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Instructions for applying for Registered Permanent Residence as a Taiwan National without household registration who has met the required period of residence/continuous residence

  • Date:
  • Source:Residency Section 2
  • Hit:9676
Article 1. Legal Basis:
Articles 10 and 16 of the Immigration Act.
Articles 24 and 27 of the Regulations Governing Nationals Without Registered Permanent Residence in the Taiwan Area Applying for the Entry, Residence, and Registered Permanent Residence.

Article 2. To Whom Applicable:
A. A national without registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area (hereinafter referred to as an “unregistered national”) who, together with his/her accompanying spouse and minor child/children, has been approved to reside in Taiwan on one of the grounds listed below, and has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence, and his/her original qualification for residence remains unchanged:
1. Has a lineal blood relative, spouse, sibling, or spouse's parent with registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area. If the kinship is based on adoption, the adoptee must be under the age of 12 and reside in the same household with the adoptive parent in the Taiwan Area. No more than two adoptees may be recognized for this purpose. The applicant must be married for at least three years if the kinship is based on marriage; however, those who have given birth to a child during the marriage are not subject to this limitation.
2. Is the overseas-born adult child of a national with registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area.
3. Having entered the State with an R.O.C. (Taiwan) passport, has legally and continuously resided in the Taiwan Area for at least seven years, staying for at least 183 days each year.
4. Has invested at least ten million NT dollars (NT$10,000,000) in the Taiwan Area, as approved or filed for future reference by the central competent authority of the industry concerned.
5. Is an overseas student who has been approved to study in the State by the central competent authority of the industry concerned and has returned to his/her country of residence to work for two years after graduation.
6. Has special skills or expertise, and has been invited back to the State by the central competent authority of the industry concerned.
7. Other than as referred to in the preceding item, has been appointed or employed by a government agency or a public or private universities and colleges.
8. Has been approved by the central competent authority for labor or the central competent authority of the industry concerned to engage in work in the Taiwan Area as specified in Article 46 Paragraph 1 Subparagraphs 1 to 7 or Subparagraph 11 of the Employment Service Act.
B. An unregistered national who has obtained residence by obtaining R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationality through naturalization, has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence in the Taiwan Area, and his/her original qualification for residence remains unchanged.
C. An unregistered national who entered the State before the Immigration Act came into effect on May 21, 1999, cannot be repatriated, and has been approved by the National Immigration Agency (hereinafter referred to as “the NIA”) to reside in the Taiwan Area, and has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence in the Taiwan Area.
D. A stateless person from Thailand, Myanmar, or Indonesia who entered the State before the Immigration Act came into effect on May 21, 1999, cannot be repatriated, and, after having been approved by the NIA to reside in the Taiwan Area as a stateless person, he/she has acquired R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationality within the State, and has been approved to reside as an unregistered national, and has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence in the Taiwan Area.
E. A stateless person who has been approved by the Ministry of Education or the Overseas Community Affairs Council to attend school or to receive technical training in the State, and entered the State from Thailand or Myanmar between May 21, 1999 and December 31, 2008, cannot be repatriated, and, after having been approved by the NIA to reside in the Taiwan Area as a stateless person, her/she has acquired R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationality within the State, and has been approved to reside as an unregistered national, and has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence in the Taiwan Area.
F. A stateless person from India or Nepal who entered the State before June 29, 2016, cannot be repatriated, and, has obtained recognition of status from the Mongolian & Tibetan Cultural Center, Ministry of Culture, and after having been approved by the NIA to reside in the Taiwan Area as a stateless person, he/she has acquired R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationality within the State, and has been approved to reside as an unregistered national, and has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence in the Taiwan Area.

