Taiwan's Gold Card: More Trouble Than It's Worth?
If you're living in Taiwan, you probably know that most residence cards are a light blue color. Whether it's a short-term ARC or a permanent APRC, they all look pretty much the same. But, to attract international talent, Taiwan introduced the Gold Card for professionals.
I actually qualified for the APRC a while ago, but I decided to stick with the Gold Card because I thought it looked cooler! And it did feel special, setting me apart from most foreigners. I remember once being stopped by the police, and when I showed them my Gold Card, they seemed much more relaxed. At the bank, the staff would gather around, curious about what the card was and how I got it. At first, I loved the attention, but after a while, the hassles started to outweigh the perks.
Things to Consider Before Applying for the Gold Card
If you're thinking about applying for the Gold Card, here are a few things to keep in mind:
-
It Expires! While it looks impressive, it's only valid for three years. Then, you have to go through the renewal process. I just spent half a day trying to navigate the renewal system – I'd forgotten everything! That's why I'm switching to the APRC. It's a one-time thing that lasts a lifetime, saving both time and money. Each Gold Card renewal costs NTD 3,500.
-
Unexpected Time Costs. The Gold Card can lead to some surprising time-consuming situations, especially when traveling to Vietnam. Entering Vietnam with autogate is fine, but when departing, I almost always get stopped for a few minutes by check-in staff or customs officers. At first, I enjoyed the attention and felt very VIP, but with my frequent trips to Vietnam, being questioned so often became annoying. Once, at Tan Son Nhat Airport, a customs officer bombarded me with questions while a long line of people waited behind me. She wanted to know why my card was gold, how I got it, how long I'd been teaching in Taiwan, what subject I taught, what language I used, and whether my students were Vietnamese or Taiwanese.
I know they didn't mean any harm; they were just curious, and Vietnamese culture is very open and friendly. But when I'm in a hurry, being questioned repeatedly becomes frustrating. In those moments, the "cool" factor of the Gold Card fades away.
-
Tax Benefits: Only for High Earners. The biggest benefit of the Gold Card is tax savings for those earning over NTD 3,000,000 per year. But as a teacher, I definitely don't make that much. So, unless you're earning over 3 million a year, you might find the Gold Card more time-consuming and expensive than the APRC in the long run.
