Job Discussion Forums

[camerado]

Hi--

Please forgive me, but I have poked around thoroughly and I'm more confused now than ever about the VISA process.

Can someone please tell me: do I need to secure a 60 tourist visa in advance if I'm coming to Taiwan fromthe US or can one be issued upon arrival?

(After I'm there, I will likely secure work via strong leads and offers, but I will be arriving in standard tourist fashion.)

Here's the confusion: If a 60 visa can be issued upon entry, then why have I been told to apply for one in advance, at a cost of $100, through certified mail, via one of the official Taiwanese agencies here in the States?

My goal is to do it as simply and cheaply as possible: ideally to show up with a reasonable cushion of $, a RT ticket, and get the optimal visa upon entry which will enable me to solidify my work contacts.

Also: if I want to go from Taiwan to Thailand, without a return to the States, is it reasonable to arrive with just a one way ticket--or will I be kicked out upon arrival for lack of one way ticket?

Thanks for any recent info!

[wombat]

If you are going to look for and accept work here in Taiwan, it would be advisable to secure a 60 day Visitors Visa before you arrive. This will give you enough time to find a job and hopefully get you paperwork in before your visa expires which will help you avoid the need for a visa run. As a US citizen I believe that you are entitled to a 30 day landing visa should you arrive here without a visa, but this type of visa is non-extendable and unable to be transferred into a Resident Visa for work purposes. Therefore if you find work on a landing visa you will need to leave the country in order to be able to receive a Resident Visa for work purposes.

The following should answer your question regarding arriving here without an outbound ticket. I cut and pasted it from an earlier discussion of this topic

Of particular interest in the following post is the fact that:
1. Taiwan does have policy that requires foreign nationals have proof of onward passage to be permitted to enter Taiwan.
2. Taiwan immigration may refuse entry to foreign nationals who cannot meet the requirements under this policy.
3. Airline companies have their own policies in line with these government regulations in checking documentation at check in and refusing carriage of passengers that cannot meet the requirements under these policies.
4. That airlines can indeed be held responsible for the costs incurred in the deportation of foreign nationals that they transport to Taiwan in the event that the carrier has not exercised due care in checking the passengers documentation.

While these policies are clearly in place and are enforced on what appears to be a random basis, it is possible that some foreign nationals do arrive in Taiwan without proof of onward passage. Considering that you could be turned away at the check in counter at your point of departure or refused entry at the point of arrival here in Taiwan, it would seem very unwise to travel without this documentation.

First let�s consider Taiwan�s policy on the matter. It is clear that proof of onward passage is a legislative requirement of entry to Taiwan. In the absence of such documentation foreign nationals may be refused right of entry and/or deported. The legislation places the burden of carriage and responsibility of costs out of the country on the carrier that brought you here. Your carrier may have indemnified themselves against these costs in their �Terms and Conditions�, however they would no doubt need to recover these costs from you through civil action in your home country.

Taiwan Immigration Policy

http://www.immigration.gov.tw/e_immig/eng/4.htm

Article 17
Aliens may be banned from entering the State if they:
Have used a visitor visa but do not have an air or steamer ticket for a return trip or a trip to the next destination or have not secured an entry visa for the next destination; or

Article 34
Aliens may be forcibly deported if they:
Have entered the State and have been found violating any of the provisions of Article 17 that bans entry into the State; or

Article 41
The captain of an aircraft or vessel, or the transport service proprietor shall be responsible for arranging transport on the day in question or of the earliest run to deport passengers, sailors, or flight crew on board his aircraft, vessel, or other means of transport, if they:

Have been banned from entering the State pursuant to the subparagraphs of the first paragraphs of Articles 17 and 7; or

During the time in which the people enumerated in the subparagraphs of the preceding paragraph are waiting for deportation, the Authority shall designate shelters and/or be responsible for looking after them. except for the provisions prescribed in the first subparagraph, the concerned transport service proprietor shall pay for the
expenses incured.

http://www.immigration.gov.tw/e_immig/eng/2.htm

Article 47
When deporting unregistered nationals or aliens, The BOI shall assign
officers to escort the subjects to airports/seaports, monitor their exit, and
hand over their documents to the captain of the aircraft or vessel for
safekeeping. In case of possible resistance of deportation or abscond, the
BOI shall assign officers to escort them to the destined country or area.

Chapter 5 - - Responsibilities of Transport Service Proprietors and
Immigration Guidance.

Article 48
Related expenditures that shall be borne by transport service proprietors,
as stated in paragraph 2 of article 41 of the Law, shall include commodations, living, medical expenses and the fees paid by the competent authorities for attendance.

