Q: Can my spouse and children apply for permanent residency? What are the requirements?
A: They can apply under one of the following conditions (whichever is most favorable):
★After the Gold Card holder obtains permanent residency, their spouse, minor children, and adult children with disabilities who cannot live independently must have legally resided in Taiwan continuously for three years, with an average stay of at least 183 days per year to apply. No financial proof is required.
★Foreigners who have legally resided in Taiwan for five consecutive years, staying more than 183 days per year, and meet the requirements of Article 25 of the Immigration Act can apply for permanent residency.
📌 Please refer to the National Immigration Agency&rsquos Guidelines for Permanent Residency Applications.
Q: Will the Gold Card automatically convert into permanent residency?
A: No, you must apply for it yourself.
Q: Before obtaining the Gold Card, I had an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) for a certain period. Can that period be counted towards the 3-year requirement for permanent residency?
A: The 3-year residency requirement for permanent residency must be fulfilled entirely under the Gold Card status. However, if your previous ARC was granted based on the conditions specified in Article 25 of the Immigration Act, then it can be combined with the Gold Card period. However, the total period must reach five years to apply for permanent residency.
🔹Example: 3 years under a Foreign Special Professional ARC + 2 years under the Employment Gold Card = 5 years (eligible for permanent residency).
Q: If I enter Taiwan after my Gold Card is approved, will it affect my eligibility date for permanent residency?
A: No, it will not affect your eligibility. The start date for calculating permanent residency is the issuance date printed on your Gold Card, not the date you pick up the card. As long as you hold a valid Gold Card for three consecutive years, with an average stay of at least 183 days per year, and meet other requirements, you can apply for permanent residency.
Q: Can residency under the "Foreign Special Professional" category be combined with the Gold Card residency period?
A: Yes. If you have continuously resided in Taiwan for three years under both the "Foreign Special Professional" and Gold Card statuses, you can apply for permanent residency.
Q: How far in advance should I apply for permanent residency after meeting the Gold Card requirements?
A: Once you have legally resided in Taiwan for three consecutive years, with an average stay of over 183 days per year, you must apply for permanent residency within two years.
📌Refer to the "Who Can Apply for Permanent Residency?" guidelines on the National Immigration Agency website.
🔹If you do not apply for permanent residency within these two years, your eligibility timeline will reset after extending your Gold Card.
🔹Example:
- You obtained your Gold Card in 2020,
- You completed the 3-year residency requirement in 2023,
- You did not apply for permanent residency between 2023 and 2025,
- Your Gold Card was extended to 2026,
- You must wait until after 2026 to submit a new application within the next two years.
Q: Can my academic degree from Taiwan reduce the residency period required for permanent residency?
A: Gold Card holders with a PhD degree issued by a Taiwanese institution can reduce their required residency period by one year.
🔹This means that a Gold Card holder with a Taiwanese PhD can apply for permanent residency after residing in Taiwan for just two years.
Accompanying Children with Disabilities to Achieve Their Dreams &ndash Forming the "Champion Baseball League" with Volunteers, American Missionary William Yi Granted Permanent Residency (Image / Source: Commercial Times, Provided by the National Immigration Agency)
