Application for Residence

• Resident Visa Application

Students arriving in Taiwan with visitor visas and who intended to stay longer than the visitor visa allows, should go to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apply for a resident visa after registration at their respective schools. Before registration, students cannot apply for a resident visa, so be sure to apply for extension.

To apply for a resident visa, applicants need to provide: a completed resident visa form, valid passport, two photos, a copy of his/her student ID card and NT$2,200 application fee to the Bureau of Consular Affairs office (5F, No2-2 Chi-Nan Road , Sec. 1, Taipei , Taiwan ). For any questions concerning visa issuance, please call the Bureau of Consular Affairs at (886-2) 2343-2888. For related information, please refer to the website of Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Forign Affairs: http://www.boca.gov.tw .

• Application for Alien Resident Certificate

Students entering Taiwan with resident visas are required to apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) and a re-entry permit at the city/county police headquarters within 15 days after their arrival. Students who have successfully switched their visiting visas to resident visas also have to apply for an ARC card and re-entry permit within 15 days after they have obtained their resident visas. They may stay in Taiwan as long as their ARC remain valid.

To apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), students have to bring xeroxed copies of their passport and student identification card, together with NT$1,000 to the city/county police headquarters nearest to their residence in Taiwan for processing.

Insurance

With our social and economic development and the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI), Taiwan's medical standards and the quality of healthcare have been upgraded significantly. Foreigners in Taiwan are also able to enjoy these high quality medical services

Foreigners with an Alien Resident Certificate and who have resided in Taiwan for four months must enroll in the National Health Insurance program. They have to go to a local administrative office to enroll in the NHI program.

Before they are eligible for the NHI program, students can either purchase their own insurance or participate in a temporary health insurance program offered by the foreign students' office inside their host institution.

Foreigners who have lost their residence status because they no longer hold a valid ARC or are leaving Taiwan permanently will also lose their right to participate in the NHI program. They must withdraw their participation in the NHI program through their group insurance agents (their employers or local administration offices) and then return their NHI card to their agents and pay any remaining premiums balance in full before leaving Taiwan .

When traveling overseas for a short period of time, for either business or a vacation, upon returning to Taiwan with a valid ARC, foreigners must remain enrolled in the NHI program.

Bank Account

Most banks offer foreign currency exchange and banking services in NT dollar. Foreign students can open bank accounts with their passports and ARC cards. Individuals who want to open an account without an ARC card need to get a universal identification number at the local police office.

Telephone

Students living off-campus may get phone lines set up at Chunghwa Telecom with their passport, ARC card and a guarantor, who must be a R.O.C. citizen over 20. This company provides data communication, wireless and regular domestic and international telecom services.
Cellular phones are very popular in Taiwan . A cellular phone line application is similar to a fixed-line service application. There are several service providers offering services at competitive prices.

Public telephones can be found on the streets. They are either coin-operated or card-operated. Telephone cards can be purchased at most convenience stores. All types of calls are timed and charged according to the length of the call and the calling distance. The basic charge for a local call is NT$2.
For English-speaking directory assistance, please call 106. For travel-related questions while touring Taiwan , please call the following telephone number: 0800-011-765.

International calls can be made by dialing: international dialing code 002 + country code + area code + local number.
Facsimile service is available at most convenience stores, major post offices and tourist hotels.

Postage

Taiwan's post office is the Chunghwa Post, which provides international and domestic mail services to the public. It has over a thousand branches all over the island to provide regular and express postal service. Foreign students may also consider applying for a postal box at the nearest branch.

In addition, most convenience stores serve as pick up locations for international and domestic express services.

Accommodation and Living

Students mainly living in on-campus student dormitories and off-campus apartments. On-campus undergraduate dormitory buildings are divided according to genders and are open to students all year round. Usually four to six students share a room. Pets are usually not allowed.

At the university, students usually wear something casual to class. Coin washing machines and dryers can be found inside each dormitory. There are on-campus dining halls and each meal costs NT$40-130. Food stalls are usually found within 15 minutes walking from the campus.

Some campuses have on-campus health centers, which offer medical assistance for minor ailments. Some schools may have a post office, a bookstore and a bank on campus. Monthly expenditure is estimated to be NT$6,000.

Apartment Rental

Off-campus housing cost are approximately NT$ 5,000 - 9,000 per month (not including utilities). Rental information can be found on the web: http://www.tmm.org.tw/ or by visiting a local real estate company. A one-time service charge may be charged deal by the real estate company.