I teach at a Chinese University that has allowed me to teach online from Taiwan since Feb., and I recently got the Gold Card so I have an ARC. However, as much as I want to stay in Taiwan, my university in China now wants me to return and are applying for the necessary invitation letter. Once that’s processed in a week or two I need to go to a Chinese embassy to apply for a new entry visa. In normal times I would just go to Hong Kong to do this, but having to quarantine there for two weeks and then do another two in the mainland sounds like a nightmare. I’m a US citizen but I’m not going to go back to the U.S. right now either. I was wondering if anyone else is in a similar situation. Maybe a Taiwan travel agency could help me with this? Are there are any countries with a Chinese embassy that I could travel to right now without quarantining (other than the U.S.)?
I know two+ places that will do it in Taipei (before the virus) and have posted price and availability info here previously.
I got a 10-year visitor’s visa to China from Lion Travel in Taoyuan, but that was almost two years ago. I’m not sure if that’s the same kind of visa you’re inquiring about, but here’s the info:
You can get a visa from a travel agent who will then apply for a visa in Hong Kong by post, you need an ARC with at least 6 months left on it to do that.
However in Covid times I thought that most Chinese visas for foreigners were suspended anyway.
There are places that will obtain a China travel visa without an ARC. Like if someone is just on vacation in Taiwan and wants to go to China next.
I do have a Taiwan ARC. However, since this is a new (post-COVID) process and entry visa, I wasn’t sure if travel agencies in Taiwan would be able to help. Will contact some to see…
China just announced that companies and universities can apply to get a special invitation letter so that foreigners stuck abroad with valid visas and work permits can return. We can use that letter to get a new entry visa. Since this is different from the usual tourist visas I wasn’t sure if Taiwan agencies would know what to do. But I will contact a few and see.
big pay difference or what?
Yes, I actually did that once, instead of posting it to HK they processed it via the Chinese embassy in the US, it cost more and took longer, but they did process it.
Yes, universities here pay lower. There also aren’t very many academic jobs in the humanities in Taiwan (or anywhere right now, tbh). I have quite a few Taiwanese colleagues in China who couldn’t successfully find a position in Taiwan, and of course it’s even harder as a foreigner and non-Chinese speaker. It is awesome how easy it is for foreigners with PhDs to get the Taiwan gold card though. I’m surprised more academics don’t know about it. But I guess most academics wouldn’t come here unless they already have a job lined up, in which case they wouldn’t need a Gold Card.