@fifieldt do I understand the following paragraph from the taiwangoldcard website correctly: when applying for APRC while on a gold card, the APRC will have different (more) perks if it is after 3 full years on GC, compared to applying after for example 3y ARC + 2y GC.
So, basically to get a “GC APRC”, you need 3 years GC?
Does my time on a regular ARC pre-gold-card count towards the 3 years?
No. Though keep in mind ‘regular’ APRC after 5 years is probably still an option for you.
yes
I haven’t looked at gold card that much yet as it does not apply to me.
Way to go to make APRC’s even more convoluted by ways someone got them.
IMHO all APRC’s should be the same. It is already dumb that ‘work ARC’ → APRC is different than ‘family ARC’ → APRC.
Permanent residence is permanent residence; why give different rights/‘perks’?
Continue to be able to sponsor parents/grandparents for a longer visitor visa than other residents
Wow. I am floored how unfair that is.
Automatic open work permit
Not that big of a deal, but why not all APRC’s have that anyway?
My biggest concern for now, although my turn to apply will be next year and things might hopefully change for the better, is that NIA seems to be disconnected from reality. As of now, they have not updated their SOP to cater for those Gold Card holders who (the majority, I guess) do not have a Taiwanese employer and cannot provide the required official certification with red stamps on it. From what I have heard, what it takes now is a lot of trips back and forth, probably some voice raising and eventually e-mailing a director of some department to ask for an exception. Not very encouraging.
The best solution would be to integrate the APRC application within the Gold Card platform to bypass NIA and let them deal with it internally, but it seems (not their fault) that there is no budget nor sufficient resources allocated for this. I just hope that the NIA’s SOP gets updated with a clear list of documents to provide for those who don’t have a Taiwanese employer.
Working on it.
Case studies of highly skilled/qualified gold card holders who can’t meet the financial/skill requirements for APRC are would be helpful. Welcome by PM or email to the Gold Card helpdesk.
(PS - the gold card application portal is run by NIA)
Wow… I thought it is going to take some before it “goes LIVE”. Since the answer mentions: calculated from your first entry, I am guessing if you collected it here then it is calculated from that day. @fifieldt do you think it is the case?
Then I think I am actually qualified since I am on my second term now.
Thanks for the information guys (and for the website @fifieldt )
It’s not at all. They don’t understand that other companies around the world don’t operate in the same way as Taiwanese firms.
Often the easiest solution is just to generate the paperwork yourself to satisfy them. You can’t change their mindset, so you need to work with it. This is why Taiwan will never be a global hub and always a relative backwater.
Of all the things transmitted via the Brass Monkey, they seem to be the most concerned about Covid: Facebook
Thanks for the reminder @fifieldt I thought that with the opening of the Gold Card Office the platform was no longer under NIA’s wings. Please take all as constructive feedback: I know how hard you guys are working to smoothen up things and probably as frustrated as we “outsiders” are at times.
To add to your post, I arrived in Taiwan yesterday using the one time use Resident Authorization form that is downloaded from the application portal after your GC is approved.
Yes, the on-arrival PCR test is severe if it is your first time receiving a COVID test in Taiwan. They go deep. But thankfully it was only 3 seconds and only in one nostril.
Other observations: After you land at TPE, when you get off the plane, you will be directed go to the waiting area of the gate that you arrived at. The people working the COVID tests are all in HAZMAT gear and covered from head to toe. They tell you (in Mandarin) to turn on the local Taiwan phone that you registered with when you completed the Quarantine Entry for System (https://hdhq.mohw.gov.tw/Default1). You will receive a text message and all it asks is to input the last 6 digits of your passport number and click submit. This will add a new page to your Quarantine Entry for System called Health Declaration Certificate. Now you have a total of 4 pages. TAKE SCREENSHOTS OF ALL FOUR PAGES! The people working in the waiting area will come by and assist if needed. The airport will scan the first page multiple times. I asked what if someone doesn’t have a local Taiwan number and a person working there said that they can leave the area to go buy a SIM card, but they would have to re-do the Quarantine Entry for System. Thankfully I have a local number.
They will then call you by the last 4 digits of your passport number to come up and collect a big stick that put on your clothing. From there you go take your test by a technician. After that you will wait until they call (in Mandarin) the number on your sticker. Once your number is called, you go up and they verify your passport and providing you test negative, you’re on your way to the next station. I didn’t see anyone get whisked away. Perhaps they call those people last.
Next station is to pick up 4 home test kits and to scan your phone again. You take a test on days 3, 7, 10, & 21. You don’t have to report negatives to anyone. However, if you test positive, you must call 1922 to let them know. The police/health rep who called me today said this.
After that, it’s on to Immigration. I used the Resident line and the person working didn’t seem familiar with the Authorization form I mentioned earlier and had to ask for help. Other than a few extra minutes, I made it through with no issues.