Article 3. Required Documents (If a required document is in a foreign language, it must be authenticated by an overseas mission, and the NIA may require the attachment of a Chinese translation authenticated by an overseas mission or notarized by a domestic notary public. If a document is produced in Hong Kong, Macau, or the Mainland Area, it must be authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong or Macau or by the Straits Exchange Foundation):
A. Application form for registered permanent residence, affixed with one full-face and hatless color photograph (the same specifications as for a national ID photograph).
B. R.O.C. (Taiwan) Resident Certificate.
C. Documents proving the applicant still meets original conditions of residency: For example, if permitted to reside for joining family purpose, submit the original and a photocopy of the national ID card (or household certificate) of the Taiwan Area relative (the original will be returned upon verification); if permitted to reside for work purpose, submit supporting documents which establish the maintenance of previously accorded status.
D. A satisfactory health examination certificate issued within the last three months (the examination must be conducted by a public or private hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and must include the items required to be examined for residency or registered permanent residence; for an application submitted overseas, if the Ministry of Health and Welfare has not designated a hospital in the applicant’s country of residence, the examination may be conducted by a qualified local hospital). A child aged between six and twelve from an exempt country or region need only submit proof of measles and rubella vaccine. A child from a non-exempt country or region is still also required to have a stool ova and parasites (O&P) test and an examination for Hansen’s disease. For a child under the age of six, the original and a photocopy of a foreign-language certificate of vaccination may be submitted instead, or alternately the original and a photocopy of a vaccination certificate issued by a medical institution in Taiwan or a Children’s Health Handbook (originals to be returned after inspection).
E. A police criminal record certificate issued by the national police authority of the applicant’s overseas place of residence or domicile.
F. Other relevant supporting documents: For example, in the case of an application to reside in the Taiwan Area as a lineal relative by blood for the purpose of joining family, if the application is for a child that was conceived before marriage and the mother was not a national with registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area when the child was born, the applicant shall submit with a supporting document indicating the result of DNA testing and documentary proof of the non-marital relationship during the period of conception (which is taken as the period of 181 days to 302 days before the child’s birth). However, those who have ever provided the aforementioned documents when applying for residence are exempted from providing them.
G. Letter of authorization: An agent authorized to apply on the applicant’s behalf must submit a letter of authorization, and must sign or affix a seal where the agent’s signature/seal is required.
H. Certificate fee: NT$600.
I. Self-addressed envelope for registered mail, bearing the recipient’s name, address, zip code and telephone number.
J. A person born in the Mainland Area must also submit documentary proof of not having household registration in the Mainland Area and not having obtained a passport of the Mainland Area.
K. Documentary evidence bearing the correct address of household registration that may be submitted to satisfy the requirement includes, but not limited to: a household certificate, national ID card, house title deed, recent house tax bill, or rental agreement bearing the address (Please submit original and legible copies of documents requested, the original documents will be returned after inspection).The applicant sharing the same household registration address with the person he/she is joining and submitting with his/her National ID or household registration script, may be exempted from providing the aforementioned evidence.
L. Where an application for registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area by a person who has obtained permission to reside on the grounds of currently serving as a legislator representing overseas citizens, or as one who has made a special contribution to the nation or society, or as a senior professional needed in the Taiwan Area, and by their accompanying spouse( The marriage shall last for more than three years; however, those who have given birth to a child during the marriage are not subject to this limitation.) and minor children, shall apply mutatis mutandis to the documentary requirements specified in Subparagraphs 1 to 11.
M. Applicants under the provisions of Article 9 Paragraph 1 Subparagraphs 2 and 8 of the Immigration Act, and under Article 2 Subparagraphs 1 and 3 herein, who during their residence period leave the State for no more than three months at a time, may be exempted from submitting the documents specified in Subparagraphs 4 and 5.
N. Applicants under the provisions of Article 2 Subparagraph 2 and Subparagraphs 4 to 6 who during their residence period leave the State for no more than three months at a time, may be exempted from submitting the document specified in Subparagraph 5.

Article 4. Note:
A. An application for registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area must be submitted within two years from the date of fulfilling the required period of residence/continuous residence. If the documents submitted is unsatisfactory or insufficient, it must be corrected within fifteen days from the day following receipt of written notice thereof from the NIA (if information needs to be applied for overseas or the application is conducted overseas, the correction period shall be three months). If the applicant fails to make the required correction before the specified deadline, the NIA will reject the application.
B. If an applicant has obtained permission to reside on the grounds of joining family, and the person he/she joined has died or the relationship has been terminated by divorce, but the applicant has a minor child with registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area and may exercise or assume the rights of parental responsibility for the child, and has fulfilled the required period of residence/continuous residence, he/she may still apply for registered permanent residence in the Taiwan Area.

Article 5. The method of calculating the required period of residence/continuous residence in the Taiwan Area refers to one of the following conditions:
A. For the application is made under the provisions of Article 2 Subparagraph 1 Items 1 to 6 and Subparagraph 2, it means continuous residence of one year, or being physically present for at least 270 days in each of two calendar years, or being physically present for at least 183 days in each of five calendar years.
B. For the application is made under the provisions of Article 2 Subparagraph 1 Items 7 and 8 and Subparagraphs 3 to 6, it means continuous residence of three years, or being physically present for at least 270 days in each of five calendar years, or being physically present for at least 183 days in each of seven calendar years.
C. Where a person has been dispatched or approved by a government authority to go overseas during the residence period referred to in the two preceding subparagraphs, and submits documentary proof thereof, it shall not be treated as an interruption in their period of residence, nor be included in the calculation of their period of residence in the Taiwan Area.

Article 6. Place of Application: An NIA Service Center.

Article 7. Time Required for Review:
Seven days (excluding the day on which the application is received, public holidays, and time taken for submission of evidence requested and mailing).
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