After passing skill assessment
Congratulations! The long and hard part is now over: you’ve been deemed sufficiently skilled to hold a Gold Card.
All that’s left is Identity Verification and you can collect your card!
Identity Verification
🕑 2-4 weeks
Congratulations on passing the skill assessment. It’s now time to deliver your passport for identity verification.
- If you are overseas, you should visit the nearest Taiwanese diplomatic post
- If you are in Taiwan, you must visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs
You will also need to take a copy of the “Passport Submission Notice”, which is found in the “Download” menu after logging in to the portal.
If I apply in Taiwan, where do I go to prove my identity?
You must go to your local Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA). If you’re getting your passport vetted at Taipei’s BOCA/MOFA office, here’s a quick how-to. (Don’t worry, the ‘pinball’ method - shuffling between volunteers - works well too).
- BOCA is open between 08:30 to 17:00, a few blocks from Shandao Temple Station, Exit 2
- Enter the big pink building and go directly up the escalators to level 3
- On 3F, ignore the ticket machine immediately in front of you and turn right and right again to be at the “Authentication” area
- In the middle of the area, around counter 30, grab a ticket (if there is a problem, ask for help at the end counter - counter 28)
- Go to the designated counter when your number is up, surrender your passport and online application document, provide any details on upcoming travel, and receive your receipt.
Is there anything special I should do if I applied from overseas?
If you live far from your local Taiwanese diplomatic post, it is recommended to call before going to give them a heads up. It’s highly likely that you’re the first person ever to go through this process in a particular office and giving them a day or two head start to let them call back to Taiwan and work out what to do when you arrive could be useful.
ⓘ If your application is stuck on “Under inspection” or “Passport Submission” after you already collected your passport, contact the NIA - your card may already be printed.
Card Collection
🕑 2-3 weeks
After your identity is verified, a final review is conducted by the Ministry of Interior and your Gold Card will be issued. You will get an email at this point telling you your application has been approved - congratulations.
If you applied from overseas, you will need to download your Resident Authorization Letter from the portal and print it. Your airline will need to see this as proof of your ability to enter Taiwan, and you’ll show it to the border agent in Taiwan.
After arriving, you must visit the National Immigration Agency location you selected during your application within 30 days to collect your card.
Please note that starting from December 1, 2020, until February 28, 2021, you’ll need a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within three working days to be able to enter in Taiwan.
You don’t need to go to Taiwan straight away: some people take months to prepare for their arrival. However, see the answer for When does the gold card’s validity begin? to determine whether that affects you.
When you are ready, head over to the main page and Join the Gold Card Community, or find out about Life in Taiwan.