Job Discussion Forums

[ballsmonkey]

Hi

According to the roc website UK citizens can spend 90 days visa exempt in Taiwan with a further 90 day option. http://www.roc-taiwan.org/ct.asp?xItem=17827&ctNode=945&mp=132 . This is relatively new since March 09. Has anyone come into Taiwan under this system and did you need a prebooked return flight?

[ballsmonkey]

Ok i'll answer my own question. Took ages to find it. Don't travel to Taiwan under the visa-waiver. Get a visitor visa under the auspices of maybe wanting to study once you are there.

https://ukintaiwan-stage.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-taiwan/faq1/visa-free-entrance/student-work-permit

[JZer]

I am not an immigration expert but I think you are wrong. If you claim that you want a visitor's visa to study then I believe that you can only change that into a student visa and not a resident's visa for the purpose of work.

For your sake I hope that I am wrong. I am sure other would be interesting in knowing the truth.

[ballsmonkey]

AARRGH FFS. Well now I'm just baffled. I phoned the Taiwan office in London and they said that they won't issue me with a visitor visa because I can travel under the visa waiver scheme for 90 days and extend that by a further 90 days if i wish to. In any case all visitor visas issued in London will be non-extendable and she said that they can't be converted into anything else once i get there. So the visa-waiver scheme that was introduced in March seems to actually have made things more difficult for people wanting to go there and teach.

So i guess i'm just going to go to Taiwan next week under the visa-waiver scheme and see what happens. Maybe i'll have to do a visa run to Hong Kong. If any Brits out there have been in this situation please please let me know.

[joseph.flanagan]

I'm just as confused myself. I'm planning to travel out in 2 weeks, I've yet to ring the embassy but I'm sure theyre going give me the same info.

Does it mean I can only legally stay in the country for 6 months?

Is it true that the school I was planning to go work for can't sign me up for a contract if I'm on this new waiver visa scheme?

As I say, very confused!

[JZer]

[JZer]

[ballsmonkey]

Joe,

Check out Stray Dog's Forumosa thread on this. Looks like you don't have to panic as either your school or you can convert it when you get there and you shouldn't have to go to HK on a visa run. http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=77110&hilit=government's+generosity+and+goodwill&start=80

It's really not easy finding out this stuff.

[joseph.flanagan]

Thanks Balls and Jzer, much help and I appreciate it.

The lovely world of Taiwanese red tape, makes my heart flutter.

[joolee]

I worked in Taiwan for over 2 years under the old system. and the system has never been straight forward. You need to have a visitor visa before going to Taiwan if you are intending to work there. Without a visitor visa you will not be able to convert to being resident...it will require a trip to Hong Kong to obtain it.

If you already have a job, your employer in Taiwan will normally advise you how to proceed but the general rule has always been that you do not tell the TRO in London that you are intending to work (because this fact will make your application as a 'visitor' invalid) unless you have supporting documents to confirm it.

Under the old system, you needed a letter of invitation from some you know in Taiwan (usually your new employer) who will state their name, address, ID number and vouch for the fact that they will look after you for the duration of your stay in Taiwan.

My company wrote a letter to state their intent to employ me and sent copies of the school's business license and the offer of employment. This was enough to obtain the visa, which they then converted once I arrived in Taipei.

I hope this gives you a few more areas you can research

[Hazel Gould]

Hello, if anyone could help explain the current visa situation to me, I would greatly appreciate it!!

I've done a great deal of research but still haven't got a clue

I'm heading out to Taiwan in January with my boyfriend to teach English for a year. We have friends to stay with when we get there so we were thinking we'd head out there on a visitors visa and then get that changed to a resident visa once we had found work and got a work permit. We were told we have to travel out of the country to a Taiwanese embassy in order to do this so were thinking of heading to Bangkok. Then on return to Taiwan we'd get our ARC within 10 days along with a multiple entry visa. This was my understanding so far... but then I found out about the 90 day visa exempt for people from the UK. What do we do... please help

Also, is it a must that we book a return flight???

Thanks for any help

Hazel