Doing a Visa Run to Hong Kong... Things You Need to Know

Legal Visa & Residency
61

Wheres Tibet again? :slight_smile: Yeah like thats gonna do a lot of good. But I will be there today. Found a Thai restaurant that iv gotten to quite like. And I dont even like Thai food in general but this place does a mean fried rice with beef dish ! Their Thai Ice Tea , the first time i was kinda aghast at the first sip because of its weirdness but now have come to like it enough to order it every time im there.

Bangkok restaurant I think its called, next to the McDonalds on Shattuck and Univ. Nice place, good food, not expensive AND the cute Thai waitresses add nicely to the place.

OH back to the protests… YES march down to the Presidential Palace all ya 'Merkins and DEMAND to see PREZ MA>

FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION - FREE US SLAVES - 90 DAYS …90 DAYS …

(and we dont mean 90 days in a TW prison cell here)

62

How can this not be stickied?

63

I’m new here and this is my first time staying in Taiwan and just wondering about a few things. I read through all the posts and just really confused as everyone’s been telling me I need to leave the country and get a 60 day tourist visa to be able to convert it to an ARC, but based on this thread it’s my understanding that a 30 day visa exempt CAN be converted to an ARC???

I’m here on a 30 day visa exempt (US passport) and I have to leave by 8/9. I just got a teaching position and waiting for my health check exam to come back so I can get the work permit, ARC etc. Do I need to go to HK and apply for the 60 day TOURIST VISA, or can I just exit and return with another 30 day VISA EXEMPT and safe alot of money? The ARC should be processed by then…

Thanks in advance!!!

64

[quote=“Energiepac”]I’m new here and this is my first time staying in Taiwan and just wondering about a few things. I read through all the posts and just really confused as everyone’s been telling me I need to leave the country and get a 60 day tourist visa to be able to convert it to an ARC, but based on this thread it’s my understanding that a 30 day visa exempt CAN be converted to an ARC???

I’m here on a 30 day visa exempt (US passport) and I have to leave by 8/9. I just got a teaching position and waiting for my health check exam to come back so I can get the work permit, ARC etc. Do I need to go to HK and apply for the 60 day TOURIST VISA, or can I just exit and return with another 30 day VISA EXEMPT and safe alot of money? The ARC should be processed by then…

Thanks in advance!!![/quote]

Just come back on another 30 day visa exempt. You can do this as many times as you have money to buy the plane tickets.

65

I called the National Immigration Office - ARCs in they told me that you cannot convert a 30 day visa exempt to a ARC. His English was okay and seemed to understand, or maybe I didn’t explain it well enough? Has anyone actually converted a 30 day visa exempt to an ARC?

I need to leave the country in a few days and trying to find out if I need to spend the extra money on the 60 day tourist visa or just get the 30 day visa exempt. The paperwork for the ARC should be completed within the next 30 days… I have a US passport.

Thanks in advance!!!

66

The fella on the phone is wrong. He is a just another misprogrammed Taiwanese computer requiring an upgrade; They always seem to defaults to the answer that suits you least. :fume:

I speak very little chinese and I am not a Taiwanese citizen, BUT, unlike he who just jumbled your phone call, I am a man that will give you a correct answer to your worrisome inquiry:

This is a process I did personally early this spring:

With regards to USA Visa Exempt --> ARC: this is how it works.

  1. Find a job that will sponsor you on an ARC + NHI. Sign the contract. The government requires a minimum 14 hr/week contract to qualify for an ARC.

  2. Your employer will apply for your work permit. To do this they will need from you: current Health Check(<3 months old), 8 ID photos, a copy of your passport, tax receipt from the previous year (if you worked in Taiwan last year).Your work permit should arrive 2 weeks later at your employers office.

  3. Get a Visitor Visa (This can be done by you or your agent): Bring your work permit and your passport to the 2nd floor of the MAC Building (not the Immigration Office) and fill out an application requesting a Visitor’s Visa. That’s right, if you have a work permit in hand, you can apply for a Taiwan Visitor’s Visa while IN TAIWAN! Your Visa will take anywhere from 1 day to 5 days to be issued. Once issued you will now be in Taiwan on a 60 day visa and shouldn’t have to make any more visa runs!

