Gold card applications still ongoing during the pandemic, apply now!
Here is a summary of frequently asked questions regarding the Taiwan Employment Gold Card program, the application process, and other general questions regarding life in Taiwan and more.
Application is done online.
Once you have determined how you are qualified, gather the required documents:
For more info Application Process
Case Status Check → The List of Supplemental Documents → View → Modify → Profession
(Please confirm that you have uploaded the correct documents. Currently, the preview option only shows your old documents, so please ignore the preview option, click “Next Step” continuously, then click “Send” to submit)
If you switch to a new Field or regulation, or there are new regulations for the Field of the previous application, the platform will not be able to transfer your documents from your previous application.
Please review in detail the regulations in each of the Fields and pay attention in particular to the notes on the required documents. Most people are better off choosing the regulation that they can provide the most proof and documents for.
If the relevant authority that is reviewing your application finds that your documents are insufficient, they will return your application and request additional documents. At this time, you can choose to submit additional documents or to change to another Field. However, if the relevant authority believes that your chances are low, they also have the ability to reject your application instead of returning it.
Unfortunately, there will be no refunds once your application is submitted, regardless of the result of the application or if you revoke your application.
Please refer to the relevant regulations .
You can still enter Taiwan, but you must present your new and old passport, and Resident Authorization Certificate.
Please also remember to update your new passport number through the online application platform after you pick up your Gold Card.
You do not need to have a high salary. Some fields have a criteria where applicants with a salary greater than NT$160,000 qualify, however, this is only one criteria. To date, other than the dedicated salary criteria, no other criteria has financial requirements.
If you do not have a Taiwanese address yet, you can leave this question blank and update it online once you confirm your address in Taiwan.
In order to qualify for an Employment Gold Card, your skills must be related to one of eight fields: Science and Technology, Economics, Education, Culture and Art, Sport, Finance, Law, or Architecture. You must select which ministry is most relevant, and in most cases, also select a specific qualification in that particular area for your application.
Feel free to use our Gold Card Qualification Check to check your qualification.
The salary requirement as stated relates to salary and not income in total.
Most recent monthly salary of at least NT$160,000 means a monthly salary or average monthly salary of NT$160,000 or above within the three years preceding the month of the application; documentary proof of salary or tax payment means one of the following:
Login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform → Application → Apply to Change Passport Inspection or Card Collection Location.
The passport inspection and pick-up location can be changed on the online platform before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) finishes reviewing your application. After you pass the MOFA’s review, you can no longer change the passport inspection or pick-up location.
To check your application status, login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform , click “Application Progress Inquiry”, and fill in your 12-digit application number.
If you wish to check the status of your application, please only fill in the first 3 columns and leave the rest blank.
If you have any objections to the adjudication given by the National Immigration Agency, you may file an administrative appeal to the agency’s service center that you have chosen to pick up your Gold Card within 30-days of receiving this adjudication. Your appeal will then be forwarded to the Ministry of the Interior. If you have any questions about filing an appeal, please contact the NIA’s Service Center or write to NIA’s Director .
Please select the city and district from the drop-down menu, and type in the rest of your address in Chinese (do not type in the city and district).
Please refer to the photo attached below.
Please review the List of Industries to check whether your industry is considered as under the Ministry of Economic Affair’s jurisdiction.
If you need to choose a year before 2012, please click 2012 and scroll up. If you have forgotten the date that your ROC Visa was issued, please contact the Bureau of Consular Affair.
All Employment Gold Cards must be picked up in-person in Taiwan. Before you arrive in Taiwan, please find your “Republic of China Employment Gold Card Resident Authorization Certificate” online and print it out. You can enter Taiwan with this certificate along with your passport inspection certificate. You must bring this certificate and your original passport to your previously selected National Immigration Agency’s Service Center to pick up your Employment Gold Card. You must pick up your Gold Card within 30 days, starting from the day after your arrival.
Please check the currency rate for your salary.
As long as one of the rates meets the requirement, you are eligible to apply for the Gold Card:
A perfect application takes at least 30 days, if your supporting documents are accepted the first time. If you are asked to provide additional supporting documents, expect 50-60 days.
*Note: Due to the pandemic, expect your application process to take at minimum 60 days.
Case Status Check → The List of Supplemental Documents → View → Modify → Upload Document
(Please confirm that you have uploaded the correct documents. Currently, the preview option only shows your old documents, so please ignore the preview option, click “Next Step” continuously, then click “Send” to submit)
Please update all required supplementary information or documents on the application portal within 30-days of receiving the National Immigration Agency’s Notification to Provide Additional Documents (the update period is 6 months for applicants who must obtain additional documents abroad).
If you do not submit your supplementary documents within 6 months, your application will be directly rejected by the Workforce Development Agency and you will not be refunded.
If you are asked to provide supplementary documents, but the validity period of your passport is less than 6 months, you will need to apply for a new passport. After you receive your new passport, you need to fill in your new passport number and validity period on the application platform. Please select your passport validity period by clicking on the calendar icon as shown in the photo(s) below.
Please apply online via the “ Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform (Employment Gold Card) ”. The application is reviewed by the National Immigration Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other specialized authorities.
Since you are now in Taiwan, you will be exempted from verifying your passport, and your application will be reviewed by the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior.
