I. Executing Authority: Service Centers of the National Immigration Agency (hereinafter referred to as NIA), Ministry of the Interior.
II. Application procedure: Submit the completed Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC) application form to the Service Center of the National Immigration Agency. After the application form has been received and has passed preliminary review, the application will be referred to the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior for a secondary review.
III. Required documents:
1. A completed application form.
2. A color photo (same size as ID card photo).
3. The original and one photocopy of current and old passports. The original shall be returned after verification.
4. The original and one photocopy of Alien Residence Certificate. The original shall be returned after verification.
5. A satisfactory health examination certificate. The health examination form used by major hospitals shall be the Mandatory Examination Items for Health Examination Certificate (Form B) promulgated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
6. Certificates of financial assets or special skills and talents.
7. Certificates of criminal record of the last 5 years issued by the government of the applicant’s home country and by the R.O.C.
8. Other related certificates, i.e., household certificate transcript, marriage certificate, working permit approval documents, or other applicable documents.
IV. Processing time: 14 working days, excluding the time needed for submitting additional documents, interviews or verification by related authorities.
V. Fee: NT$10,000 (payable upon notice after approval by secondary review).
VI. Notes:
1. Applying for an APRC: a foreigner who has legally and continuously resided in the State for five years and has stayed for more than one hundred and eighty-three days each year, or the alien spouse and/or children of a national with valid household registration in the Taiwan Area who have legally resided in the State for 10 years, during the 10 years the spouse and/or children have physically resided in the State for more than one hundred and eighty-three days each year for at least five years. An application for APRC pursuant to above shall be submitted within two years after the period of stay and residence meets the requirement.
2. The Certificate of Entry & Exit Dates, the Entry & Exit Certificate Statement of Eligibility for the Required Residence and Physical Presence in Taiwan Area, and the Calculation of the Applicant's Historic Physical Presence in Taiwan each year are all available at local NIA service centers.
3. Special skills, talents or financial assets:
(1) Anyone applying for permanent residency as the spouse of an R.O.C. national shall present any of the following documents for verification by the National Immigration Agency:
a. Statement on income, taxation, movable or immovable property in Taiwan.
b. Statement issued by the employer to certify employment, or the applicant's own statement in writing detailing job descriptions and incomes.
c. Certificate issued by the ROC government certifying that its holder is a professional or technician or has passed a technical examination.
d. Other document that is sufficient to prove that the applicant is capable of supporting himself or herself and making a living.
(2) Anyone applying for permanent residency under circumstances other than the ones states in the preceding subparagraph shall meet one of the following conditions.
a. Having earned an average monthly income in Taiwan for the past one year that is twice as much as the Monthly Minimum Wage promulgated by the Ministry of Labor. The past year refers to the year preceding the application year, for example, for an application filed on 1 June 2009, the past year is from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008.
b. Having movable property or real estate in Taiwan with a total estimated value of over NT$5,000,000.
c. Having a certificate issued by the R.O.C. government certifying that its holder is a professional or technician or has passed a technical examination.
d. Other conditions as approved by the NIA.
4. The police Criminal record Certificate of the past five years issued within the last three months by Taiwan government.
5. The police Criminal record Certificate for the past 5 years issued by the applicant's home country(valid within 6 months with a Chinese translated version) must choose to complete one of the following procedures:
(1) Original and Chinese translated edition of the police records issued by applicant's country of origin, shall be accredited by the oversea Taiwanese embassies. If needed, they shall be accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(2) Only the police criminal record certificate issued by the applicant's home country needs to be verified by the R.O.C. representatives overseas (may be re-examined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if necessary), the Chinese translation must be notarized by a R.O.C. court or notary.
(3) If the police criminal record certificate is issued by the applicant's home country's embassy, consular, or representative office in the R.O.C., the original needs to be re-examined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese translation needs to be accredited by domestic notary public or courthouse.
6. The police records must be issued by the central institution of the applicant's country. For example, the local police records for a U.S. national must be issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.
7. Other relevant documents needed may differ depending on the purpose of stay:
(1) Joining family: Household certificate transcript issued within one month.
(2) Employment:
a. Working permit issued by authorized government agency.
b. Employment certificate issued within one month
(3) Missionary work:
a. A proof of relevant certificates from religious organization.
●Certifying the missionary work is non-paid and full-time.
●Ensuring the applicant's capability to sustain a living in Taiwan upon his/her approval of permanent residency status and to be held responsible otherwise.
b. Religious organization registration issued by the Ministry of the Interior or juridical institution registration.
c. Employment certificate issued by religious organization.
(4) Investment:
a. Enterprise Registration Certificate.
b. List of shareholders.
c. The corporate amendment registration form.
d. The investment permit by the investment Commission of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
In special cases, other supporting documents will be required.
8. Foreign nationals who possess the R.O.C. nationality shall not be allowed to apply for permanent residency.
9. An APRC holder will lose his/her eligibility if they fail to reside in the R.O.C. for at least 183 days annually starting from the following year after his/her APRC is issued. However, this regulation does not apply to those who have obtained permission from the authorities. The calculation of the "year" starts from January 1st of the following year after the APRC is issued. An applicant whose Alien Resident Certificate has been canceled and still qualifies to stay in the country, shall apply for residency within 30 days following the nullification of the ARC.
10. A foreign national, who has legally resided in the State for five years in a row and has not left the State for over 3 months during any particular trip out of the country, is exempted from submitting a health certificate and non-criminal records of the original country.
Processing of Alien Resident Certificate applications is administered by each county/city's local service center of the National Immigration Agency.