I have an ARC through marriage. I was married in September, I left for 1 week in December. Does anyone know when I am eligible for health insurance through my spouse? According to my wife the 4 month clock reset when I left the country in December. Previous to that time I had my health card through an ex employer. Am I on a reset clock or is there something else I am missing? This is Taiwan. I might have misses the last 20 changes to the common law.
When you sell your SOUL…
Nah, your wife’s wrong. You’re eligible exactly 4 months after the issue date on your ARC.
Well I already sold my soul. Yup it is four months from the ARC issue date. I went to nhi.gov.tw/english/webdata.a … ta_id=3148. Oh happy day to tell my wife she is wrong.
They are not going to send it to you … if you work your employer needs to take care, even when you’re married … if you don’t work your wife’s employer needs to take care of it and deduct some $ from your wife’s salary … when both or unemployed you need to go to some city government office and pay your dues there to get the card …
You’ll get about two of these a year. Enjoy it while it lasts 
I just got back from the NHI office in Taipei (Gongyuan Lu, near Main Station). I went there to apply for an NHI card, since my ARC was issued in October, 4+ months ago.
However, after some discussions, the usual amount of panicking and pulling my immigration files from another agency, they told me that I was not elegible - because I have left and re-entered Taiwan during these four months.
According to them, you have to stay four months in Taiwan on an ARC continuously, without interruption, only then can you apply for a Health Insurance card.
The fact that an ARC specifically states “Multiple Entry” did not help. (By the way, I fall in the category “independently practicing professional”, so I have no employer taking care of me.)
Now, the English version of the law (Article 10, last paragraph) only mentions a “four-month minimum residency requirement”.
tinyurl.com/ydof842
Also, I find nothing about not being allowed to leave the country in these FAQs:
nhikb.gov.tw/English/FAQS.htm
So, can anyone verify if this “4 months reset clock” really exists or is just an invention?
Government finaly understand that healthcare in TW can’t support the losses.
Just heard they’ll raise the contribution by 40% … 
Meaning, high income levels will need to pay 70 - 80 NTD more per month 
THAT will solve it for the next 25 years :bravo:
Godgekloot ja
[quote=“deguoren”]I just got back from the NHI office in Taipei (Gongyuan Lu, near Main Station). I went there to apply for an NHI card, since my ARC was issued in October, 4+ months ago.
However, after some discussions, the usual amount of panicking and pulling my immigration files from another agency, they told me that I was not elegible - because I have left and re-entered Taiwan during these four months.
According to them, you have to stay four months in Taiwan on an ARC continuously, without interruption, only then can you apply for a Health Insurance card.
[/quote]
well, that’s weird, because I’m still covered and I don’t even live there any more. I still pay my dues, though, and get my teeth cleaned when i pop back for a weekend. Maybe I’ll go and get some spinal surgery just to make sure I really get my money’s worth before i get disavowed.
I can go and live anywhere … keep my ARC and health insurance no probs
That’s good to know. The problem just is, according to today’s NHI officials, that immediately before you apply for the card in the first place, you have to have been staying in TW for four uninterrupted months.
Even they said that once I get the card, it does not matter any more.
Sounds like BS to me, my accountant told me I could apply for it after four months from the date on my ARC, although I haven’t left the country and I guess I won’t until the four months are up. But how would they know that you’ve left? As all you should have to bring is your ARC when you apply, no?
Everything sounds like BS to you when you are a foreigner who has no idea of the actual local laws. Just because they seem not to make sense to you doesnt make them any less factual.
How do they know you left Taiwan? Because they can check immigration records. They can also ask you to present your passport as well. And yes my son had to do 4 months continous when he returned from living abroad to get his NHI Card.
Congrats on you finally getting your ARC 
Your accountant might assume you won’t be leaving Taiwan in the next 4 months now that you have your ARC you won’t need to do visa runs. 
Even us Taiwanese have to meet the same 4 month residential requirement to get NHI if we have been away for a lengthy period.
You know what, I’m just going to ignore you from now on, as no matter the subject, you always know best, so whatever anyone says, the answer will always be the opposite. I don’t need your input and I’ll just live in ignorant bliss instead.