If you cannot pick up your Gold Card personally, you can have a friend or family member pick it up for you. That person will have to bring the following to pick up your card:
Please refer to attached instructions to download your application receipt and resident authorization certificate.
Should you have any concerns about pickup process, please contact your local National Immigration Agency’s service center .
If the Gold Card holder acquires or restores their R.O.C nationality during the period of residence in Taiwan, the NIA shall revoke or repeal the Gold Card in accordance with the Act 7, The Regulations Governing Employment Gold Card Permit for Foreign Special Professionals, “During the period of residence in the State, the Employment Gold Card holder falls into one of the situations described in various paragraphs of Article 32 of the Immigration Act”.
There is no “general” application category. You must select a single ministry to assess your skills.
Please download and print out your R.O.C. Resident Authorization Certificate from the Application Portal to enter Taiwan, then pick up your physical card at the National Immigration Agency Service Center that you chose when you first applied.
If your birthplace is in Mainland China, the National Immigration Agency will require you to upload the following documents:
In addition to submitting documents to meet the requirements prescribed in Article 7 Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Enforcement Rules for the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, shall also submit one of the following:
If you are Hong Kong or Macao resident, please refer HERE .
Should you have any questions regarding the required documents, please contact NIA’s service center .
When you apply for the Gold Card, please fill in the UI number printed on your ARC. If the National Immigration Agency approves your Gold Card application, the system will automatically cancel your ARC.
There is an application fee, which is paid through the Gold Card application portal. There are no separate visa or work permit fees.
The application fees vary depending on if you have applied domestically or abroad, the duration of the visa, and your nationality. Please check the Fees for Employment Gold Card section of the application portal.
There are currently 6 online payment methods, including international credit cards, domestic credit cards, E-government payment platform, virtual account payment, 4 major convenience store payments, and Web ATM (card reader payment). The government will pay for the remittance fee if the payment is made by credit card, but the applicant will be responsible for the remittance fee if the payment is made by E-government payment platform, virtual account payment, 4 convenience store payment, or Web ATM. Please note that it will take 2-3 working days to receive a payment success notification after paying through a virtual account or through the 4 major convenience stores. If you wish to use a Debit Card, you must choose the Web ATM payment option.
If you are unable to make your application payment with an international credit card, it may be due to the following reasons:
Please try using JCB, VISA, or MasterCard. Do NOT use AMEX or China UnionPay
Please follow the instruction to pay your application fees online.
If your Gold Card application is approved, you can print out your Resident Authorization for Overseas Applicants (found under the download section of the application portal) and present it upon entering Taiwan. After entering Taiwan, please bring your Resident Authorization for Overseas Applicants, electronic payment receipt (also found under the download section of the application portal), and your passport to your selected National Immigration Agency (NIA) service center to pick up your Gold Card.
NIA is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:00 through the lunch hour, please refer to the link to find your chosen NIA service center: https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141386/127061/127076/
Please note that once you have submitted your application, you can no longer upload any additional documents unless you are required to do so by the relevant authorities reviewing your application. If you receive notification to upload additional documents, please do so in a timely manner.
If you are required to attach proof of domestic or foreign service, you will have to provide a Certificate of Employment (or Proof of Resignation) with your full name, company’s name, position, actual duration of employment, and company’s stamp, seal, or signature. You may refer to the samples below. Please note that the company name on your Certificate of Employment (or Proof of Resignation) must be consistent with the company name on your Tax Return.
To reset your password, login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform and click “Forget Password?”
To inquire about your account number, please write to the National Immigration Agency at a378liu@immigration.gov.tw and provide a copy of your Gold Card or passport.
Please contact the Ministry that is currently reviewing your application and ask them to return your application so you can edit your passport number.
For example, if your application status is Review by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA), please ask the WDA to return your application so you can edit your passport number on the application portal.
If your application status is Passport Inspection at the Bureau of Consular Affairs or Overseas Missions of R.O.C. (Taiwan), please ask BOCA or the Overseas Mission to return your application and so you can edit your passport number on the application portal.
If you continue to have issues, please contact the National Immigration Agency at a378liu@immigration.gov.tw
For those who apply for a Gold Card for the first time, the card issuance date is the start date. For those who extend their Gold Card, the period of validity will be extended from the original period of stay.
Please follow the steps below or the attached photo to fill in your ARC number. Case Status Check → The List of Supplemental Documents → View → Modify → Resident → ID No. (optional)
If you want to find out if you are eligible for the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, please refer to the Foreign Talent Act website’s information page. If you have related questions, please visit Contact Taiwan’s website as well or send us an e-mail to help@taiwangoldcard.tw
In accordance with the relevant regulations issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foreigners applying for visas should submit their passports for examination by the consular authority for authenticity and for review of other requisites.
Documents not made in Mandarin or English shall be attached with translations.
Documents issued in the Mainland area have to be attested and examined by the institutions instituted or appointed by the Executive Yuan, or non-governmental organizations entrusted by the Executive Yuan (Strait Exchange Foundation) in accordance with the rule in Article 7 of “Act Governing Relations between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area”; Documents from the following countries/regions must be verified by an overseas ROC representative office: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bengal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Documents produced in the Mainland Area shall be presumed to be genuinely provided that they are authenticated by the institution set up or designated, or by the private organization entrusted by the Executive Yuan.
Please contact the Straits Exchange Foundation for more information.
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