Job Discussion Forums

[clark.w.griswald]

bluetortilla you won't be able to get an answer that assures you success in your endeavor to get the best price ticket and secure the most suitable visa as quite honestly the visa issuing authorities are very unpredictable. I think that they like it that way.

The advice that you have been given here seems to me to be good advice. You need sixty days in country if you are going to find work and get the documents prepared. You may need an outbound ticket within that period of time or else the airline check in counter may not allow you to board the aircraft until such time as you do purchase an outbound ticket.

The visa authorities may insist upon seeing an outbound ticket within the visa period or they may not.

Personally, I would purchase a 12 month return ticket and book the return date within 60 days. Yes it is the most expensive type of ticket but it is also the most convenient as you will breeze through the visa application, check in and immigration, and also have the flexibility to head home at any time within one year with free date changes.

Another option is a one way ticket here with an outbound flight to Hong Kong (or somewhere nearby) within 60 days. Again this will get you here without any problems and then you can either use that ticket for a visa run (if you need it), a holiday (if you want it), or cash the ticket in once you get here for a fee.

[bluetortilla]

I hope this helps somebody else one day.

I finally found, through an agency (No. 1 Travel) that booked me through Korean Air, a 90 day open ticket for around US 700, about twice as much as I thought I'd be paying. As money is something I have very little of, it's rough but it's the best I can do.

I'm just curious- is it the Taiwanese government that is setting these ridiculous prices, the airlines, or both? Are they trying to discourage foreign workers? I thought that native speaking English teachers were all the rage now in Asia.

In Japan, at least in Fukuoka, you'd have very little visa hassles. Of course, the cost of living is extremely high here so you won't save much money, but the Japanese government seems to be welcoming foreigners of every type.

Just though I'd add that for general info.

Thanks folks,

BT

[mlomker]

[SanChong]

[clark.w.griswald]

[bluetortilla]

Thank all, you've been extremely helpful. Mostly, as I've mentioned, I've had two things on mind: a master's degree in linguistics and a fiance. Now that the fiance status has been downgraded to girlfriend/let's get to know each other better, I am free to work out of Taipei. Or the mainland.

I myself was pretty uneasy about just jumping into new country jobless, though I did get the feeling that I would have gotten something before my visa ran out! The thing is, you need lots of money to jump into Taipei. If I do end up in Taiwan, I think I will get a job outside Taipei before I go!

BT

[Dr_Zoidberg]

Taipei has a lot to recommend it, and certainly the overwhelming majority of foreigners in Taiwan reside there. However, you can have a rewarding experience outside of Taipei, too.

[BigWally]

[yamahuh]

[quote="clark.w.griswald]
According to the regulations this is correct but in practice it rarely is enforced. I recommend that new arrivals have a ticket out of the country when they arrive but in most cases no one checks.
[/quote]

Man oh man I wish I'd known that a few weeks ago; I woulda taken my chances instead of losing more hair and developing my ulcer.
We were in Vietnam and didn't want to spend the extra $$'s to book a return to Ho Chi Minh / Hanoi; figured if we might lost the ticket we may as well buy the cheapest one we could find.
We (thought we) couldn't get the tourist visas processed before we had the outgoing flight booked and of course there were time constraints re: the job start date etc.
After a LOT of screwing around; we were trying to get this done during Tet / Spring Festival, we finally managed to book a partially refundable outgoing flight from Taipei to Incheon, S.Korea which was cheaper than flying to Hong Kong.
Soooooo with our tickets in hand we hussled along to the T.E.C.O office to start the visa process.... the guy never even ASKED about our exit flight!!
I almost rammed the tickets down his throat!
Now we're hoping that we don't lose too much cash on the refund.

What a pain in the ass it was getting these visas.
You live and learn...

[bluetortilla]

Yes, but better safe than sorry. I spent TWICE as much on a 90 day open ticket just to make sure I'd get my 60 days. Now, some really nice guy (or woman) might be behind that corner to issue my visa or maybe not. It could just as well be some by the book type that you have to smile extra hard to avoid enraging him. Well, I'll be going into Taipei pretty much broke (but not without support) but it was the only way that made sense. Get lemons make lemonade I guess.

Boy do I hate nation-states. No offense to any patriots out there.

BT

[craigzy]

i have to make the trip to hong kong soon, and am hoping for a 60 day. for those who are broke, find a travel agent who will sell you a 'ghost' ticket that departs over 30 days so you will have something to show the agent if they ask you for proof youre leaving taiwan, and, a reason for the agent to issue a 60-day...

as for the cash strapped, heres what my run is looking like:

taipei - hong kong, roundtrip (evening flights tend to be cheaper than morning flights - it means youll need a hotel, but youre likely to save more $ in the end. and you can get to the office bright and early looking good): 7700

ho(s)tel: 1000ish

ghost ticket: 600

visitors visa (expedited): 1800

trains, buses, food, other assorted crap (depends on the person, of course) - 1000

[bluetortilla]

wow, sounds grim. hope Jah will see me through!

BT

[mep3]

Here's a couple:


I'll be getting a visitor's visa into Taiwan from Macau.

1. Does it matter WHERE I BUY the tickets for the flights from Macau to Taiwan and out of Taiwan to somewhere else? I mean does it matter at all whether I purchase the tickets in Mainland China or in Macau? As far as TECO Macau is concerned? I'm assuming it doesn't matter, but just incase.. And do I have to worry about the language on the itinerary: English or Chinese? The vocab is pretty simple I guess ("from," "to,"), and I assume they can probably read Chinese or English, so I guess it doesn't matter?

2. Does it matter if the ticket going FROM MACAU TO TAIWAN and the ticket going OUT OF TAIWAN TO SOMEWHERE ELSE AFTER 60 DAYS are PURCHASED ON THE SAME DATE AND/OR IN THE SAME PLACE? Reason I ask is because I've found a good deal I can get on a ticket from Macau to Taiwan if I buy it now. But I haven't figured out yet what I want to do for my ticket out of Taiwan. So if I buy the ticket now in mainland China for the flight from Macau to Taiwan and then buy the one out of Taiwan later somewhere else, does that matter? I'm not talking about the flight dates, just where and when and from whom I purchase them. So it probably doesn't matter but I thought I'd better ask before I buy them..

Thanks .... mep

[mep3]

Oh, I didn't mean "after 60 days" -- I meant between 30 and 60 days after arriving