A family member passed away and I need to go home — what do I do?
Migrant workers with a family emergency abroad — different with vs. without an employer
If you have a family emergency and need to return home, first, don't panic. The most important difference is whether you still have an employer or are between employers (no current employer) — the steps and the risks are completely different. Always confirm your situation before you leave, so it doesn't affect your eligibility to return to Taiwan. Time limits and residency effects differ for each person, so be sure to call 1955 in your language to confirm your own situation before leaving.
Step-by-step guide
- 1
First confirm your current status: do you still have an employer, or are you between employers (no current employer)? This determines every step that follows.
- 2
【With employer】Request bereavement leave and report your departure to your employer and broker; agree on a return date to avoid being treated as absent without leave.
- 3
【With employer】Confirm that your ARC (residence permit) and work permit remain valid while you are away; bring your ARC, passport, and employment contract.
- 4
【No employer / between employers】Higher risk: your residency is tied to your job, and being away too long can affect your residency or your transfer time limit. Before leaving, you must contact your former broker or the Immigration Agency to clarify your situation.
- 5
【No employer】Check your ARC validity (red text on the card means you are in the transfer period), and first handle any money owed to you (e.g. refund of forced savings).
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Either way: time limits and residency effects vary by person — before leaving you must call 1955 in your language to confirm your own situation. Do not skip this step.
Related Subsidies & Protections
1955 Foreign Workers' Advisory and Protection Hotline
24 小時免付費多語專線（中、英、印尼、越南、泰語）。可處理薪資被扣、證件被扣留、職災、仲介收費糾紛與人身侵害。以「強制儲蓄」名義扣薪違法，雇主須全額給付工資，違者罰 6 萬至 30 萬元並廢止聘僱許可。撥打不會被遣返。2026-07-21 依官方來源核對。
Free legal aid for foreign migrant workers
依就服法第 46 條第 1 項第 8–10 款受僱的移工（漁撈、家庭與機構看護、製造、營造等），可簽無資力切結書免經資力審查，免費取得法律諮詢與訴訟代理。就近洽法扶各地分會，或撥 1955 轉介。2026-07-21 依官方來源核對。