How to Apply for a Permanent Resident Certificate in Taiwan

After so many years in Taiwan, I finally received my Permanent Resident Certificate. Here to share the application process!

Important Notes Before Applying

1. When can you apply?

   • If you have been working in Taiwan for a professional job for 5 years and have resided for an average of more than 183 days per year, you can apply.
   • The calculation starts from the date of issuance of your first work residence permit, not from the date of approval of your work permit.
   • If you have extended your stay for "other reasons" during the 5 years (such as job searching), you do not need to restart the calculation.
   • If you are unsure, it is recommended to directly ask the immigration officer when processing your residence permit.

2. How is the annual income standard calculated?

   • The average monthly income in the most recent year must exceed twice the basic wage announced by the Ministry of Labor. Example: If Xiao Ming applies for a Permanent Resident Certificate in 2022, the calculation will be based on the income and basic wage for the year 2021. If the basic wage in 2021 is 24,000, then the annual income must reach 2 times that, which is 24,000 x 2 x 12 months = 576,000.

   • Annual income includes year-end bonuses. Example: If Xiao Ming's monthly salary is NT$36,000, but he has a 4-month year-end bonus, his annual income reaches 576,000, which meets the standard.

   • Annual income is based on the total salary amount in the 5A salary column. Example: Even if Xiao Ming's annual income just meets the standard, if the company deducts meal allowances or other tax-exempt amounts from the employee's salary, the total salary in the 5A column may not reach 576,000. It is recommended to confirm with HR in November and December, or consider other options. (Some people ask HR to include January's salary in December for calculation.)

Required Documents for Application

1. Original passport copy
   • If you have changed your passport in the last five years, the old one also needs a copy.
2. Original residence permit copy
3. Employment certificate within the last month
4. Labor Department work approval letter
   • The current company's work letter is sufficient.
5. Salary proof
   • Income tax payment proof/income tax data list (can be requested from the National Tax Bureau)
   • Withholding tax certificate (can be obtained from the company's HR)
6. Good conduct certificate
   • Can be applied online, issuance takes 2.5 working days, NT$100 per copy https://eli.npa.gov.tw/E7WebO/index01.jsp
   • You can check the application progress after applying https://eli.npa.gov.tw/E7WebO/E701/E701A01Q_01.jsp
   • After processing is complete, you can pay and collect it at the selected police station in the city.
7. NT$10,000
8. Application form
   • The same as the usual residence permit application form, check the box for Permanent Resident Certificate.
9. One photo
   • You must provide a photo; you cannot use the previous residence permit photo.

Follow-Up Tracking

1. After applying on-site, the officer will provide a receipt and inquiry method:

2. Inquiry method: https://egate.immigration.gov.tw/NIA_OnlineApply_inter/caseQuery/caseQueryForm.action

You only need to enter the receipt number, applicant's birthday, and verification code to inquire; the ID number is not required.

The on-site officer said it takes about 2 months to complete, but I actually received it in about 1 month, and some friends got it in 3 weeks. Below is my certificate issuance timeline for reference.

2022/2/10 Submitted at the Immigration Office 2022/3/7 In processing 2022/3/11 Approved (waiting for collection)

3. When it shows approved, it means you can go to the Immigration Office to collect the original certificate and receipt to get the new certificate.
4. After receiving the Permanent Resident Certificate, you can apply for a permanent work permit. The on-site staff said it takes 1 hour to process, but I waited about half an hour to receive it.

Labor Development Agency Address: 10th Floor, No. 39, Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City Hours: Monday to Friday 08:30–12:30 / 13:30–17:30

Application materials:

1. Application form
2. Two copies of the passport
3. One copy of the Permanent Resident Certificate
4. NT$100 application fee

Finally, after working hard for 5 years, everyone finally gets their permanent residency. Besides sending off 10 little friends, everyone must feel like me, having waited a long time, finally! Hahaha, I hope this article helps those in need!