Job Discussion Forums

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Aristotale posted this back in 2003:

"Star Cruises offers a one night cruise that counts as legally exiting the ROC. It is not possible to get a visa on the ship however you may be eligible for a 30 day landing visa upon return."

I have to say I'm a bit confused. If you have a 60 day visitor's visa, for example, and make this run, don't you also need to show that you have a ticket OUT of Taiwan at the end of your visa?

The problem is this- I don't know about other countries but the best deal you can get here in Japan is a 10 day fixed which is obviously worthless. The next is a monh and that will cost you 200 US more. If you go for 60, you'll have to pay well over $1000.

So just what is the cheapest visa/re-entry run?

BT

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

The Star Cruises thing was never really a practical option for anyone other than teachers who wanted to teach illegally and that is what Aristotle advocates. You don't get a visa from taking that cruise - you just get leave the country and come back in on a visa free entry (landing visa). Visa free entry is not renewable and non-extendable and as such no matter what happens you will need to leave the country and come back in on a real visa - be it a visitors visa or a resident visa for work purposes.

Pretty much what Aristotle was recommending was that illegal teachers could just keep taking the cruise each month to get new visa free entries - until of course they got caught and refused entry Rolling Eyes

If money is a bit tight but time is available then you could try to secure employment before you come so that you can arrive on a resident visa - but not all schools will do this and there are some risks in committing to a school that you have never visited.

Get yourself a 60 day visitors visa as anything less than that will likely be more of a headache (and end up costing you more) than its worth.

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Thank you. Can I ask you this? Assuming I am able to get my 60 day visitor's visa beforehand (60 day air tickets are exorbitant), I heard that I can re-enter Taiwan on the same visitor's visa (multiple entry) should I not find work in time. Is that true? Would the cruise work for that? I thought you needed to show a ticket out of the country at immigration.

I also heard you can switch from a visitor's visa to a resident's visa without having to leave the country. Is that true as well?

I'm trying very hard to get a job before I go, but in Taipei it seems almost impossible, though I may have luck setting up interviews. Others cities you seem to have a shot though.

BT

BigWally · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject:

tortilla...here's an old post from a while back with some good info about what you're looking to do... Surprised

LOOKIE, LOOKIE, LOOKIE!

Keep in mind to be wary Aristotle's some what biased opinions.

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Thanks for all the info. My brain becomes sluggish when bureaucracy enters it. I think a dim but distinct picture is beginning to form now though.

Big Wally, I DID look (thanks for the link), but I guess I'm not a very good looker (nor very good looking for that matter!) Laughing

BT

BigWally · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:40 am Post subject:

BT, no worries...i wasn't insinuating that you didn't look, just trying to help out bud...

Ganbei! Surprised

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

OK, so my very last questions are:

This means I can get a 60 day visitors visa on a 30 day ticket (the Taiwan Bureau here hemmed and hawed on the phone a little bit about this, but it seems OK.)

What should I say when immigration asks me my purpose for visiting? That I am coming to look for work? That my fiance is here? Is all that kosher?

Paranoid,

BT

Dr_Zoidberg · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:27 am Post subject:

markholmes · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 661 Location: Wengehua

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

[/quote]Spot on. I always booked flights 35 days apart, then they have no choice but to give you sixty days.[/quote]

Trouble is anything over 30 days costs over 1200 US here. I've looked and looked. YIKES!

BT

Dr_Zoidberg · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:01 am Post subject:

If you arrive on a 30 day visa, you will need to do a visa run to get a 60 day visa anyways. Crunch the numbers. Which is cheaper, visa run or the ongoing / return flight 40 days after arrival?

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Well now I'm really confused- or really dense. I was under the impression that I could simply stay in Taiwan even after the ticket expired- I just had to be out of the country within 60 days (hopefully by that time I'd have my resident visa). Now you're saying that it would be illegal for me stay with an expired ticket?

Anybody know the price of a Hong Kong ticket offhand?

BT

Dr_Zoidberg · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:33 pm Post subject:

It's not an expired ticket that is illegal, it's an expired visa! If your onward / return flight leaves 30 days after arrival, TECO will question your need for a 60 day visa and will in all likelihood just give you a 30 day visa.

30 day visas do not allow sufficient time for your paperwork to be far enough along that you can avoid a visa run. That is why people who come here with the intention of finding a job do so on a 60 day visa.

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Heckle and Jeckle, a 30 day visa is just a waste of time and money. How about if I reserve flights from a Taiwan travel agency to Hong Kong or something from day 25 to day 35 (and later cancelled)? Would the faxed or e-mailed itenerary satisfy the TECO?

And 1200 US from Japan to Taiwan for an open ticket? Something fishy going on methinks.

Perplexed as hades,

BT