Oh and your attempts at jokes/insults are neither amusing, nor especially insulting. kthxbye
One thing to note here–you are required to enroll in the NHI scheme after four months. Once you have subscribed to the plan, you remain covered as long as you retain your residency. Residency is retained even when you travel overseas, so leaving Taiwan should not reset the clock. Of course if you are out of Taiwan for a long period of time you might lose your residency, but that’s another story.
It’s residency status, not physical presence. Try again on a different day, or at a different hour. Maybe you’ll have better luck with a different worker. At least, that’s what I’d try. Good luck to you!
They pull your immigration files. That’s what happened to me yesterday.
I just called the government’s “Information for Foreigners” Hotline at 0800-024111 to clarify, but as usual it got more confusing. (Their English is quite good, though.)
The first lady there said the issue date is what counts, and she wanted to write a mail to NHI to help me.
Then another one, apparently her superior, calls me back and tells me, no, you have to be “physically” present in Taiwan for 4 months. I said, that’s not what I read from the English translation of the law or from the FAQs (links in my post from yesterday). So now she wants to mail me the law in the original version, to really convince me.
If it’s like that, going back another day and hoping for a less knowing NHI clerk sounds like an option, too…
Yeah, you’re correct about that, it’s not optional, that’s for sure. But then again, considering the cost of NHI, I really don’t mind, especially after having just been to the hospital and having ha pony up over seven times the standard rate as I haven’t gotten my card yet 
Still not super expensive considering, but yeah, it was money I could’ve spent on something better.
Now, this is the answer I got from the official foreigner help hotline.
So, apparently, 居留 and “residency” both mean “Do not leave the country! Ever!” according to Taiwanese law.
The following is the content of Article 10 of the National Insurance Act. For your information, thank you.
具有中華民國國籍，符合下列各款規定資格之一者，得參加本保險為保險對象：
一、曾有參加本保險紀錄或參加本保險前四個月繼續在臺灣地區設有戶籍者。
二、參加本保險時已在臺灣地區設有戶籍，並符合第八條第一項第一款第一目至第三目所定被保險人。
三、參加本保險時已在臺灣地區辦理戶籍出生登記，並符合前條所定被保險人眷屬資格之新生嬰兒。不符前項資格規定，而在臺灣地區領有居留證明文件，並符合第八條所定被保險人資格或前條所定眷屬資格者，自在臺居留滿四個月時起，亦得參加本保險為保險對象。但符合第八條第一項第一款第一目至第三目所定被保險人資格者，不受四個月之限制。
Any national of Republic of China must meet one of the following requirements in order to become the beneficiaries of this Insurance:
Those who have previously subscribed to this Insurance or having established a registered domicile for at least four consecutive months in the Taiwan area prior to subscription of this Insurance;
Having established a registered domicile in the Taiwan area at the time of becoming a subscriber to this Insurance and qualified as the insured under items (1) to (3), subparagraph 1, paragraph 1 of Article 8;
Newborns having had domicile registration at the time of subscription to this Insurance in the Taiwan area, and qualified under Article 9 as the dependents of the insured.
Any person who has not met the requirements in the preceding paragraph and has an alien resident certificate in the Taiwan area and qualified as the insured under Article 8 or those qualified under Article 9 as the dependents of the insured, upon fulfilling a four-month minimum residency requirement, may subscribe and become covered by this Insurance. Any person qualified as the insured under items (1) to(3), subparagraph 1, paragraph 1 of Article 8 shall not be subject to the four month requirement.
Information for Foreigners
+886-800-024111
iff024111@gmail.com
[quote=“TheLostSwede”]You know what, I’m just going to ignore you from now on, as no matter the subject, you always know best, so whatever anyone says, the answer will always be the opposite. I don’t need your input and I’ll just live in ignorant bliss instead.
Oh and your attempts at jokes/insults are neither amusing, nor especially insulting. kthxbye[/quote]
Why are you always being so negative about everything. It’s all BS from me but when other people confirm what I write it’s ok for them to do so.
I know what a hassle it can be as a foreigner. I held an ARC for many years that allowed me to reside here but gave no working rights. So yes I do understand what it’s like to have issues with the rules here.
Of course everything here is BS to you, but only because you know better yourself.