Job Discussion Forums

[Mozilla]

I read somewhere that US Citizens are automatically granted a 5 year visa in Taiwan. Is this true?


thanks!

[killian]

a five year landing visa.

means you are set for five years, BUT you gotta exit taiwan every thirty days. such can get really boring really quick. have heard some people get sixty days but CKS seems to award 30 days tops.

[Aristotle]

30 day landing visas are only given to the following
eligible nationalities:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea , Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K. and U.S.A.
Requirements:
(1) a passport valid for at least six months at the time of entry.
(2) a confirmed return air ticket or an air ticket and a visa for the next destination, and a confirmed seat reservation for his (her) departure.
(3) fill out an application form with a photo.
(4) visa fee : NT$ 1,500 dollars ( approximately C$75.00 )
(5) no criminal record (In Taiwan) verified by the airport police.
Duration of stay:
30 days (no extension is permitted)
Disembarkation ports:
C.K.S. International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport.
Note:
Passenger entering the Republic of China through Kaohsiung International Airport may apply for a "temporary entry permit" at the Kaohsiung Station Aviation Police Bureau. He (She) must transfer the permit into a visa at the Bureau of Consular Affairs or its Kaohsiung Office within three days, or will be subject to administrative penalty for overstaying.
The above mentioned items are subject to change without notice.
There is no 5 year limit for a landing visa.
A 1,3 or 5 year multiple entry visa will allow you stay in territory held by the Republic of China for up to sixty days without extensions and up to 6 months with extensions. It is automatically renewed by exiting and then re-entering the R.O.C. for the duration of the visa.
Most American TECO offices grant one year, three year or five year multiple entry visa's upon request to non- teachers.
Other nationalities are eligible but discrimination is a fact of life on Taiwan and the visa process is by no means excepted.

[daily chai]

I'm an American with a 5-yr 60-day tourist visa. It got it upon request at a TECO office in fall. My passport showed I used to work in Taiwan, and I know they checked that because I was asked about it. It was no problem.

[Aristotle]

That is good news. Please PM me the city where you got your visa from so I can refer others.

[mjed9]

I know the visa laws were changed (last April?) so I don't think point 3 / 4 5 are valid.

I have come back to Taiwan just yesterday and they issued me with a 30 day landing visa with no application form or photo, no fee and how would they check if I was a criminal (not that I am).

[brian]

I think that it is very misleading of Aristotle to keep referring to this 'criminal check'. To me it suggests that it is related to your situation back home - which of course it isn't. The criminal check is a local concern, such that the authorities are checking if you have a criminal record here in Taiwan. It is aimed at returning Taiwan Chinese to scoop up returnees with outstanding warrants. Aristotle please stop waving this around on these boards as it is very misleading and just doesn't apply to westerners (unless of course they are wanted by the law here in Taiwan).

[Aristotle]

Look a little closer.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=5617&highlight=criminal
I cut that info from a TECO website. I am usually hesitant to edit official information even if it is put out by the criminals that are the R.O.C. government. Brian is correct of course the criminal background requirement is misleading. I have edited the text.
A.