Job Discussion Forums

the_p0et · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 52

Does anyone know if there is more then 1 type of paper that you get from the clinic for your health exam? When I first arrived, I had my needle and general exam for the paper, paid my $1000 and walked away. Now I'm applying for a resident visa through marriage since my wife is working and has an ARC. The Foreign Affairs Bureau said that all I need is to go up to Taipei and get my marriage certificate notorized (which I did) and bring my health exam paper and my wife's ARC up to Taichung. I did that and she said it's the wrong health paper! She said that I now have to go back to the hospital and get different tests done (stool and lepracy test) and bring back the correct health paper.

I'm confused. Has anyone applied for a Resident Visa before? If not, does anyone know if there is more then one type of paper from the health exam?

TaoyuanSteve · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1028 Location: Taoyuan

Yes. The health test for a spouse is different than the one for a foreign teacher. It is more thorough and involves the stool test you allude to. I've never gotten a visa as a spouse of an ARC holding foreigner, so I can't comment further.

OutofChaos · Joined: 24 Nov 2003 Posts: 13 Location: Yowlin' in Yilan

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

Fax a complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explaining the situation and why you feel it is unfair.
Good luck,
A.

wombat · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 134

kait · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 93 Location: Lungtan, Taiwan

TaoyuanSteve · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1028 Location: Taoyuan

You may want to check Forumosa.com for answers to that. Spouses, be they married to locals or foreigners, fall under a different visa category than workers. The medical test, apparenlty, requires more items, including a stool test. On the plus side, I hear spouses only need the test once, whereas we have to do it annually.

daily chai · Joined: 16 Nov 2003 Posts: 150 Location: Brussels

My spouse just got a medical exam for a family reunion (spousal) visa. He had to give a stool sample in addition to the same exam I got for a resident visa (work). There was no leprosy test. My only guess is that the regs were enacted at a time when most spouses came from areas where intestinal parasites are endemic.

the_p0et · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 52

Thanks for all the replies! I just got back from the health centre and finished all the tests. I hope this is the last thing I need to do...

I should have the health paper back within a week just before my passport expires, then go up to Taichung Foreign Affairs to transfer over to a Resident Visa. Quite the process, eh?!

All these "little things" have added up to be very expensive. I wish someone had warned us about these extra expenses before arriving.. Confused

Oh well.. Next country will be somewhere in Europe again. Wink

scott14 · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 50

How is it possible for someone to get a resident visa based on the fact that their spouse has an ARC?

the_p0et · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 52

On the Resident Visa application you select "joining family". All you need is your spouses ARC and to get your Marriage Certificate notorized in Taipei at the Canada Trade Office.

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the the department responsible for the JFRV . MOFA is authorized to set the requirements for the health exam. If you contact them with a legitimate complaint and can show that in your country of origin Taiwanese are not required to do these kinds of degrading health checks you may be able to change the policy.
Good luck,
A.