They did have a ferry to Naha , Okinawa but it wasnt that much cheaper then a plane.
OH that reminds me, i did one visa run to Naha , Okinawa and it was priced similarly to flying to and from HK and it was fun. Hotel prices in Naha are similar to those found in Taichung. SO it was pretty cheap and fun.
Seoul is another place with cheap flights (not soo sure bout cheap hotels tho)
shop around for the cheapest tickets since you can go anywhere as you do not have to get a tourist visa somewhere.
It would be great to take a few months off, but if i don’t try to land a gig before CNY, I might be jobless till next summer…not sure i want to piss all my savings away like that!
Take a few months off? I meant you can stay ONE DAY in okinawa or seoul and not break the bank 
Ok, I just got back from one of these visa runs.
I should add those directions on page one are spot on. Much appreciated!
Left Taiwan 630am, arrived at 815 HK. Went through immigration and took the train downtown. Got to the visa office at 945. The number was at 13 and I got number 26. Which meant waiting for 30 mins. It got increasingly busier around 10 and the sign says you can only get a same day visa if you apply before 11. So get there early if you want the same day.
Here is what I had:
He originally charged me $600 ($400 for the visa + $200 for same day service). Which meant they were only going to give me a single entry. When I came back it turned out the guy made a mistake and didn’t charge me enough. So I paid another $600 on top of that. So a total of $800 for the visa and $400 for the same day service($1200HK) Not sure why I would pay $200Hk more than single entry same day service, but I considered it to be one of those things to shut up and be glad they’re giving you what you want.
So easy as that, they issued me a 6 month multiple entry non extend-able visa. I can’t complain much and it could have been worse. I dealt with two people. One younger man who well didn’t seem rude was not eager to smile. One older woman who was quite kind.
On a side note. I met a guy from the Philippines who had a Taiwanese mother and was actually born in Taiwan. But he still needed to apply for visitor visas to see his family. He said the visa people are never friendly to him. And strange enough, even though he was born in Taiwan he was considered Philippino but he had never ever been to the Philippines. Anyway, thought it was strange and felt a bit bad for him. Good guy…seems all Philippino people I meet are very friendly. He invited me to go to Disneyland. I politely declined and read a book instead. Big mistake on my part.
[quote=“davidyuma”]Ok, I just got back from one of these visa runs.
I should add those directions on page one are spot on. Much appreciated!
Left Taiwan 630am, arrived at 815 HK. Went through immigration and took the train downtown. Got to the visa office at 945. The number was at 13 and I got number 26. Which meant waiting for 30 mins. It got increasingly busier around 10 and the sign says you can only get a same day visa if you apply before 11. So get there early if you want the same day.
Here is what I had:
He originally charged me $600 ($400 for the visa + $200 for same day service). Which meant they were only going to give me a single entry. When I came back it turned out the guy made a mistake and didn’t charge me enough. So I paid another $600 on top of that. So a total of $800 for the visa and $400 for the same day service($1200HK) Not sure why I would pay $200Hk more than single entry same day service, but I considered it to be one of those things to shut up and be glad they’re giving you what you want.
So easy as that, they issued me a 6 month multiple entry non extend-able visa. I can’t complain much and it could have been worse. I dealt with two people. One younger man who well didn’t seem rude was not eager to smile. One older woman who was quite kind.
On a side note. I met a guy from the Philippines who had a Taiwanese mother and was actually born in Taiwan. But he still needed to apply for visitor visas to see his family. He said the visa people are never friendly to him. And strange enough, even though he was born in Taiwan he was considered Philippino but he had never ever been to the Philippines. Anyway, thought it was strange and felt a bit bad for him. Good guy…seems all Philippino people I meet are very friendly. He invited me to go to Disneyland. I politely declined and read a book instead. Big mistake on my part.[/quote]
2 question for you davidyuma:
These questions are with regards to the posts Myself and Tommy525 made above.
thanks and good informative post.
[quote=“achdizzy1099”]
2 question for you davidyuma:
These questions are with regards to the posts Myself and Tommy525 made above.
thanks and good informative post.[/quote]
Besides, from what I have been hearing, Canada may be granted 90 days visa exempt entry soon. So that would be better than what I have now.
I just try to write as much detail as I can because I know how I combed through these forums looking for info on these matters.
I am asking someone I know about the 90 day for Canadians. Hes not in the same department but will try to find out something. Will post anything I hear here.
Personally I am waiting for the USA to grant Taiwanese visa free entry for 90 days and demand Taiwan reciprocate for US citizens. 
[quote=“tommy525”]
Personally I am waiting for the USA to grant Taiwanese visa free entry for 90 days and demand Taiwan reciprocate for US citizens. [/quote]
This could happen this year. The only thing that might squash it is cross-straight politics, but even China could get on the USA’s Visa-Waiver Program (VWP) if they meet the basic criteria:
have effective counter crime and terrorism programs? [yes],
have a low percentage of citizens reported as overstay their visas? [no],
document and release information on lost and counterfeit passports? [no].
less than than 3% visa applicant refusal? [probably not]
Not heartless commie baby killers? [no]
Hey folks,
My student Visitor Visa is about to really soon (I’m hitting the 180 day mark) and I haven’t signed up for another semester at school (doh!).
