| Q1. I just transferred to a new school but the visa on my passport still shows the original school. Do I need to apply for a new visa? |
If your visa is marked with FS codes, you do not need to apply for a new visa. However, if your visa is marked with FR codes, your visa is for the pre-degree LEP only and you must apply for a new visa.
Please bring your scholarship certificates, the admission letter, your student ID card (affixed with the enrollment seal of the new school), your passport and ARC (valid for at least six months), and two passport ID photos to a ROC MOFA mission abroad and update your visa information. Please visit the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China(Taiwan), for information about ROC mission abroad: http://www.boca.gov.tw/ |
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| Q2. What is an Alien Residence Certificate (ARC)? How do I apply for ARC? |
A foreigner seeking to enter Taiwan on a resident visa must apply for an ARC in order to obtain lawful resident status in Taiwan. You will need to apply for an ARC at your local immigration bureau within 15 days after your entry date.
A delay penalty of NTD 2,000 will be charged for a late application of up to 10 days, NTD 4,000 for any delay exceeding 11-30 days, and NTD 6,000 for any delay between 31 to 90 days.
You can find the locations accepting ARC applications in every county/city from the list of services centers, including the address and the telephone numbers, published by the National Immigration Agency. |
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| Q3. How do I extend my ARC validity period? |
You will need to bring your passport and ARC (which shall be valid for at least 15 days prior to the expiration), student ID card, and other required documents to any local service center of the National Immigration Agency.
If your ARC has expired, you will have to leave the country and apply for a new resident visa at any Taiwan Embassy, Mission, or Representative office. Within 15 days after you arrive in Taiwan, visit any local service center of the National Immigration Agency to apply for a new ARC.
Please note that the following penalties will be charged if you stay in Taiwan after your resident visa expires: NTD 2,000 for any unpermitted stay within 10 days, NTD 4,000 for any unpermitted stay between 11 to 30 days, NTD 6,000 for any unpermitted stay between 31 to 60 days, NTD 8,000 for any unpermitted stay between 61 to 90 days, and NTD 10,000 for any unpermitted stay over 90 days.
The institution offering your scholarship will not pay the penalty for you. Please visit the website indicating the information for foreigners entering Taiwan. |
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| Q4. I just completed the pre-degree LEP and I still have one month before my degree program starts. How can I extend my ARC for this one-month period? |
| You will need an admission letter to apply for a long-term extension of your stay. Therefore, recipients of MOFA and MOE Taiwan scholarships are advised to apply for one additional month for their ARCs so that the students will have a grace period between the receipt of admission notice and the commencement of the next program. Please bring your student ID card from the language school, the admission letter from the school you will study at (to prove your status as a scholarship recipient), your passport, and ARC to apply for a one-month extension of ARC during the transitional period between the two programs. |
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| Q5. I just moved into a new place. Whom should I inform about my new address? |
| You have to update your address at any local service center of the National Immigration Agency within 15 days after moving. Failure to do so will result in penalty charges. First-time offenders will be charged a penalty of NTD 2,000, repeat offenders will be charged NTD 5,000 and third-time offenders will be charged NTD 10,000. |
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