Permanent Residence (Alien Permanent Resident Certificate, APRC)

Overview

The Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC) is Taiwan permanent residence status, granted by the National Immigration Agency under Article 25 of the Immigration Act. The general route requires five years of continuous legal residence with presence in Taiwan of at least 183 days in each of those years, alongside age, conduct, and means-of-support conditions. Once granted, an APRC remains valid indefinitely unless the holder fails to maintain an average of at least 183 days of residence per year over a rolling five-year window, or other disqualifying circumstances arise. Holders of Gold Cards and work permits accrue qualifying residence toward this status.

Eligibility

Application pathway

1. 01

   Accumulate qualifying residence

   Maintain five years of continuous legal residence with at least 183 days of presence in Taiwan each year.

2. 02

   Assemble the evidence

   Gather residence records, proof of means of support, and any character documentation required by the NIA.

3. 03

   Apply to the NIA

   Submit the Alien Permanent Resident Certificate application to the National Immigration Agency.

4. 04

   Maintain permanent residence

   After grant, keep the rolling 183-days-per-year average to retain the APRC, which otherwise remains valid indefinitely.

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Compare Taiwan (Republic of China) with

• 🇧🇳 Brunei Darussalam
• 🇹🇭 Kingdom of Thailand
• 🇮🇩 Republic of Indonesia

Related routes

• Taiwan Employment Gold Card

  A combined open work permit, resident visa, ARC and re-entry permit for foreign special professionals in designated fields, not tied to any single employer.

• Work Permit for Specialized or Technical Work + ARC

  The standard employer-sponsored route for foreign professionals: the employer obtains a work permit from the Workforce Development Agency, then the worker applies for a resident visa and Alien Resident Certificate.

• Foreign Special Professional Work Permit

  An enhanced work-permit route under the Foreign Professionals Act for designated special professionals, allowing employment permits of up to five years and additional incentives.