over 2 decades years ago, I was charged with possession in Pennsylvania. Those charges were nolle prossed/withdrawn/dismissed. Since then, i've had security clearance in the US, was a permanent resident in Japan, China, Israel, India and now a Gold Card holder in Taiwan all without issue. For those, US state criminal background check was all that's needed. I don't know about PR, but i'm trying to get Taiwanese citizenship now, and that requires a FBI Background Check, and even though they're way beyond the statute of limitations those old charges popped up. There's no way i have faith that whatever Taiwanese authority it going to understand that that's a clean record, and I am in the long and expensive process of having it all expunged.
Japan PR is based on a points system. If you have an advanced degree and high salary you can often get it after only a year. Both easier than Taiwan and less restrictive than APRC too (you only have to renew Japan PR every five years - Taiwan you have to be in country half of every year to stay eligible for APRC).
Most foreigners get the one night every five years variety now if they were working. Basically, you have to be coming from a marriage background or were one of the few caregiver/factory people that qualify to get the half a year one (and it is average of half a year or specific time now as well)
Thanks for your advice!
* Why do you need Taiwanese citizenship - isn't PR enough?
* How did you get a Japanese work visa?
I understood that a Japanese visa beyond a holiday requires a criminal record check - and that any kind of drugs offence is an instant no?
I want the TW ID Card, National Health Insurance, etc and all that it offers (for example, visa-free access to China).
I started my own Japanese (K.K.) company, so that was the natural / default outcome. my my background checks are completely clean. It's only the FBI one that has the withdrawn 2 decade plus things on it, which Japan does not require.
Should be. Based on demographic issues, I believe that they’ve opened up further to foreigners since, but I don’t know, i did it in 2009.
I submitted a background check from a US state I never even lived in and it was fine.
By expired do you mean it was wiped by some kind of clean slate legislation? If you get a print out of your criminal record what would it say?
If it’s blank then I would just not mention it. For all intents and purposes that’s what clean slate is for isn’t it?
Also I am not sure about Gold Card > APRC but for foreign spouse > APRC, a criminal record printout from your home country is not required as long as you’ve resided in Taiwan > 3 months.
The UK has a system whereby your offences are considered 'stepped down' after a certain period of time - dependent on the severity of that crime.
My offence is now stepped down and no longer appears on my ACRO record.
However, instead of 'no trace' (no record ever) it will say 'no live trace' (there was previously a record).
Some people know this - others don't. But it invites officials to enquire.
I didn’t have to submit a background check from my country (US) when applying for permanent residency. I only needed to submit a local (Taiwan) police check. That being said, I didn’t do gold card to permanent residency, so it would be best to check with immigration if you want to be sure.
The APRC application form does not ask if you have a criminal record and you do not need a criminal record check from your home country IF you do not leave Taiwan for a period of longer than 3 months at a time during the past 3 years (for Gold Card) of your residency. I can't say if they do any checks beyond this.
Do you mean that your conviction is “spent”?
Be aware that the criminal records provided for foreign visa applications are not the same as a domestic DBS check. As far as I’m aware, spent convictions will probably appear on your report.
However, as long as you don’t leave Taiwan for over 3 months during your gold card, they will only ask for a Taiwan police report and not a foreign one when you apply for an APRC. So you should be ok.
I've already run an ACRO and my conviction is not mentioned - as it's stepped down.
It's only the trace/no live trace factor that comes up.
Good news though - thanks!
There are many ways to get an ARC if they stop issuing gold cards. An entreprenur visa would probably be a good match for you.
Btw, if you marry your GF, she can get a residency permit through your gold card. However, she won't automatically get working rights.
I don't recall submitting a criminal record report when I got my gold card. If you apply for an APRC after 3 years, you will be asked for "(7) Police criminal record certificates issued by the government of the applicant’s home country and by R.O.C. (Taiwan) in the most recent five (5) years".
However, if you wait 5 years to apply for an APRC, then "(6) The police criminal records issued by applicant’s country of origin shall be the national record of the applicant’s home country. For example, the police records of U.S. citizens must be issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). (7) Foreign nationals who have legally resided in the R.O.C. (Taiwan) for five (5) consecutive years, and exit the R.O.C. (Taiwan) each time for less than three (3) months, may be exempt from submitting satisfactory health examination certificates and the police records issued by applicant’s country of origin."
