Taiwan - Obtain an Alien Resident Certificate

ProcedureEdit

Submit the completed application and supporting documents to the NIA service center within the locality of the applicants residence.
Do not file or re-file the application at any service center other than your city of residency.
Pay the application fee.

Required DocumentsEdit

Completed application form: You obtain a copy of the form at the NIA service centers, or download the form from NIAs website and print or copy the form in A4 size. Attach one recent photo of the applicants front face with no hat (4.5 cm x 3.5cm; the front face from top of the head to the chin shall not be shorter than 3.2cm or longer than 3.6cm; white background; front half length color photo) to the form.
The original passport and visitor visa (returned upon verification).
A Health Certificate of examinations (hereafter referred to as the Certificate) taken within the past 3 months indicating good health:
1. An applicant who is applying pursuant to subparagraphs 3 to 6, paragraph 1, Article 23 of the Act, is exempted from submitting the Certificate.
2. Based on Subparagraph 1 and 2, Paragraph 1, Article 23 of the Act, the applicants, whose purpose of stay are investment and employment, and his/her family members, who are applying for joining family are exempted from submitting the Certificate.
3. Applicants who are 6 years of age or under may substitute Vaccination Certificates for the certificate.
4. The examination items of the Health Certificate for foreign nationals who are applying for residency or household registration permission shall meet the requirements, which were recently announced by the Centers for Disease Control (the CDC), Department of Health of the Executive Yuan. For more information, please visit the CDC website (http://www.cdc.gov.tw). The form Items Required for Health Certificate (Type B), which is currently used by major hospitals should be selected to conduct examinations.
5. For applicants whose health examinations are conducted overseas, the health certificate should be authenticated by the R.O.C. overseas mission. If the examination items in the certificate are inconsistent with the requirements announced by the CDC, the unexamined items should be conducted in Taiwan.
6. The Health Certificate is valid for 3 months starting from the date of examination and the application must be submitted within the validity of the Health Certificate. (Please arrange the health examinations at a qualified hospital in Taiwan after entry as soon as possible).
The police records (hereafter referred to as the Records):
1. An applicant applying pursuant to subparagraphs 3 to 6, paragraph 1, Article 23 of the Act, or anyone less than 20 years of age does not have to submit his/her the Records.
2. For applications based on Subparagraph 1, Paragraph 1, Article 23 of the Act, the marriage status of the applicant and his/her foreign spouses having already existed before they entering the R.O.C. are exempted from submitting the Records.
3. An applicant has to submit the Records issued by his/her state of origin within one year starting from the issuing date and not exceeding the validity stated on the document. (The Records should be issued by the nationwide competent authority of the applicant's state of origin, i.e., the Records of a U.S. citizen should be issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (abbreviation as FBI) of the United States of America.)
4. The Records shall contain the criminal history of the past 5 years.
5. An applicant who has had residency in Taiwan previously, and is applying for residency after re-entry with a visitor visa, if his/her time outside the border of Taiwan is under 3 months, the applicant does not need to submit the Records of his/her state of origin.
Proof of current residence.
Related supporting documents, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 23 of the Immigration Act:
1. Applying pursuant to subparagraph 1: Supporting document(s) showing the completion of the marriage registration at the Household Registration Office, such as an original ROC Identity Card, original Household Registration Book or original Household Registration Transcript (returned upon verification). Note: Regarding marriage registration, please refer to the website of the Department of Population, Ministry of the Interior or the local household registration office.
2. Pursuant to subparagraph 2:
  1. The Complete Household Registration Transcript, or Alien Resident Certificate, of the applicants lineal senior relative issued within the past three months (returned upon verification).
  2. Supporting documents showing the kinship to the applicant, such as a birth certificate or an adoption certificate issued by the court.
3. Pursuant to subparagraph 3:
  1. A work permit with validity over 6 months issued to foreign professionals by the Council of Labor Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the CLA).
  2. A certificate of employment issued within the past one month.
  3. Any applicant whose employment is exempted from the permission by the CLA in accordance with Article 48 of the Employment Services Act, may submit an approval letter issued by the related competent authorities.
4. Pursuant to subparagraph 4:
  1. An approval letter issued by the Investment Board of the Ministry of the Economic Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the MOEA) (investment amount must be above US$200,000).
  2. A roster of directors and controllers.
  3. Amended Company Registration Card.
5. Pursuant to subparagraph 5:
  1. An approval letter issued by the Department of Commerce of the MOEA.
  2. Foreign Company Recognition Form.
  3. Registration form of a foreign branch company.
  4. Enterprise Registration Certificate. If the applicant is a representative of a foreign branch company, or a proxy of litigation or non-litigation and manager of a branch, he/she must submit his/her work permit issued by the CLA in addition to the aforementioned documents.
6. Pursuant to subparagraph 6:An approval letter issued by the related competent authorities.
Application fee: NT$1,000 for one year ARC; plus NT$2,200 for Visitors Visa changing to residency status.
Other supporting documents.

Office Locations & ContactsEdit

National Immigration Agency
No. 15, Guangjhou St., Jhongjheng District,
Taipei City 100-66, Taiwan, ROC.
Headquarters TEL: 886-2-2388-9393
National Immigration Agency Service Centers
Information for Foreigners: 0800-024-111
Telephone Hotlines
Website

EligibilityEdit

Any foreign national having made entry into Taiwan with a visitor visa valid for over 60 days and has not been restricted from an extension or imposed with other restrictions, may apply for residency and be granted an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) under one of the following conditions:

Being married to a spouse currently residing in the Taiwan Area who is an ROC national with household registration in the Taiwan Area (hereinafter referred to as citizenship) or residency, or a foreign national with residency or permanent residency; however, if the spouse thereof is working under the permission granted in pursuance with subparagraphs 8 to 10, paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Services Act by the competent central labor authorities, the subject foreign national may not apply for residency.
Being under the age of 20 whose lineal senior relative is an ROC national with citizenship or residency, or a foreign national with residency or permanent residency; if the kinship thereof is derived from adoption, the adoptee shall reside in the Taiwan Area with his/her guardian.
Working in Taiwan under the permission granted pursuant to subparagraphs 1 to 7 or subparagraph 11, paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Services Act by the competent central labor authorities.
Being an investor, or the representative of a foreign legal person, having invested over a certain amount of capital with the approval or review by the related competent central authorities.
Being the person in charge of a foreign company approved to operate in Taiwan.
Having the permission to apply for residency in Taiwan on a special case basis under diplomatic considerations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A 180-day visitor visa holder whose visa is marked as No Extension may apply for an ARC, however, a Working Holiday Visa holder whose visa is marked as Not Eligible to Apply for a Resident Visa or Resident Certificate may not apply for an ARC.

FeesEdit

Application fee: NT$1,000 for one year ARC; plus NT$2,200 for Visitors Visa changing to residency status.

ValidityEdit

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e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to UseEdit

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Sample DocumentsEdit

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Processing TimeEdit

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InstructionsEdit

Transfer of visitors visa to Alien Resident Certificate is administered by each county/city service center of the National Immigration Agency.

Required InformationEdit

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e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the DocumentEdit

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e.g. Birth Certificate - why do we need to have a birth certificate?

Information which might helpEdit

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