Job Discussion Forums

[phdinfunk]

When I went to Taiwan in 2008, I applied for a 60 day tourism Visa. I had to show a bunch of money in my bank account, etc. The embassy here in the U.S.A. granted it, but it was made clear to me by my employer (Shane Schools) that I was not to say that I was going to be working.

Once I landed, they applied for my working visa and I started work immediately while carrying around the official applications until my ARC came. Something like that.

Now I've got what looks to be a good contract offered me to come back. And they said to get my college degree notarized BY THE EMBASSY and I wouldn't be able to start working until I got my work permit accepted in Taiwan. I'm curious if the embassy will even give me a temporary Visa if they know I'm coming over to work, or if that would be visa suicide for sure. I'm also curious if the laws have changed for employers and I really wouldn't be able to start working until a bunch of paperwork was handled...

Or is that all stuff they just say in order to appear to be on the sunny side of the law? (Which would be about right, this is the ROC we're talking about)

Anyone know?

[Dr_Zoidberg]

I have a co-worker who had to get his degree notarized before coming here. We also work for Shane. Is TECO now demanding this, or is Shane simply trying to avoid any problems down the road? After all, Taiwan does have its fare share of graduates from the University of Kao Sarn Road.

Zoidberg's rule for dealing with your local TECO office: Do not give them a stick with which to beat you.

Don't ask, don't tell seems to be the unofficial policy. However, if you officially declare that to be your intent, you could suddenly be required to jump through hoops.

Example: I'm getting married next week. When I sent my documents to the TECO office in Toronto for notarization, I made the mistake of divulging a previous marriage (ie: I included the certificate of divorce). Suddenly, I faced demands to provide a copy of my ex-wife's passport. It took two weeks of my Taiwanese fiancee arguing with the bureaucrat at TECO to get him to admit it wasn't actually required.

In hind-sight, had I not said anything about my previous marriage, they would have been none the wiser.

It's understood that when one applies for a 60-day visa, one is coming to Taiwan to seek work.

Discretion is the watch-word.

[Petitioner]

Everything you said is pretty much what I was thinking...

I just feel kind of bad. They want to believe I'm on this lavish vacation. They demand a bank statement saying I have 12 thousand or more USD in the bank.... as if no one could hang out in Taiwan and play for two months for less than this!

You know, we all would prefer to be upfront and honest about everything... it's silly when organizations and bureaucracies discourage it.

Anyways, rant mode off. Thanks for your advice. I'll pretty much apply as normal (and do it tomorrow). But that means if a company wants me to come over in two weeks the consulate might be slow with my documents.