Changing from one visa to another?

Legal Visa & Residency
1

Hi,

Am getting a very possible, but not yet definite, transfer to Taipei later this year from London, England.

I have visted quite a few web sites already to find info about living in Taiwan, and I think I have most of the info that I need - although there are 1 or 2 bits that I have no idea about, or I have heard/read conflicting ideas about (and my wife does not know either).

  1. My wife is Taiwanese (she has dual nationality - Taiwanese & British) - my company will provide me with a work visa - a min of 2 years first of all - but I have read just now about a “Joining Family Visa”. Is this something that I need aswell as a valid work visa, or is the work visa enough to get by? Is the Joining Family visa “better” than the work visa?, i.e. longer, more flexible??

  2. Also, I have also been told that the work visa in Taiwan only allows me to work for this one employer - so if I leave, then my work visa expires, is this correct?

  3. If for any reason I do leave this potential employer, and my work visa expires, can I change, easily, to this Joining Family Visa?

  4. Will this Joining Famiy Visa allow me the same advantages I had with the work visa - i.e allow me to work again?

Thanks alot for any advice or info you give me!

2

By law yes, but law is one thing and reality another in Taiwan. The Ministry of Education won’t allow you to exercise your legal right to teach English without a work permit from them.

Brian