  4. You or your agent can now go to the Immigration Office and apply for your ARC.

My employer did all of this for me (acting as my agent). With the health check included, it will cost around $5000NT after all is said and done. From the date your employer applies for your work permit until the day the MOFA issues you a Visitor Visa is around 21 days.

To answer your question: Probably Yes. It all comes down to the date you receive your work permit.

67

Maceck, thank you so much!!! This is so helpful as I’ve been really confused about all this. I know exactly what to do now, so everything will work out. Thanks again!!!

68

Do I really need paper work and a reason to apply for a 60 day tourist visa? I am merely a long term tourist who makes Taiwan my second home. I am thinking of going to HK to make a 60 day visa because I am quite tired of making trips every 30 days. I have rented an apartment here in Taiwan.

Perhaps a part time few hours of language classes a week qualify as a good enough reason? I could enroll in something like that.

69

You don’t need a reason to apply for a visitor visa in Hong Kong. but you’ll likely only get a 6 month multiple entry visitor visa in Hong Kong. Although if you have a good reason and a large enough bank statement they might give you a longer one (it’s their discretion I guess). I have heard (in this thread IIRC) that the Macau office might grant a longer visitor visa.

FYI - the Manila office will not grant visitor visas for non work/study (official) reasons unless you have somebody pulling strings for you.

70

First of all this is a really, really awesome thread and I have no questions about getting the visa itself - AWESOME! . I’m just missing one thing though. I am currently on a 60 day tourist visa (my first one, and I’m a US citizen). I need to get a new one. I’m going to get another simple 60 day visa. I saw this mentioned, I think, once, but I’m a bit fuzzy on whether I need to show a flight ticket for me leaving Taiwan? When I applied in the US, I had to show one.

Thanks!

71

I think this is a ‘at their discretion’ requirement. They were interested in my bank statement but barely glanced at my flight info. But if you’re returning to Taiwan the next day then the airline/immigration can definitely ask for your onward ticket. And they can decline to board you or force you to pay for a ticket on the spot. So you’re probably going to want an onward ticket anyway.

72

Hi guys

I have a question that I haven’t seen answered. I came to Taiwan on a 90 visa exempt entry, extended it for another 90 days, and it expires next week. I have a job, and work permit, but Immigration told my boss two different things: that I have to leave Taiwan to do a HK tourist visa run, and someone else told her I don’t have to.

After reading this thread, I guess I have to fly to HK and come back to get a new 90 day visa exempt, and then apply for an ARC. Is this correct, or can I apply for a new visitor visa here before my 90 days expire? When my original 90 days was extended, a visitor visa stamp was put in my passport.

Thanks for any help.

73

Seems like in any case with only a week to go, you will have run out of time. A trip out of the country looks to be in your cards. As to whether you bring papers with you to HK and process your re-entry as a person with a job waiting or do you come back in on visa free and change that to an ARC is something to dig further into.

I am under the impression that a visa free can be changed into an ARC for white collar workers (such as teachers), but recently others have said no.

edit: Wait you said you have a job and a work permit currently or will be getting one? IF you have a work permit that is already your ARC I believe and it will have a validity on it?

74

work permit does not even come close to being your ARC/resident visa but it is the step immediately before getting your resident visa

If you have work permit then your next step is to apply for a resident visa. I don’t know the process for applying if you’re here on visa free but I would go to the local immigration building and ask for your resident visa on Monday. Either they give it to you and start the paperwork process or they tell you what steps you need to take to get it.

75

[quote=“ReadySalted”]Hi guys

I have a question that I haven’t seen answered. I came to Taiwan on a 90 visa exempt entry, extended it for another 90 days, and it expires next week. I have a job, and work permit, but Immigration told my boss two different things: that I have to leave Taiwan to do a HK tourist visa run, and someone else told her I don’t have to.

After reading this thread, I guess I have to fly to HK and come back to get a new 90 day visa exempt, and then apply for an ARC. Is this correct, or can I apply for a new visitor visa here before my 90 days expire? When my original 90 days was extended, a visitor visa stamp was put in my passport.

Thanks for any help.[/quote]

Hi ReadySalted,

I was in a similar situation to you a few months ago. I handed in my ARC application form to immigration and they accepted it and started processing it. I was worried that my visa-exemption was going to run out before I received my ARC, but immigration said don’t worry about it.

