How the Gold Card application works, step by step

Short answer: the whole application process is online. You apply through the government application platform, upload your documents, pay one fee of about $120 to $300 depending on your passport and the validity you choose, and wait. In the cases we have handled it takes around two months. The card itself is collected in person in Taiwan. Here is each step, and where applications usually slow down.

Step 1: check which route you qualify under

Before anything else you need to know your field and your route. There are twelve fields, and you can apply under only one of them per application. Most people qualify either through salary (about $5,000 a month or more in any one of the last three years) or through professional achievements. Every field and route is on one page, and the official site has its own quick check.

This is the step that decides the rest. The documents you upload, and how you present them, depend on the route you pick.

Step 2: create an account on the application platform

All applications go through the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform run by the National Immigration Agency. You create an account, fill in the form, upload your documents and pay, all in the same place. There is no paper application.

Step 3: the documents you need

The basic set is the same for everyone:

• Passport: a color copy, with at least 6 months of validity left.
• Photo: a recent digital passport-style photo on a white background, uploaded with the form. You do not need a printed one.
• Proof of your route: for the salary route this is usually your annual tax statement, or an employer letter plus payslips. For other routes, it is the evidence that matches that route.
• Previous Taiwan documents: if you held a Taiwan visa or residence permit before.

Documents that are not in English or Chinese need a translation. Citizens of 25 listed countries also need their documents verified by a Taiwan representative office, which adds about 3 to 8 weeks.

Step 4: pay the application fee

You pay one fee, online or at a convenience store. It is not refunded if the application is declined.

Dollar amounts are approximate. For most people choosing three years, the fee is about $180. Whichever validity you choose, the card can be renewed later: here is how renewal works. Card payments confirm right away; virtual account and convenience store payments take 2 to 3 working days.

Step 5: passport inspection if you apply from abroad

If you are outside Taiwan, your passport has to be inspected by a Taiwan representative office before the review starts. This usually takes about 7 working days. People in Taiwan on a visitor visa or visa-free entry also go through this step.

Step 6: the review and how long it takes

Several agencies look at your file in turn:

• the National Immigration Agency checks it first;
• the Ministry of Labor reviews your qualification together with the ministry responsible for your field;
• for applicants abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes part as well;
• the National Immigration Agency does the final check.

On processing time, the official estimate is more than 60 business days. In the cases we have handled it is usually around two months. It stretches when the office asks for more documents.

When the office asks for more documents

If something is missing or unclear, you get a request for corrections. You have 30 days to respond, or 6 months if the documents can only be obtained abroad. If you miss that deadline, the application is declined. This is one of the quieter ways applications fail: the request lands in an inbox nobody is watching.

Step 7: approval, entering Taiwan and collecting the card

• If you applied in Taiwan: print the payment receipt from the platform and take it with your passport to the National Immigration Agency service center you chose.
• If you applied from abroad: after approval you download the Resident Authorization from the platform and print it in color. With your passport and this printout you can fly to Taiwan, no separate visa needed. Within 30 days of arrival you collect the card at the service center.

The card is only issued in Taiwan. Overseas offices stopped handing out cards in 2021.

Doing it yourself, or with help

Everything above is public, and many people file on their own. What usually costs time is not the form. It is choosing the right route, matching each document to it, and answering correction requests before the 30 days run out. That is the part we handle when we take on a Taiwan Gold Card application.

One of our clients first filed alone, expecting the form to be simple. The application was declined: it went in under the wrong field, with an incomplete set of documents. The new application, filed under the right field with a complete set, was approved.

FAQ

Gold Card application

How do I apply for the Taiwan Gold Card?

Online, through the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform. You create an account, upload your documents, pay the fee and wait for the review.

How much does the Gold Card application cost?

For most foreign passports it is NT$3,700 to NT$5,700, depending on whether you choose one, two or three years. U.S. citizens applying from abroad pay more. The fee is not refunded if you are declined.

How long does the Gold Card application take?

In the cases we have handled, around two months. The official estimate is more than 60 business days. Requests for more documents and document verification add time.

Do I need to be in Taiwan to apply?

No. You can apply from abroad. Your passport is inspected by a Taiwan representative office. After approval you print the Resident Authorization, fly to Taiwan with it and your passport, and collect the card within 30 days.

Can I apply under more than one field?

No. Each application goes under one field and one route.