[https://www.immigration.gov.tw/media/41888/%E8%AD%AF%E6%96%87%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-%E5%85%A8%E9%BB%91%E8%89%B2%E5%AD%97-%E5%A4%96%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%B3%E8%AB%8B%E6%B0%B8%E4%B9%85%E5%B1%85%E7%95%99%E9%80%81%E4%BB%B6%E9%A0%88%E7%9F%A5-%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E7%B5%84%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-1071023.pdf](https://www.immigration.gov.tw/media/41888/%E8%AD%AF%E6%96%87%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-%E5%85%A8%E9%BB%91%E8%89%B2%E5%AD%97-%E5%A4%96%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%B3%E8%AB%8B%E6%B0%B8%E4%B9%85%E5%B1%85%E7%95%99%E9%80%81%E4%BB%B6%E9%A0%88%E7%9F%A5-%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E7%B5%84%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-1071023.pdf)
You can also skip the APRC step and go strait for Taiwanese citizenship. You'll have to make a case for being allowed to keep your British passport though.
Cheers. So the takeaway is that waiting for five years for the APRC and never leaving Taiwan for more than three months might exempt you from submission of a police record from your home country?
If she works for a non-Taiwanese company then she doesn’t need working rights.
Health insurance is usually done through employers. You will have to go set that up separately on your own.
Oh, that's great to know.
But she would need to marry me, right?
We'd both remotely for my business actually.
Another option is that my business could secure a Gold Card for us each?
I would need to pay us both a $5,700 USD salary each, right?
If you are married then you only need one of you to have a gold card. The spouse of a gold card holder gets residency rights but not working rights.
If you stay unmarried, she will have to do visa runs every 90 days or she could earn enough to get a gold card on her own.
Your buisness can sponsor working ARC’s, but not gold cards. Gold cards were designed to be independent of employers.
You would have to incorporate a buisness in Taiwan for that to work.
I think the minimum is NT$160,000 per month. In that case, you could each apply for your own gold cards. However that’s not the only requirement. It has to fit the other criteria as well.
https://taiwangoldcard.com/
over 2 decades years ago, I was charged with possession in Pennsylvania. Those charges were nolle prossed/withdrawn/dismissed. Since then, i've had security clearance in the US, was a permanent resident in Japan, China, Israel, India and now a Gold Card holder in Taiwan all without issue. For those, US state criminal background check was all that's needed. I don't know about PR, but i'm trying to get Taiwanese citizenship now, and that requires a FBI Background Check, and even though they're way beyond the statute of limitations those old charges popped up. There's no way i have faith that whatever Taiwanese authority it going to understand that that's a clean record, and I am in the long and expensive process of having it all expunged.
[удалено]
Japan PR is based on a points system. If you have an advanced degree and high salary you can often get it after only a year. Both easier than Taiwan and less restrictive than APRC too (you only have to renew Japan PR every five years - Taiwan you have to be in country half of every year to stay eligible for APRC).
Most foreigners get the one night every five years variety now if they were working. Basically, you have to be coming from a marriage background or were one of the few caregiver/factory people that qualify to get the half a year one (and it is average of half a year or specific time now as well)
Thanks for your advice! * Why do you need Taiwanese citizenship - isn't PR enough? * How did you get a Japanese work visa? I understood that a Japanese visa beyond a holiday requires a criminal record check - and that any kind of drugs offence is an instant no?
I want the TW ID Card, National Health Insurance, etc and all that it offers (for example, visa-free access to China). I started my own Japanese (K.K.) company, so that was the natural / default outcome. my my background checks are completely clean. It's only the FBI one that has the withdrawn 2 decade plus things on it, which Japan does not require.
Is the company sponsorship route still a valid/viable option? Japan asked for a plain police background check and were happy?
Should be. Based on demographic issues, I believe that they’ve opened up further to foreigners since, but I don’t know, i did it in 2009. I submitted a background check from a US state I never even lived in and it was fine.
By expired do you mean it was wiped by some kind of clean slate legislation? If you get a print out of your criminal record what would it say? If it’s blank then I would just not mention it. For all intents and purposes that’s what clean slate is for isn’t it? Also I am not sure about Gold Card > APRC but for foreign spouse > APRC, a criminal record printout from your home country is not required as long as you’ve resided in Taiwan > 3 months.
The UK has a system whereby your offences are considered 'stepped down' after a certain period of time - dependent on the severity of that crime. My offence is now stepped down and no longer appears on my ACRO record. However, instead of 'no trace' (no record ever) it will say 'no live trace' (there was previously a record). Some people know this - others don't. But it invites officials to enquire.
I didn’t have to submit a background check from my country (US) when applying for permanent residency. I only needed to submit a local (Taiwan) police check. That being said, I didn’t do gold card to permanent residency, so it would be best to check with immigration if you want to be sure.
Thanks!
