Hello dear readers, life was going on boring as usual, when a few days ago I received an automated alert email from some taiwanese official website: the validity of my Gold Card is about to expire! Remember, last time I had to renew it because I changed my passport, but this time it’s just because the 3-years period (the maximum you can pay and apply for) is about to end. I have two choices:
- Assume there’s never going to be another pandemic-style emergency in Taiwan, or that anyway I will always be able to enter Taiwan as married to a taiwanese citizen; or
- Don’t be dumb, and renew my Gold Card.
I mean, there’s two points to consider here: first, at the very least the Gold Card would allow us (whole family) to skip the immigration queue at the airport when we enter Taiwan for a visit next time (as I’m the only one in the family without a taiwanese passport). Second, the process of “renewing” a non-expired Gold Card is much smoother than re-applying from scratch (or at least, so they say).
So that’s what I did today: I logged in on that terrible website, uploaded a bunch of documents (proof of recent salary and employment, updated CV, etc) and paid 3500 NTD (about 99 CHF / 100 EUR / 109 USD). I will have to wait until the extension is approved, then download the confirmation letter, and on the next entry to Taiwan show the letter and the payment receipt at the border control, then I will be able to collect the physical card at some immigration office branch in Taileng.
That is, in theory. Let’s see…
Are You Fucking Kidding Me 