Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Question about overstaying a visa

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Taiwan
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
browny



Joined: 21 Oct 2004
Posts: 13

PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:50 pm    Post subject: Question about overstaying a visa Reply with quote

If someone overstays their visa (e.g. 2 - 3 months overstayed) I know that there is a monetary penalty that they have to pay.
Will the TECO offices in other countries (like the one in Thailand) refuse to issue another visa? Or will there be a "waiting period" before that person is allowed back into the country even if they have a new employment contract with a school?

Thanks for any replies.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wombat



Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 134

PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For an overstay of a couple of days, you will often find that the authorities are very reasonable. An overstay of a couple of months however is a different story altogether. It would be next to impossible to overstay a visa by a couple of months by accident, and this fact is totally obvious to the relevant authorities. Whatever excuse you may have for overstaying, you can expect that the authorities will ignore the excuse and look through to the simple fact that you remained here knowingly.

The amount of the penalty for overstaying is determined by the length of your overstay, starting out at NTD1,000 for a day or two, and up from there.

As I mentioned in another thread here, the tax regulations permit the authorities to prevent you from leaving the country until you have paid any taxes that are due. In the absence of any documentation to prove what your income has been, they will simply come up with a reasonable figure and charge you that. If the amount is overdue then you may also be fined an amount equal to three times the delinquent taxes. This tax situation isn't often incurred, but it is clearly there in the regulations and could be enacted upon you if you were to 'upset' the authorities when arranging your departure.

A period of being banned from returning to Taiwan may also be enacted upon you. You will definitely lose the right to obtain a landing visa here in Taiwan for a period of a year or maybe more. It is difficult to determine whether or not the overstay stamp in your passport will affect any future applications you may make for a visa to come to Taiwan, as this information is kept within house at the TECO offices. Some people find that they can't get new visas for a while. Others have no problem securing a visa immediately. The most important factor is to leave Taiwan as soon as possible as the length of your overstay will be the major consideration in as much as the shorter the overstay the better the chance that you can return. You will just have to make a visa application and see how you go.

Finally, don't wait till you get to the airport to declare your overstay. Go to your local Foreign Affairs Police (FAP) station and 'turn yourself in'. Be apologetic and don't bother trying to coat your overstay with lots of excuses. Just suck it up, be pleasant, and say as little as possible. Before you go you should book a ticket out of Taiwan for a date with a day or two of your visiting the FAP. Take the ticket with you as it will clearly show your intention to resolve the problem and get out of the country. You will be given a dated stamp in your passport by which time you will have to have left the country (probably the date of the day after your booked flight out of Taiwan). If you are still here after that date then you can expect to be placed in detention and forcibly deported at your own cost - so be smart about it and get out now.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Wonder



Joined: 29 Jun 2003
Posts: 109

PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

YES....it will put a kink in your plans if you are planning to teach here in Taiwan.

I overstayed because of various reasons and they charged me for the whole month, not on a daily basis. I paid the fine but the "overstay" stamp was in my passport, so it had a negative impact on my landing visa but once things were sorted out, I became legal and have not suffered any other setbacks.

I also had a very good reason for overstaying, because my ticket agent totally screwed up my return ticket to Korean and had to wait for a refund in order to buy a new ticket. Even though the airline gave me a letter in Chinese to give to the proper authorities it didn't matter.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Taiwan All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China