If you read most websites about getting a 60 day visa, the process looks very simple and straight forward…it even looks like it makes sense:
- Get the job as English teacher.
- Get letter of employment.
- Go to Taiwan Economic and Cultural office.
- Fill in application form
- Pay money
- Get 60 day visa
- Arrive in Taiwan get medical (7 days to complete)
- Company sends documentation to Labor Department for work permit (10 days to complete)
- Get resident’s visa (7 days to complete)
- Get ARC (3 days to complete)
If this is done effeciently and all the paperwork is in order it can be done in around 45 days allowing for postage and weekends, that’s well in the 60 day limit, so it all makes sense.
However, it seems that changes have been made.
I am in Thailand right now.I went along to the Empire Tower with my letter of employment, photos, passport, application form and photocopies of all these with my application fee for express processing in hand.
The woman looks at my application and thrusts it back at me saying quite simply ‘No!’
’ Why not?’ I asked.
‘You do not have a work permit!’
She then showed me a memo from the labour department saying 60 day visas cannot be issued without a workpermit. When I asked her what I should do, she said go to Taiwan on a 12 day visitors visa and apply for one…speak to your employer.
I have had a lot of help from my employer in checking on this with the Taiwan Government Departments. Most do not seem to knwo the process, but the labor department said…yes, this is the new process, so as far as I can see the new process is like this.
- Enter Taiwan on 12 day tourist visa.
2 Get medical ( 7 days) - Employer applies for Workpermit (14 days including postage if everything is in order)
- Leave Taiwan on day 12
- Come back to Taiwan on a 12 day visitors visa
- Workpermit arrives, leave Taiwan for HK or Thailand
- Go to Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office to apply for 60 day visa
- Return to Taiwan and go to the Visa office to apply for residence visa.( Please remember that you have a 60 day visa because you cannot get any extension on a tourist visa)
- Apply for ARC
That’s about it…it also means that you have to leave to get a 60 day visa which is useful to you fo one day only.
Has anyone else had problems…what has the Government done to what was a smooth process?