From there it’s on to pick up luggage. At this point, I was more than 90 minutes in from landing so I didn’t have to wait long for my luggage.
Finally, off to the quarantine taxi queue. No more hotel car service. You have to take a quarantine taxi to your quarantine hotel. After leaving Customs/Baggage Claim area, there is someone there directing you to the queue. Turn left upon exiting the area and walk until you see another airport worker who will direct you to queue. Once in the queue, they spray down both your luggage and yourself (front and back and bottom of your shoes). Once near the front of the line, they ask to scan your form, where on page 2 reads where you are staying. They tell the taxi driver and you’re on your way. Once you leave the airport, call the hotel to let them know you are on your way.
There isn’t really a check in process at the hotel. I entered through the basement and there was tablet that was video chat with someone at the front desk. She asked my name, and what time I wanted my meals delivered.
Depending on which quarantine hotel you stay at, they will also want you to send a picture of your passport and screenshots of Quarantine Entry for System via WhatsApp.
Hope this helps.
Thank you. It’s great to be back!!
Got a little jetlag?
Does anybody have experience with the Gold Cards in the Educational Category?
I really need help figuring particulars
My ability to get an Edu GC seems to hinge on a few obscure definitions and circumstances.
I qualify for an Economic Gold Card, but I’d strongly prefer an Edu GC, as they would renew more easily (see below)
The circumstances:
By August 31st, 2022, I will have 5 years teaching experience from my start date at a Top 500 U on the GC list.
The number of years seems to be a key factor in getting approval for this type of card.
I need to bring my kids to Taiwan before Aug 31st.
Preferably July, so they can get acclimated and ready for school.
Thus, I may be forced to formally resign about 6-8 weeks before my official 5 year date.
It’s possible I could work something out with my HR, but they generally just follow the book.
Seems the same for TW officials. It’s a pretty big gamble to formally resign without knowing my Gold Card fate.
So I’m wondering…
Do gold card officials count academic years (not worrying about summers) ?
…or calendar years (i.e., the 5 yrs must be from Sept 1. - Aug. 31st) ?
Would my years of adjunct and FT teaching count, if I miss the 5yr mark? (These colleges are not on the Top 500 list)
Is there anybody who I could talk to about this?
Any way to get more than an educated guess?
For Context…
Officially, faculty are on work “duty” during the summer. This means staying in Hong Kong, even just to answer admin emails. Unofficially, most faculty go abroad for summer (pre-Covid) and rarely come to campus.
I don’t want to return to HK just to run out my contract, esp. with Covid.
I’ll have a TW dependent VISA via my wife.
My HK wife moved to TW for a job in the spring of 2021. I stayed in HK while our young kids finished school.
Then the borders closed in June. I’ve basically been a single dad since then. Young children.
Thus the urgency to leave this summer, to bring the family together.
I looked into the Gold Card extensively last year when I thought I’d be coming to TW. Overall, the labyrinthine process leaves me discouraged. The qualifications seemed very strict, yet particulars about matching them and what counts as proof are left to interpretation. I even sent an email to an official asking some particulars, but I never heard back. Then I couldn’t come to TW, so I dropped the matter. Now I’m picking it up again.
I assume EDU gold cards would be an automatic renewal after 3years because of this phrasing: “Have you worked as a teacher or researcher at a top 500 university during the past 5 years AND have at least 5 years’ experience?”
With an Economic Gold Card, I’d have to match an income threshold, to renew. This is too uncertain given lower wages in TW. If everything works out, I’d like to stay in TW for at least 5yrs to get permanent residency status and not need a Gold Card.
Thanks in advance for any help…
…and reading a long post. (really hard to make these Gold Card stories simple and succinct.)
Regarding the last part: Currently you need only 3 consecutive years on GC to apply for permanent resident status, not 5. The 5 consecutive years in total are necessary for other ARCs that allow permanent residency, for example a combination of 5 years on marriage, work, GC ARC.
Also, there is no automatic renewal for any GC. You always need to do something by yourself.
Currently you need only 3 consecutive years on GC to apply for permanent resident status, not 5
Wow that sounds fantastic and would solve a lot of issues.
Is this a new development? I did not hear about this when I investigated GC last year.
A lot has changed. You also probably no longer qualify under the economic category, which now requires economic related work experience, and not just earnings to qualify.
However, there is also a new category for “special cases” that has a large list of new areas under which you may qualify. Here is the link:
Yes. The passport authentication location can be changed on the platform if your application status hasn’t reached “Passport Inspection”. There will be a fee for changing it, something like NT$ 800.
If you want to enter Taiwan sooner, you might need to come up with a reason for them to put you on a list for passport inspection.
For applicants who get stuck at the Passport Inspectation stage:
The Employment Gold Card Super-Thread - #3306 by yixianosaurus
I didn’t have to pay a fee when I changed the location of my passport verification. I originally selected BOCA, then had to change to TECOLA because I was no longer in Taiwan when it got to that stage.
