My husband and I recently came to Taipei for tourism and to look for possible English teaching positions for me. We are US residents who came in visa-free for 90 days. I was lucky to find a job at a public school, and I am in the process of applying for my ARC.
My husband would (obviously) like to stay in Taipei with me. He has looked online and even gone to the BoCA to figure out what he needs to do. He is not employed, but is interested in part time work if he finds some.
We have gotten several different answers from many people. Should he apply for a visitor visa? Does he need to leave the country to do so? Does he need to find work?
He still has 60 days left on his visa free entry, so we have some time, but we also want to make sure we get things done in a timely manner.
he can get a spouse visa as your dependent. he doesnt need to do a visa run providing there is enough time on his visa free period left. ask at immigration.
It is illegal without a work permit. If he wants to work, he also must get a work permit as you are doing.
@Liam_Og
He does not need to go out of Taiwan? The notice in the instruction of resident visa for spouse seems to be saying he should get a visa somewhere out of Taiwan.
Editted: @Liam_Og is right, your husband can get a spouse visa without going out of taiwan. See the bottom.
Notice
7. Applicants who enter the R.O.C. (Taiwan) without a visa and have obtained a work permit issued by competent authorities of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) may apply to the Bureau of Consular Affairs or any of its Central, Southwestern, Southern, or Eastern Taiwan Offices for an extendable Visitor Visa. Subsequently and with the extendable Visitor Visa, the applicants must apply to the National Immigration Agency for an Alien Resident Certificate.
RESIDENT VISAS FOR FOREIGN SPOUSES OF R.O.C.(TAIWAN) CITIZENS WITHOUT HOUSEHOLD REGISTRATION, FOREIGNERS, HONG KONG RESIDENTS, MACAU RESIDENTS, OR MAINLAND CHINESE CITIZENS http://www.boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=6137&ctNode=778&mp=2
Notice
5. Those who enter the R.O.C. (Taiwan) without a visa or with a landing visa and those who currently stay in the R.O.C. (Taiwan) as blue-collar workers may not apply for a Resident Visa on the ground of joining spouse.
Duration of stay:
2. Visa-exempt entry cannot be converted to visa-based stay, unless any of the following applies:
A. Foreign nationals entering the ROC on a visa exemption may only apply for conversion to a visitor visa within the permitted duration of stay at the Bureau of Consular Affairs or MOFA branch offices in the event of situations that prevent them from leaving the ROC, such as severe acute illness, natural disaster, or other force majeure reason. In addition, white-collar professionals who have obtained a work permit within their permitted duration of stay may apply for a work visa together with their spouse and minors (under age 20) who entered the ROC at the same time.
I asked at BoCA about this, and they said that if my husband does not obtain a work permit from a job, he must apply for a visa outside of Taiwan. Two people at the BoCA have directly contradicted this info. I have to apply at MoFA for my ARC, I will ask them when I go.
Are your visa and ARC applications already submitted? If so, he may need to get his visa outside of taiwan. Maybe his visa & arc should be appliyed at the same time with yours.
I always get my own ARC first and then apply for my dependents the following week. Haven’t had hiccups.
Some counter assistants can be misinformed or unhelpful. I managed to get around them by calling on the phone, finding someone at the other end who was helpful, explaining my situation, and then dealing pretty much only with that person.
Is it under the same condition with the OP’s? So, you & your family enter with VISA-exempt then apply for your work based visa first and dependant visa later? But how come you don’t do that at once?
That’s true. It’s worth to ask different persons. At least it’s no harm.
Not the exact same situation. I came visa exempt, got my ARC, then flew back out and came back in with the dependents, they had visas from TECO in Hong Kong.
However I would think that the OP and dependent can apply together. Or the OP can apply first get the ARC, and then follow up with the dependents papers.
I renew papers for my dependents separably because my employer sorts out my ARC for me, and then I use that to go sort out the dependents paperwork.