I have however, found a job, and my prospective employer has filed for a work permit, the result of which is due to come through any day now, but might arrive shortly after the last day of my Visitor Visa.
What to do? If I do a Visa-run to HK and come back resetting my time to “Day 1”, is it still possible to apply for a Working ARC with Work Permit in-hand?
Thanks folks. I’m quite nervous and depressed. I’m sure some of you know the feeling.
EDIT: I have heard from somebody that doing a visa run to HK and coming back on a “Visa Exempt Entry” for 60 Days with a successful Work Permit in the other hand could get me at least another visitor visa. Can anybody confirm this? Thanks!
What ever you do, don’t overstay your visa not even one day.
I overstayed one time practically 7 hours and they put me a nasty stamp into my passport. No visa exemption will be granted to the holder of this passport. for five years.
I asked at the visa office on what day I had to leave. That was years ago and I thought I could stay for two month. I did not realize that it was 60 days instead. The person at the visa office, I showed my passport, misinformed me. She said that I had to leave on the 17th but it was the 16th.
When flying to Hong Kong play it save and have all the papers needed to apply for the kind of visa you want successfully.
Just want to say you better be a little nervous about it.
Hello. I’m not entirely clear…
As a canadian on a visa-exempt 30 day entry, can I leave Taiwan and re-enter the same day on new 30 day visa-exempt entry, thus resetting the 30 days? Any help is very appreciated.
Yes no problem. Leave and come back in on a new 30 day visa exempt.
Thank you so much. I’ve just one more question. I hope someone can tell me…
I was admitted, into taiwan, ‘visa-exempted’ on Jan. 19, 2011 for 30 days. This means that I have to leave before midnight on Feb. 18th or Feb 19th? I’m unsure if the first day is included. I’m hoping that the first day doesn’t count because I’m supposed to work on the 18th until 18:00 so it’s pretty tough to find a flight out and it’s a new job so ideally I’d like to not miss a shift.
I really really appreciate the help, I’m having such a hard time with their governmental visa websites and such…
I completed my visa run to Hong Kong today. I spent one night there at a friend’s house.
On the way in to Taiwan the immigration lady checked for my return ticket. Lucky the HK airport staff reminded me to print off my itinerary before checking-in my luggage
Hi guys,
First thanks to everyone to have posted info on this thread about visa run, very useful.
I still have a question though, my ARC is going to expire soon (I’m leaving my job) and I am thinking of having a visa run to HK. As I am European I’ve a 90 day visa exemption but I was wondering about whether or not we need to have a return ticket to our home country ready before going back to TW.
It happened to me once when travelling outside of Taiwan (I had an ARC at that time and lived in Taiwan), the lady at the airline counter asked to see if I had a return ticket to my home country as she did not see I was a resident in Taiwan.
So if I don’t have an ARC anymore and no visitor visa while abroad, can the airline refuse me to board the plane back to Taiwan if I don’t have a ticket to go back to my home country ready ?
Thanks for your replies !
Nick
If you read above, you will see that tommy525 pointed out that you can get both tickets to and from HK when you check in at TPE. This will circumvent any airline interference. Whether customs back in Taiwan will care is another story. I just did a run to HK recently and had no trouble. If I were you, tell them you already found a job and your school just applied or will apply soon for your work permit, this will lead them to belove you’ll be back on an ARC sooner than 90 days.
I told the woman at customs this exact thing when i returned last VR and she didn’t even staple the arrival slip into my passport? I thought that was strange…
Hey folks,
I might receive my work permit a day or two before my 30 day visa-exempt entry runs out – or it might also arrive a day or two afterwards.
My question is – if I do a Visa Run to Hong Kong - will immigration on the Taiwan side give me any trouble? I can show them all the paperwork for my work permit application, the details of the company who wants to hire me, etc etc. Should the immigration authorities let me in for another 30-days visa exempt?
Andrew
Answers: No, Yes. In that order.
you can leave and return to Taiwan Visa Exempt as many times as you want. over and over and over and over again. Most of us only get 30 days each trip, some privileged others get 90 days. No limit pal, just don’t overstay because, as you can read [url=http://tw.forumosa.com/t/visa-exempt-entry-to-work-permit/63302/1 the MOFA will not be happy when it’s time to get your tourist visa.
Also, if your work permit arrive priot to your exit date, you might be able to run over to the 2nd Floor of the MAC Building and expedite your visa before you have to leave.
good luck.
Yes its time the United States citizens stop getting discriminated and get 90 days like the Brits and other Euros do !! Picket the Presidential Palace !
IF the USA will hurry and let TW citizens in visa free maybe the former will grant (no make that a condition) 90 days visa exempt as well.
The US should DEMAND that US citizens get 90 days post haste with the next shipment of helicopters or bullets or whatever.
[quote=“tommy525”]Yes its time the United States citizens stop getting discriminated and get 90 days like the Brits and other Euros do !! Picket the Presidential Palace !
IF the USA will hurry and let TW citizens in visa free maybe the former will grant (no make that a condition) 90 days visa exempt as well.
The US should DEMAND that US citizens get 90 days post haste with the next shipment of helicopters or bullets or whatever.[/quote]
Put all that on a sign and march on down to Shattuck! Throw in a ‘Free Tibet’ while your down there!