I can only get a visa on arrival/exemption for 30 days. It’s no problem I just fly to Macau and back every 30 days without questioning? I’m a long term tourist. Also, I think getting in and out of the country every 30 days is troublesome. Can I apply for a Chinese course and get a proper visa when I am already in Taiwan? Or must I do it beforehand?
You should be able to get a visitor visa but you don’t state what country you’re from. And flying in and out every 60 days is better than every 30 days. And it would be cheaper (and it’s fun to take mini vacations) than taking Chinese classes also.
but to answer the original question. Yes you can fly in and out every 30 days and have zero issues. There is the req’t that you have your next flight ticket (proof that you’re leaving) but that’s not that difficult.
if you ask the teco office (or whatever that one in hong kong is called), they can give you a 90 day extendable once instead of the 60 day extendable twice. you just have to ask, apparently. when i was doing the visa stuff for my arc last time they gave me a 90 day visitor so i could relax a little bit getting my paperwork/health check done here. the lady in hong kong told me they can get either one, you just need to ask for the 90 day one. i don’t understand why anyone would actually want a 60 day one when you could get the 90 day with no issue. however, this may only apply for school-related visas.
if you’re american, don’t get the visa. it’s too expensive and it’s a pain in the ass because they won’t want to give you one (there’s no reason if youre a tourist and they will think you are working illegally). just use the money to go to hong kong for a nice trip once a month. the visa fee is the same as a roundtrip plane ticket.
btw if you have a valid mainland visa, it’s cheaper to fly to jinmen from songshan airport and ferry across to xiamen. you can have a nice weekend there getting cheap massages hahaha. plus, macau sucks, i dont know why you would choose to go there when hk is next door 
I’ve only heard of a 90 day visa exempt for privileged so I can’t comment on the 90 day visa that you got. But I would disagree that it’s not worth it to get a 60 day visitor visa if you’re an American. It costs about 4500NT which is half the cost of a Hong Kong flight, you get multiple entries (saving more money) and you don’t mess up your schedule taking a day off to make a visa run. Or longer if you take a mini vacation since the flight is the expensive part. I used the 30 day visa free 3 times this year. I am sick of it and I finally got a visitor visa today.
You get a multiple five year visa for sixty days each time, thats more cost effective.
Visa runs every sixty days and no cost of a new visa. Just leave and come back.
But the europeans and canadians and uk-ians got it best. No visa needed and 90 day stays.
Us 'Merican passport holders should protest.
I am from Malaysia. So basically keep doing trips to HK/Macau every 30 days is the best option? Should I try to apply a 60 day visa? I am not working, nor have any invitation letters, or whatever documents. Or should I just apply for a Chinese school?
I’ve often wondered about this as well. If you just keep leaving the country for a few days and coming back, don’t the immigration officials at the airport eventually start to get suspicious and wonder what you’re doing? It seems from what people have written here, and from what I’ve heard, that they don’t.
But that is for white people from Western countries, and ABC/CBCs. Would a Malaysian have the same easy time? I doubt it, so suggest you enroll in a Chinese school.
Although if you’re Malaysian Chinese, maybe it would work.
Yes I am Malaysian Chinese. Would I be able too apply for a school while I am already in Taiwan and get a visa processed there?
I had to leave Taiwan and get the school visa processed outside (I went to Hong Kong), but that was a few years ago.
I know that the TECO’s are really stingy with Filippinos so you might have a hard time getting a visitor visa. But a decent sized bank statement might be a factor in your favor. tbh on your next trip out (not to Manila - no visitor visa for tourism there) go to the TECO office and find out if you can get one. If they say no then you continue to use the 30 day visa free or think about enrolling in classes.
Maybe you can get citizenship being Overseas Chinese? Look into it, if you want to that is.
Just keep your nose clean and never overstay and you are gold for decade probably.