I will be going to Taiwan to study Mandarin on a Vistor’s Visa. I plan to study for 1 year. My wife and 2 children will come with me. I have been told several different things by the Taiwanese consulate regarding their visas. On US passports they can get 90 days visa exempt.
I thought about applying for Visitor Visas for my family but the Taiwan consulate told me they may not get approved and then I would be out US$480 for nothing. That kind of scared me off.
Will that create problems enrolling them in a local elementary school in Taipei if they are visa exempt?
Does anyone have any tips about enrolling my kids in a local school? What do I need and what is the process? If they did have Visitor Visas would that make the school enrollment any easier?
I have been told that after 4 months in school I can get an ARC and then sponsor my family for visitor visas. But somewhere I read that I have to stay in Taiwan for 4 months continuously. Since my family will have to leave within 90 days, we will probably go to Japan for a weekend vacation and come back. Will this break in my Taiwan stay prevent me from getting an ARC?
Thanks for any info.
How old are your children? What’s their current level of Mandarin?
My kids will be 8 and 5 years old. They both speak Mandarin and have gone to Mandarin schools in the US. They will have some catching up to do to equal their peers in Taiwan but they should be able to attend local schools at their grade level and catch up over the course of the year.
Officially, your children should have ARCs to enrol. Some schools overlook this.
Thank you for the info. So there is no advantage to a Visitor Visa over visa-exempt status? Any tips on how to find a school that might overlook the lack of ARC?
[quote=“student/father”]I will be going to Taiwan to study Mandarin on a Vistor’s Visa. I plan to study for 1 year. My wife and 2 children will come with me. I have been told several different things by the Taiwanese consulate regarding their visas. On US passports they can get 90 days visa exempt.
I thought about applying for Visitor Visas for my family but the Taiwan consulate told me they may not get approved and then I would be out US$480 for nothing. That kind of scared me off.
Will that create problems enrolling them in a local elementary school in Taipei if they are visa exempt?
Does anyone have any tips about enrolling my kids in a local school? What do I need and what is the process? If they did have Visitor Visas would that make the school enrollment any easier?
I have been told that after 4 months in school I can get an ARC and then sponsor my family for visitor visas. But somewhere I read that I have to stay in Taiwan for 4 months continuously. Since my family will have to leave within 90 days, we will probably go to Japan for a weekend vacation and come back. Will this break in my Taiwan stay prevent me from getting an ARC?
Thanks for any info.[/quote]
HI
Can you please give me an update to how everything went? I am thinking of doing the same thing with my kids next summer for 1-2 years. They will be 5 and 8. They understand Mandarin but cannot respond back to me in full sentences. I am thinking of leaving my 8 year old a grade behind so she will better understand the teacher- maybe? maybe not?
Which school did your kids go to? What neighborhood do you recommend? How was the whole visa situation? How was the enrollment process?
Any advise and suggestions is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!