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tweed
Joined: 21 Nov 2003
Posts: 11
Location: Taiwan
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 Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 5:13 pm Post subject: futile return ticket for visa purposes |
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Hello,
For the visitor visa application you need to have a plane ticket with a return date on it, probably for a date maximum 2 months after you are arriving in Taiwan right? Then that would make the return ticket useless to me because I will be staying for at least a year. There must be a way around this and I would like to know what it is because I'm not wasting a perfectly good ticket home. How do you experienced people get around this? |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2003 2:40 am Post subject: Re: futile return ticket for visa purposes |
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Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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brian
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 299
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2003 3:41 am Post subject: |
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The issue of buying a return ticket when you come to Taiwan has been discussed at length. The outcome of these discussions could probably best be summarized by the following:
1. While it is in most cases a requirement to have an outbound ticket before coming to Taiwan, it seems possible that you can in fact get here without one.
2. It would work out more economical to buy a return ticket, provided that you plan to return home at least once a year to visit the rellies.
3. It would obviously be an inconvenience to have to buy a return ticket if you are then forced to use the return portion or loose your money.
4. Jason swears that you can arrive trouble free on a one way ticket from Canada so you may want to find out where he secured his visa and which company he flew with etc. I don�t doubt that what he says was true in his case, but I am sure that there would be no guarantees that you would be treated the same way. The major point that was made by the majority in the earlier discussion was that unless you have a fundamental reason not to do so, you are probably best to just go the tried and proven method.
Another possible solution is to buy a ticket from your home country to Taiwan, with an ongoing flight out of the country to HK. You can then either choose not to take this flight (and forfeit a bit of money) or in some cases you can cash it back in and only lose a little bit of money.
The answer is not simple as is up to your individual preference. The standard procedure as far as the authorities go is for visitors to arrive with an outgoing ticket. Whilst this may be overlooked on occasion, it could really through your plans into disarray if you were unlucky enough to come face to face with someone who was having a bad day and wanted to enforce the rules. Is it worth the trouble, I don�t think so, but I am sure that you will get a couple of dissenting voices. |
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TaoyuanSteve
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 1028
Location: Taoyuan
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2003 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Arguments aren't sparring matches. They aren't "won." If you are referring to me, I gave up on you, Jason. |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2003 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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js
Last edited by jason_seeburn on Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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alamuerte
Joined: 06 Aug 2003
Posts: 21
Location: tongshih,taichung county
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 2:29 am Post subject: futility |
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not joining the "debate" just giving my experience.
- departed toronto nov. 16 with a return seat booked for oct 20 2004
- was told at check-in that since my visa was for 30 days my
return seat had to booked for within that window.
- changed the reservation for dec. 13, the latest they had availability
for the 30 days. ( cost to make change $25 can.)
- haven't done it yet but will now have to change the reservation again,
probably for the hong kong visa run, but that's another story.
(been told that because i have a 30 day landing visa instead of a
30 day visistor visa i can't do the star cruise trip). |
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brian
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 299
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| Pop Fly wrote: |
| ...once people start to get personal is when the conversation goes out the window...I, for one, stop listening, as the insultive person's opinion is no longer worth considering. |
A quote from your old mate Pop Fly. But I will answer your points nonetheless.
| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| translation: I like to go home to see my folks once a year. So must everyone else. It's my universe, I make up the rules. |
Actually not. My parents both passed away not long ago. I made this comment as I know from my friends on the island that their families like to see them at least once a year. Sorry to hear that your's don't.
| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| Translation: Jason and several other posters, some with lots of experience entering and exiting Taiwan, have concrete proof (ie, they have done it) that you don't need a return ticket to get on the island. You might want to ask Jason how he got his visa without a return ticket (told them I was going to buy an onward ticket once I got there). I am sure (in my paranoid little universe) that there is no way that anyone could do something that I was too scared to do. The major point that was made by me (Brian) and one other poster was that we know everything, even though we've never tried to get on to the island without a return ticket because we were too frightened of what might happen, so you are best to take our advice (on something we've never done). |
If my memory serves me right you had one supporter, not several so lets not exaggerate. My point is very clear. Yes, there are people here without outbound tickets, just as there are plenty with outbound tickets. It is not a matter of whether it is possible or not, but a matter of what is likely to prove to be the most practical.
| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| Translation: Another way of wasting your money, (albeit not as much) is to do this other method that I've just thought of (though probably also never tried). |
Actually, wrong again Jason. This is becoming quite a habit for you. I have done my research since the original question was raised. I was meeting people who were indeed here without outbound tickets and this is how the majority of them managed to 'beat the system'. Even these people had not been able to arrive on a one way ticket.
| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| Translation: I have no idea what the standard procedure as far as the authorities go is in Taiwan, but as far as my little universe goes, in my own head I've made up a requirement based on visa issuing practices of Taiwan eco offices in foreign countries, without doing any research to see why these practices exist, and I am now telling people that this is the rule on Taiwan, even though, if you were to show your return ticket to the immigration officials at the airport in Taipei, they would probably have no idea what you wanted. There is no rule on Taiwan that you need a return ticket to enter the country, but I am going to pretend that there is, because it is better than having to think. |
I think it is pretty clear who is unaware of the procedures. |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 3:57 am Post subject: Re: futility |
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Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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brian
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 299
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 4:18 am Post subject: Re: futility |
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| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| That's interesting. Where did they tell you you had to book the return seat within the 30 day window (at eco office or at customs in Taipei?). Just wondering because I didn't think you could change a return seat from Taipei customs before clearing immigration. Did you use a cell phone at customs or something? If you made the change in Canada before you left, you wasted your time. |
Read his post! He says that he was pulled up at check in. This would be the airline check in counter at the airport in Canada. What are you talking about customs and Taiwan for? He didn't even make it that far. How is that he wasted his time making the change? He obviously didn't have much choice in the matter - it was either, make the change or you don't board this flight!
This experience is inline with my own and is the reason for my stance on the matter. There are regulations and they are enforced (although randomly it appears). Why cause trouble for yourself before you even leave home when you dont need to? That's what I don't understand about all of this.
Sorry to hear that you out of pocket $25, but you'll make it back in short time now that you are here. |
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brian
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 299
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 4:28 am Post subject: Re: futility |
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| alamuerte wrote: |
not joining the "debate" just giving my experience.
- departed toronto nov. 16 with a return seat booked for oct 20 2004
- was told at check-in that since my visa was for 30 days my
return seat had to booked for within that window.
- changed the reservation for dec. 13, the latest they had availability
for the 30 days. ( cost to make change $25 can.)
- haven't done it yet but will now have to change the reservation again,
probably for the hong kong visa run, but that's another story.
(been told that because i have a 30 day landing visa instead of a
30 day visistor visa i can't do the star cruise trip). |
| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| We don't get a return ticket. We just come over on a one way. You'll find if you argue with the people at the Eco office that you can get a visa with a one way. One you have the visa, you are fine. I recently had an argument (which I won) with an unnamed poster on this forum on this very topic, so don't be surprised if this individual disagrees with me. Whisper goes, you don't need a return ticket. Trust me. |
 Oops, Jason! That's just plain embarrassing.
By the way, I didn't realize that there were any winners or losers on this board. I thought that it was a discussion forum, not some school yard argument. Taking things a bit seriously aren't we Jason. |
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Fortigurn
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 390
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:10 am Post subject: |
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Jason, could you make your point in a less abrasive manner next time please? It gets a bit uncomfortable reading through threads in which personal attacks are interspersed with good information.
Speaking for myself, I'm getting a return ticket. I want to be able to return when I can, and I don't like the idea of telling people that I'm going to purchase an onward ticket when I actually have no intention of doing so (that is to say, lying). |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: futility |
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Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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js
Last edited by jason_seeburn on Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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js
Last edited by jason_seeburn on Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fortigurn
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 390
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| Sorry, that's my style. I can't change who I am. |
Ok, I'll learn to live with it.
| Quote: |
| I hope you can see the difference here. |
I'm sorry, but I don't see that this applies to my situation. I have no more intention of claiming that I'm a tourist (when I actually intend to stay there and work), than of claiming I am purchasing an onward ticket (when I mean to do no such thing).
| Quote: |
| But by all means, waste your money. |
I don't see any waste of money here. I am purchasing a return ticket, which I'm going to use.
| Quote: |
| There are times for being honest and times for being a player. You don't just go through life being honest all the time (unless you're a simpleton). |
When you're a Christian, every time is a time for being honest. Since I intend to apply also for a missionary visa, I don't see that lying through my teeth would be a good advertisement for my faith. |
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