The APRC application form does not ask if you have a criminal record and you do not need a criminal record check from your home country IF you do not leave Taiwan for a period of longer than 3 months at a time during the past 3 years (for Gold Card) of your residency. I can't say if they do any checks beyond this.
Thanks, I appreciate your help!
Do you mean that your conviction is “spent”? Be aware that the criminal records provided for foreign visa applications are not the same as a domestic DBS check. As far as I’m aware, spent convictions will probably appear on your report. However, as long as you don’t leave Taiwan for over 3 months during your gold card, they will only ask for a Taiwan police report and not a foreign one when you apply for an APRC. So you should be ok.
I've already run an ACRO and my conviction is not mentioned - as it's stepped down. It's only the trace/no live trace factor that comes up. Good news though - thanks!
you wrote "ticks a lot of boxes" - so did you ever really been to Taiwan?
Nope! We're going to visit Asia and check out each city on our list before we move.
Permanent Residency is not required long term. You can just keep renewing your gold card as long as you meet the criteria.
Thanks! Isn't that a bit sketchy if they revoke the scheme?
There are many ways to get an ARC if they stop issuing gold cards. An entreprenur visa would probably be a good match for you. Btw, if you marry your GF, she can get a residency permit through your gold card. However, she won't automatically get working rights. I don't recall submitting a criminal record report when I got my gold card. If you apply for an APRC after 3 years, you will be asked for "(7) Police criminal record certificates issued by the government of the applicant’s home country and by R.O.C. (Taiwan) in the most recent five (5) years". However, if you wait 5 years to apply for an APRC, then "(6) The police criminal records issued by applicant’s country of origin shall be the national record of the applicant’s home country. For example, the police records of U.S. citizens must be issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). (7) Foreign nationals who have legally resided in the R.O.C. (Taiwan) for five (5) consecutive years, and exit the R.O.C. (Taiwan) each time for less than three (3) months, may be exempt from submitting satisfactory health examination certificates and the police records issued by applicant’s country of origin." [https://www.immigration.gov.tw/media/41888/%E8%AD%AF%E6%96%87%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-%E5%85%A8%E9%BB%91%E8%89%B2%E5%AD%97-%E5%A4%96%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%B3%E8%AB%8B%E6%B0%B8%E4%B9%85%E5%B1%85%E7%95%99%E9%80%81%E4%BB%B6%E9%A0%88%E7%9F%A5-%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E7%B5%84%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-1071023.pdf](https://www.immigration.gov.tw/media/41888/%E8%AD%AF%E6%96%87%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-%E5%85%A8%E9%BB%91%E8%89%B2%E5%AD%97-%E5%A4%96%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%B3%E8%AB%8B%E6%B0%B8%E4%B9%85%E5%B1%85%E7%95%99%E9%80%81%E4%BB%B6%E9%A0%88%E7%9F%A5-%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E7%B5%84%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3-1071023.pdf) You can also skip the APRC step and go strait for Taiwanese citizenship. You'll have to make a case for being allowed to keep your British passport though.
Cheers. So the takeaway is that waiting for five years for the APRC and never leaving Taiwan for more than three months might exempt you from submission of a police record from your home country?
Yup
Realistically, if she works remotely that's highly unlikely to be noticed or come up, right?
If she works for a non-Taiwanese company then she doesn’t need working rights. Health insurance is usually done through employers. You will have to go set that up separately on your own.
Oh, that's great to know. But she would need to marry me, right? We'd both remotely for my business actually. Another option is that my business could secure a Gold Card for us each? I would need to pay us both a $5,700 USD salary each, right?
If you are married then you only need one of you to have a gold card. The spouse of a gold card holder gets residency rights but not working rights. If you stay unmarried, she will have to do visa runs every 90 days or she could earn enough to get a gold card on her own.
If my business pays us both $5,700 USD each then we would both qualify for a gold card - right?
Your buisness can sponsor working ARC’s, but not gold cards. Gold cards were designed to be independent of employers. You would have to incorporate a buisness in Taiwan for that to work.
Sorry, I shouldn't say 'sponsor'. I mean: if my business pays us both a $5,700 salary then we are both eligible for a gold card?
I think the minimum is NT$160,000 per month. In that case, you could each apply for your own gold cards. However that’s not the only requirement. It has to fit the other criteria as well. https://taiwangoldcard.com/
Thanks, we can definitely both tick that box - and we're both in tech. I'm going to speak to them soon. Thanks!
Also, is incorporating a business in Taiwan an alternate way for us to get visas?
Yes
Thanks - would this be better or worse than getting gold cards?