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sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1276
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 1:57 pm Post subject: setting up in Taiwan |
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setting up costs
I'm planning to move to Taiwan from Thailand in a couple of months.
Let me see if I've got this straight:
Fly to Taipei, pick up a landing visa [is it really $US100?], get a medical exam, find a job, leave again [to HK or BKK or somewhere else?] to get a new visa, then finally return to start work?
With the three flights, visa expenses, etc. plus not having an income for one or two months, setting up in Taiwan seems fairly costly.
Would you agree with that? Or is there something I'm missing? Is there a better way to go about this? |
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horizontalcrack
Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 1 Location: Taiwan
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 5:55 am Post subject: |
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Not all of your info is correct. The landing visa is free; at least my friend from the States who came out here to visit last month didn't need to pay one (and he didn't have any other sort of tourist visa). Next, don't get a medical test until you've found a job. At the Taiwan consulate in Bangkok, you can apply for a 30-60 day visa. If you've never been here before, you should qualify for a 60-day visa, and that will give you plenty of time to find a job without having to leave the country. The process is a lot easier than people make it sound, if you do it right. |
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Okami
Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 121 Location: Sunny Sanxia
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 12:09 pm Post subject: It's a lot easier thasn you think |
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Go to the Bangkok TECO office and ask nicely for a 60 day visa, have you're paperwork checked twice by information and dress nicely. If it is your first time they should give you a 60 day single entry visa. With this visa your options are a lot greater. You can have it extended by signing up for language courses(attendance non-compulsory) and then you have a total of 180 days to find a legal or illegal job in Taiwan. You will need to do the following things and plan well.
1. Set up interviews before you arrive. Just call them and ask for a interview a day or 2 after you have gotten into Taipei.
2. Stay at a hostel at first and network your butt off. Also check the Universities for possible jobs. WenHua University at the corner of hoping and jianguo has a job notice board on the 4th floor for foreign English teachers. You will almost always find your best jobs by networking.
3. Decide what city you are going to stay in. This sounds simple but a lot of people screw it up. One guy I know of didn't listen when a vet told him to do #1 and then went to Hualien for a week to look for work. I wouldn't want to hire a guy like that, there are a lot of foreigners and most bosses can be choosy.
4. Have a plan and an emergency fund. What will you do if your first boss burns you? It isn't likely to happen, but if it does be prepared.
Moving into an actual apartment is the expensive part. You generally have to pay 2 months rent as deposit and the rent for that month. Then you have to buy a bare minimum of furniture and utensils. Most apartments come without a fridge or a washing machine. You can rent a scooter off of an English guy in Taipei, but you have to find him yourself. He's at the shop of the only guy described as honest in the lonely planet taiwan(which is a useless book, IMHO)
Good luck,
Okami |
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taiwan boy
Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 99 Location: China
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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horizontalcrack wrote: |
Next, don't get a medical test until you've found a job. |
I disagree. Get it done as soon as possible after you arrive. It takes one week to get the results and if you leave it too late it can mean you won't have enough time to get your work permit processed before your visa expires. The medical certificate is valid for three months. |
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