How to Get Your ARC Card

Getting Your ARC Card:

If you are a full academic year student like I was, you will need to get your ARC (Alien Resident Certificate) card within the first 15 days of coming to Taiwan.  You have to do this at the National Immigration Agency.  It’s a very easy to find, and I was able to navigate my way using google maps; but I will show you how to get there.  First, you have to hop on the metro and go to Xiaonanmen station (小南門站) on the Green line. You will use the second exit.

You will keep going straight for about 5 minutes until you reach your first intersection that looks like this.  Then turn left.

Once inside, you will have to get a ticket with a number on it so you are in the que.  You might have to wait a while; but that’s fine since you have a form you have to fill out. I had to go twice, once to show a friend, and there is no “good” time to go and it may or may not be busy  Just bring something to occupy your time with in case you have a long wait.

When you come make sure you know:

1. Your living address (I didn’t know mine so I just put down the schools address, so it’s a bit awkward and not really correct).
2. 1000 NTD in cash for the card
3. A small passport style printed photo of yourself (not off of a computer).  If you don’t have one, in the basement of the building they have little photo booths where you can take a photo of yourself for a cheap price (I don’t remember exactly, but it was around 100NTD).

The actual process itself is easy, and once your number is called you go to the desk, hand over the form and documents and the clerk will give you a receipt and tell you which day to return to get your card (it usually takes about 2 weeks.  If there is a typhoon like there was after I submitted my paperwork , it might be delayed a few days).