Airlines

Next, let�s look at the refusal of carriage policies of a couple of key airlines that fly to Taiwan. Of course their policies cannot be too specific due to the fact that they relate to many countries around the world, however if we look at these from the context of attempting to enter Taiwan without proof of onward travel (i.e. ability to meet the country of arrival � Taiwan � requirements for admittance), they are very clear in their right to refuse carriage.

Europe�s KLM

http://www.klm.com/nl_en/index.jsp

ARTICLE 8. REFUSAL OF AND LIMITATION ON CARRIAGE

1.
Carrier may refuse carriage or further carriage for reasons of safety or order or if, in the exercise of its reasonable discretion, Carrier determines that such action is necessary:
(a) in order to comply with any applicable laws, regulations or orders of any state or country to be flown from, into or over;
(h) because the passenger does not appear to be properly documented;
(i) because the passenger may seek to enter a country through which he may be in transit, or for which he does not have a valid entry document;
II. the person presenting the ticket cannot prove that he is the person named in the 'NAME OF PASSENGER' box, in which cases Carrier reserves the right to retain such ticket.

Australia�s QANTAS airlines

http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/beforeYouTravel/conditionsCarriage

1. Conditions of Contract

A. Qantas carries passengers on flights (or other modes of transport where indicated) in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere on contracts that consist of:

� these Terms and Conditions;
� Qantas General Conditions of Carriage (Passenger and Baggage), available on request, and any applicable tariffs filed by Qantas with regulatory bodies;
� International conventions and Australian and New Zealand laws; and
� Qantas' oral or written directions to passengers.
In the event of any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and the General Conditions of Carriage, the General Conditions of Carriage shall prevail.

E. You must:

� comply with all applicable government travel requirements, including obtaining visas to enter the countries to which you are travelling; and
� check in by the required check-in time.

6. Check In

6.1 Before Check In
You must ensure you have your ticket (or a booking for an electronic ticket), baggage, all necessary travel documents and anything else you need to travel.


8. Qantas May Refuse to Board or Carry You

8.1 Denied Boarding
Even if you have a ticket and a confirmed reservation, Qantas may deny you boarding because we have no seats available. Qantas may also deny you boarding or refuse to carry you and may confiscate your ticket and/or boarding pass, without liability on its part:

� to comply with any applicable law, regulation or order
� because you cannot prove you are the person specified on the ticket on which you wish to travel
Qantas may also deny you boarding (but accepts no liability in the event that you do board and you suffer loss or damage as a result):

� because you do not appear to have all necessary documents (see 6.1)
In any of the abovementioned situations in this 8.1, Qantas may remove you from a flight, even after you have boarded, without any liability on its part.

11. Right to Refuse Carriage

Qantas reserves the right to refuse carriage to any person who seeks to travel in violation of applicable law, tariffs or the General Conditions of Carriage, or is otherwise in breach of these Terms and Conditions, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or it is necessary for the safety or comfort of other passengers or for the protection of property.

12. Refusal of Entry and Fines

12.1 Refusal of Entry
You may be refused permission to enter a country. If a government orders Qantas to return you to your place of origin or remove you to another country:

� you must pay for the return or other fare, and
� Qantas may set off any refund owing to you for unused flight coupons against the amount of that return or other fare (if unpaid).
12.2 Passenger Indemnity for Fines, Penalties and Expenses
If Qantas is ordered to pay any fine or penalty at any time, or incurs any expense, costs, loss or damage ("losses") because of your failure to comply with any law, regulation, order or with any of these written conditions or any term of the contract, or because of your behaviour or because of any health or medical condition, you must fully indemnify Qantas for all losses plus all legal costs and other expenses incurred. Qantas may set off any refund owing to you for unused flight coupons against any such amounts.

Finally, as the proponent of entry to Taiwan doesn�t require proof of onward travel is a Canadian national, please find the following information in regards to applying for a visa to come to Taiwan from Canada.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Canada

http://www.taiwan-canada.org/english/service/exempt.htm

Requirements:
(1) a passport valid for at least six months at the time of entry. (Unless otherwise stipulated by treaties or agreement)
(2) a confirmed return air (steamer) ticket or an air (steamer) ticket and a visa for the next destination, and a confirmed air (steamer) seat reservation for his (her) departure.
(3) no criminal record verified by the airport or seaport police.

In conclusion, yes it is possible to arrive in Taiwan without an outgoing ticket, but whether it is worth the trouble is up to the individual to decide. Surely it is the same as driving while intoxicated in most western countries - it is illegal, it is immoral, it is clearly the wrong thing to do; yes you can probably get away with it a number of times and have a laugh with your mates about how you evaded the authorities; but in the end it will no doubt catch up with you!

[camerado]

You've answererd everything and more; thanks for taking the time to clarify!

JR