I think… so long as you get your application in before your visa or visa-exemption runs out, it’s alright. Ring immigration on Monday and find out. I would book a refundable ticket to HK just in case!

76

Thanks for the info guys.

I spoke to the MOFA, and they said that I can either get a visitor visa in HK, or re-enter on another 90 days and apply for a visa/ARC in Taiwan.

Cheers.

77

[quote=“ReadySalted”]Thanks for the info guys.

I spoke to the MOFA, and they said that I can either get a visitor visa in HK, or re-enter on another 90 days and apply for a visa/ARC in Taiwan.

Cheers.[/quote]

Why couldn’t they process your paperwork this week and prevent the trip to Hong Kong? Or did your 90 days expire before Monday and you’re on a plane now?

78

[quote=“Maceck”]
…
3) Get a Visitor Visa (This can be done by you or your agent): Bring your work permit and your passport to the 2nd floor of the MAC Building (not the Immigration Office) and fill out an application requesting a Visitor’s Visa. That’s right, if you have a work permit in hand, you can apply for a Taiwan Visitor’s Visa while IN TAIWAN! Your Visa will take anywhere from 1 day to 5 days to be issued. Once issued you will now be in Taiwan on a 60 day visa and shouldn’t have to make any more visa runs!
…[/quote]

Page 7 of this very thread has a nice little post about how to get an ARC while here on Visa Exempt. :doh:

You can fly to HK if you want to, but you know what they say, “An ounce of prevention costs a lot less than a plane ticket to Hong Kong!” :whistle:

79

Hi everyone

I have read this thread from the beginning to the end, as I anxiously await the moment when I will have to perform a visa run, which is admittedly a week from today. I am an American, and I have a few questions concerning this whole process, and it seems as though I receive different answers every time I ask these questions and speak with different people. I appreciate any advice or help that you guys can offer me.

As mentioned above, I am an American and I currently have a 60 day visitor visa which will run out in about a week. I have a health check in the works, and I should receive it back as early as tomorrow, or as late as Thursday. I also currently have an employer.

Most people recommend to me that I should make my visa run to Hong Kong, though I have also had a few people suggest that the Philippines is also a good choice. Is one of these choices better than the other?

Many people, with whom I have spoken, tell me that a 30 day landing visa will suffice, and that I do not need to worry about the headache, worry and hassle of trying to apply for a second 60 day visitor visa while in Hong Kong (or the Philippines). On these forums, however, I have read mixed reports about whether a landing visa will suffice. Can anyone confirm this, perhaps with recent experience? My recruiter and another American have both told me that a landing visa is “good enough”, but I am still worried that it will not suffice.

In addition, if the landing visa does suffice, what kind of documents should I bring to show the officials at the airport? Will I need a bank account statement? Do I need to show them an invitation letter from someone? What about a plane ticket somewhere else?

I am really feeling quite nauseous over this whole visa run issue, as the information I read always seems to be contradictory. If anyone can help me with this, I would much appreciate it. Thanks a lot!!!

edit: Also, will it be a problem that I do not have a country-wide FBI background check? I do have a state background check from when I had worked as a substitute teacher in my home state, but nothing that is valid for the whole USA.

80

First - Do you have a multiple entry visa or single entry visa? If it’s multiple entry then you can reuse the visa but you’ll still have to exit the country.

Second - Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Philippines, Okinawa, Seoul, etc… It really doesn’t matter where you go unless you need to use the Taiwan embassy (TECO or whatever it’s called). If you need to use the embassy (for a visa) then DO NOT GO to Manila. Otherwise the cheapest flights are on Cebu Pacific to Manila but it’s a red eye both ways.

Third - Several regular posters here have arrived on visa free entry and were able to process all of the paperwork in country. I can’t think of a reason why you shouldn’t enter using visa free if your original visa is expired. In your case there is no reason to buy another visa since almost everyone has had to pay for a resident visa anyway. Just enter visa free.

Fourth - If your health check is ready on Tuesday it might be possible to skip the visa run. Your school will really have to be on the ball and get the work permit fast. Once you have the work permit you can apply for the resident visa. And once you have applied for the resident visa you no longer need to do a visa run.