (IM), Trade Exhibition or other Events Visa (IM), Medical Visa (M), Working Holiday Visa (WH/YM) (except France Working Holiday), Studying Mandarin Chinese Visa (FR).
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If you entered Taiwan with Working Holiday Visa, except for France Working Holiday Visa, you cannot switch to any other type of visa without leaving Taiwan due to the principles of mutual benefit and reciprocity between ROC and your home country.
This information was confirmed by BOCA, the National Immigration Center, and the Gold Card Office in late 2021.
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Hi everyone,
My application has been stuck at “Consulting with National Development Council" for more than 3 weeks. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks!
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@D13 Can you share a bit more about your application here? Like what field and subcatogory did you apply under? And what was your status prior to “Consulting with National Development Council"?
Previously you didn’t need to go through the NDC to get Gold Card approval. Only when you already reach the Passport Inspection stage and you have an ‘urgent need’ to enter Taiwan, then you will need to ask the Gold Card Office to send your case to the NDC. And then the NDC will put you on a list for special permit to enter. (as described in this post: The Employment Gold Card Super-Thread - #3306 by yixianosaurus)
One possible explanation for this is that they’ve changed the procedure and automatically pass all the new cases (those who are qualified for Gold Card) to the NDC for speical entry permit. It usually takes one to two week for the NDC to send an offical email to your location TECO to inform them to have your passport verified. If it is the case and it’s been stuck there for three weeks, then it’s better to call the Gold Card Office.
Previous articles:
- Post-submission Gold Card review process:
The Employment Gold Card Super-Thread - #2976 by yixianosaurus - Can I switch my current Visitor Visa to a Gold Card without leaving Taiwan?
The Employment Gold Card Super-Thread - #3039 by yixianosaurus
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Sounds like you’re one of the rare people in the new NDC Special Review process. I’d call/email the Gold Card Office for an update.
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My application is at the Passport inspection stage, and after emailing helpdesk with my urgent reason to be in Taiwan, they said they will provide the special entry permit list to the National Development Council.
My question is, those who went through this process, how long did take for the NDA to do their approval process?
@D13 Please keep us updated on your application, and how it goes. I will also be in the NDC Special Review category, and any information you could share about the new process would be greatly appreciated.
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It was quick for me. Less than a week from the time NDC had to NIA approving. My application got approved in the end of December. Heading to Taiwan in 2 weeks.
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Oh I originally applied via the salary option. Then it got referred to NDC by MOL under special review.
Ah congrats! Were you referred to NDC under special review case?
nice, enjoy
I want to go soon too, but just the though of 2 week quarantine scares me. I’ve done one before in Japan and it was awful
I arrived in Taiwan a few days ago and started the 2 week quarantine, 1 week at a hotel then 1 week at home. Unfortunately wasn’t able to use the gold card. I was approved ~6 months back but was stuck at passport inspection stage so finally gave up and got a partner visitor visa.
Be warned the on-arrival PCR test is severe - deepest one I’ve had! Everyone came out with watering eyes. 