Changing Address on ARC

[bismarck]

Why bother? I like it when the cops don't know where I live.

Because if they send you a notification and it gets sent back to them by someone (like a doorman) you get a fine.

I moved and never told them they sent notifications, later FAP fined me NT$8,000 more or less cant remember exact amount

Happened to me too once, which is why I know they will catch you out at some point.

But no one ever listens here, then they whine when they get screwed.

[Lisi]

Hello,

this thread seems to be the right one for my two questions:

1. I am about to move to a new apartment, but before I actually do this I will go home to Europe for about two weeks. I originally planned to go the Immigration Office just before I leave the country, apply for the address change on my ARC, and pick it up after I come back to Taipei (to safe time because I have got to change my mailing address at a couple of institutions and don't want letters to get lost, i.e. be sent to my old address when I no longer live there). However, my roommate just told me that they might first take away my old ARC, which would leave me without ARC for some time (including my leaving and re-entering the country) - that's not so good, right? Does the Immigration Office actually do this? If yes, I suppose I'd better wait until after my trip home for the whole process, right? How long does an address change on ARC usually take anyway?

2. The apartment I'm going to move in is actually on the 5th floor but I don't have my own mailbox, so my mail will go into the one for the 4th floor - which is also what my landlord told me to use as address. I actually don't care about this but I now worry whether the Immigration Office might want to see my lease agreement (where there is written "5th floor") - and then everything might get complicated. When I first applied for ARC last August, the guy there (at Taipei City) did not want to see any prove that I actually lived at the address I told him, but my friend who registered in New Taipei City had to bring a confirmation from her landlord (which was quite a hassle). Do you have any suggestions what I should do?

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it!

[914]

As far as I'm aware, you must notify the appropriate authorities within 15 days of moving of your new address. The fine is nt$2000 if you do it later. We moved into a different unit in the same building and didn't notify our accountants until a month later. Granted, we had people process the change of address for our arc for us. Our accts said it would've cost $8000 nt fine for our family of four, but the nia waived it. Could be it was during new year...we had to resubmit everything ie. lease, old arc. Took about a week to get new arc with new address, but all other info and pic remained the same.

[Lisi]

Thanks a lot for the reply and especially for reminding me of the 15 days limit, I didn't think of that! My lease according to the contract will start on 20 of May so I guess I will just go then to change my ARC. I will just ask my landlord what I should do about the "4th/5th floor problem", I guess.

[Gits Ferrari]

What about if you move into a new address, yet simultaneously keep the old address? Oops? Can't have two addresses simultaneously? Fuck the man.

[Ovechkin]

I am moving next week and need to notify immigration. Is there any way I can do the change of address without actually going to immigration? I was told they only open M-F and I think their hours of operation are the same hours I am working so there's no way I can make it there. Do I need to take a day off work to take care of this? Also, is there a fee for changing an address? would it require them to reissue a new ARC card?

[Confuzius]

What about if you move into a new address, yet simultaneously keep the old address? Oops? Can't have two addresses simultaneously? Fuck the man.

That sorta happened to me...

My leases overlapped by one month. So I took both to NIA, to show that though my new address changed well before 15 days ago, I still maintained the former address.

I did not get fined, but, when I went to pickup my ARC like a week later, they "couldn't find it" at first, then told me to go sit and wait in the consultation room where people have problems with their immigration status (YIKES!).

Waited 10 minutes...a dude brought me my ARC.

Dunno wtf that was about.

[Lisi]

I am moving next week and need to notify immigration. Is there any way I can do the change of address without actually going to immigration? I was told they only open M-F and I think their hours of operation are the same hours I am working so there's no way I can make it there. Do I need to take a day off work to take care of this? Also, is there a fee for changing an address? would it require them to reissue a new ARC card?

Since they print your new address on the new card they will issue a new one. I actually needed to change my ARC two times in the last 6 months so I try not to mix up the procedures here, but as far as I remember there is no fee for only changing an address. You need to fill out this general application form anyway, though, so you might need a photo (I can't remember whether I needed one at that time, sorry! But I guess so as there is a blank on that form ). My address change in May (see above), btw, went very smoothly, no problems at all. Thank you guys for your advice back then!

Sorry, I can't tell you whether it's possible to send a proxy to do the procedure for you, though.

[Ovechkin]

Thanks, maybe I should call and ask? =X

[Lisi]

Thanks, maybe I should call and ask? =X

This might be a revolutionary idea. Hahaha!

Edit: If you do, could you please post the information here as well? Because I'd actually be interested in it. Thanks!