ARC
(Alien Resident Certificate), Resident Visas & Contracts
Contracts
(coming soon....)
ARC/Resident
Visa
Foreigners
who plan to stay more than 6 months in Taiwan may file for a resident
visa to do any of the following:
Pursuing
studies
Joining
family
Accepting
employment
Investing
Receiving
medical treatment
Doing
missionary work
Engaging
in other legit work/activities
After receiving your employment approval letter
(work permit) issued by the government authority for employment
in the ROC, you then need to apply for your resident visa at a Ministry
Of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) branch. You’ll then need to take
a brief trip abroad (say, to Hong Kong) to pick up your entry visa.
When you return, you will be permitted to apply for an Alien Resident
Certificate (ARC.) If you have been issued a resident visa, you
must apply for an ARC at the nearest city or county police headquarters
within 15 days after arrival in Taiwan or within 15 days of issue
of the visa. You should apply for a multiple entry certificate,
which allows for visits outside and return to the ROC.
If you marry an R.O.C national, you
can also apply for an entry visa provided you have no criminal record.
This does not necessarily grant you the LEGAL right to work in Taiwan
(women can claim the title of “homemaker” but men must
show that he has sufficient funds to pay all the living expenses
for the family.)
If you enter Taiwan on a visitor
visa you can apply for the resident visa without leaving the island.
If you enter on a landing visa, you must go abroad to obtain a resident
visa. If
you entered Taiwan on a visitor visa and became employed you can
change your visa to a Resident Visa but may have to make a brief
'visa run' to a nearby country and back to do so.
NOTE:
ARC holders are required by law to carry their ARC
with them at all times. They are renewable yearly and in some cases
2 or 3 year basis. The new ARC's will stilluse the same ARC number
issued originally and will not change after renewal.
| Documents
Required: |
|
| Time required
for processing is approximately 2 weeks. |
|
| 1) |
Application
form (Form V-I) |
| 2) |
Employment
Approval letter issued by the government authority for
the expatriate's employment in the ROC |
| 3) |
Guaranty
paper (required only for expatriates from certain
countries, including India, Iran, Israel, etc…) |
| 4) |
The original
and one photocopy of the passport, including the resident visa.
The original will be returned after verification. |
| 5) |
Marriage
certificate, if applicable (Must be notarized by a notary
public and legalized by the ROC Consulate or functional equivalent) |
| 6) |
2 recent
passport size photos (2” photographs color or b&w)
|
| 7) |
Birth certificates
of expatriate's children, if applicable (must show
the name of the parents and be notarized and legalized) |
| 8) |
As of 2002,
all ARC applicants must have a health-check/AIDS test as well.
(Any hospital can perform this as they know the drill well...) |
| |
|
| 1. |
Resident
visas for single entry: NT$2,200 p/application if applied in
the ROC
US$66 per application if applied overseas. |
| 2. |
NT$3,000
per application if applied in the ROC;
US$90 per application if applied overseas. |
| NOTE: |
For
those with a Resident Visa, you must go to your local police
station and apply for a re-entry permit if you plan to leave
and come back to Taiwan. This requires filling out a simple
form and getting a white stamp in you passport. The whole process
takes about 5 minutes. |
Document & Fee Required for Alien Resident Certificate
Application:
| 1. |
In
addition to above, the following documents, as appropriate: |
| |
i. |
Employees
or investors: The original and one photocopy of the
official letter of approval issued by the competent authority,
and the employment certificate. The original will be returned
after verification. |
| |
ii. |
Students:
The original and one photocopy of the student card or the
enrollment certificate issued by a university or college accredited
by the Ministry of Education. |
| |
iii. |
Missionaries: The original and one photocopy
of an official letter of approval from the religious institution.
|
| |
iv. |
Dependents: Relationship documents, such
as birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a transcript
of household registration, an Alien Resident Certificate,
etc. |
| 6. |
Fees:
1 Year: NT$1000; 2 Years: NT$2000; 3 Years: NT$3000
|
| NOTE: |
a)
Failure to extend the ARC before the expiry date will result
in automatic cancellation of the ARC and mandatory deportation.
b) Any resident alien who applies for an Alien Resident Certificate
may complete an application for a re-entry permit at the same
time.
|
|
©
2003 ESLisland.com |
