Taiwan Gold Card: Glamorous but Troublesome?
For those residing in Taiwan, you'd probably know that the standard Taiwan residence cards, be it the short-term ARC or the permanent APRC, are all a similar light blue color. To attract international talent, Taiwan introduced another option: the Gold Card, designed for professionals.
I'd been eligible for the APRC, the permanent residence card, for quite some time. But I chose the Gold Card because, honestly, it felt more...glam. And it was! It definitely felt different from most other foreigners. Once, a police officer stopped me and asked for my ID. When I showed him the Gold Card, he seemed noticeably more relaxed. Opening a bank account was another experience. The staff gathered around, asking what the card was and how I got it. At first, I loved it, but after a while, the hassles started to outweigh the perks. If you're considering applying for the Gold Card, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Renewals Required
Yes, it looks impressive, but it still expires every three years! You have to renew it, which, like today, can mean spending half a day trying to navigate the online system. I hadn't renewed in a while, so I'd forgotten the process. It was so annoying that I've decided to switch to the APRC. One application for a lifetime, saving both money and time. Each Gold Card renewal costs NTD 3500.
Unexpected Delays
The Gold Card can also waste your time in other unexpected ways, especially when leaving Vietnam. Entering Vietnam via autogate is fine, but when departing, you can almost guarantee an extra few minutes answering questions from check-in staff and customs officers. Initially, being questioned about the card felt good, like being a VIP. But flying back to Malaysia frequently, I got tired of the constant inquiries. I remember one customs officer at TSN, with a huge line of people waiting behind me, asking all sorts of things: Why is the card gold? How did you get it? How long have you been teaching in Taiwan? What subject do you teach? Do you teach in English? Are your students Malaysian or Taiwanese? And so on.
I know the questions aren't malicious; they're just curious, and our culture is quite open and conversational. But when you're in a hurry and this happens often, it can be frustrating. In those moments, the "glamour" factor disappears.
Tax Benefits Only for High Earners
The biggest benefit of the Gold Card is for those earning over NTD 3,000,000 a year, who can save significantly on taxes. But as a teacher, I don't earn that much. So, only consider the Gold Card if you earn over NTD 3 million annually. Otherwise, you might find it more time-consuming and costly than the APRC. Think carefully!
```