Hi, as a law abiding citizen (within reasons...!)

I have found myself, for the first time in my life, doing something illegal (with regards to Visa). Rather ominously, the other forumosa threads have been rather quiet on this subject?!

However my company told me not to visit the foreign police whilst my working permit was being processed, as even if this was delayed, it didn’t affect residency in any way; but today I was informed by the Yen Ping lot that if I had told them in advance my residency was delayed in any way IF I had told them beforehand (my company told me not to) then it would have been ok.

As it is I’m sorely tempted to go back with the boyf in Sept. BUT should I just wait the 30 odd days and then approach the foreign police and get an exit visa (what’s the worst that can happen?? I don’t want to return to Taiwan within the next year) or do I have to go to Hong Kong again again??

Sorry, your post makes little sense. Please repost with more details if you want people to respond intelligently and accurately.

Ok sorry, actually that might have made little sense…! actually I’ve given in my notice now so it’s of lesser importance, however I expired (in residency terms, that is) on 4th August due to misinformation on my company’s part. ( i have no idea why they don’t know MoFA can extend residency if the work permit is being processed IF MoFA knew before - but I really hope they will in the future as I’m putting it in writing, c’mon, it isn’t TOO hard to find out the facts over here!). I’m illegal now, and I’d really like to leave it that way until I leave for my home country on 14 Sept but I understand if my company feels twitchy about it and I have to go to HK soon.
Ohhhh I can’t go into fines as everyone has access to the sheet and it’s not a go straight to jail scenario. Anyway, if anyone’s company is dragging their heels on applying for ARC PLEASE BE AWARE that if they go down the foreign police and inform them then they will be very nice and extend residency! honest, they’re lovely despite all the hoo-haa

Please, take a deep breath, settle down a bit, and tell us - what was the problem? Exactly what happened? All I got out of both of those was something about your visa and your ARC and your employer and the FAP and now you’re illegal. What was your question? What did you want help with?

Thanks Tetsuo but it’s ok - it’s just that I’m illegal right now (the police came into this net cafe earlier and said ‘passport’ but I gave them a smile and ‘no’ and they went away!)
I have my work permit but not my residency. I’ll sort it out myself, I’d love to wait until I go back to my home country before I pay my fine for overstaying, but I don’t think I have that option. Ohhh man, HK here I come (but maybe upgrade?!

Oh I know you’re OK now, but I would rather not be confused by whatever the hell it was you were trying to say at the top.

So your work permit is still valid? If the visa has expired that probably means that you have to go to Hong Kong. However, if you take the original papers of the work permit and a letter from your employer that you will work for them you should get a new visa very easily. You will have to start the residence application all over again. Make sure that the work permit is valid. Once you have that you don’t have to say anything like I’m entering as a student or tourist. I even had to show the work permit before they would allow me to enter Hong Kong (South Africans are special people. We have problems with entering countries wherever we go.
It’s probably best to do that as soon as possible.

Your employer was wrong in telling you not to go to the Foreign Affairs Police. If you go to Foreign Affairs a bit BEFORE your original visa expires, and take a (again) letter from your employer that you are still waiting for the work permit to come through it is really easy to get an extension. I would put some pressure on that employer to pay for the Hong Kong trip as they gave you the wrong information.

Check on any of this info, because, as Tetsuo said not really enough info is given to really know what your situation is. Don’t listen to your employer…try to find somebody who knows what the hell is going on. When it gets close to the date of expiry for any visa, keep track of what’s going on. Don’t be afraid to ask somebody to phone Labor or Foreign Affairs again. Especially the people at Foreign Affaris are really nice…they know what you have to do for residence. Every time I walk in there I get some waves and some “Wow! Is it that time again?!”

Two navels, it’s so nice that you said that, thank you - I think one of the big visa ‘myths’ here is that you can’t get a residency extension when your work permit is being processed. But it’s soooooooo possible and I wish my company had known that (I actually have a paranoia about flying, so it’s hell in a handcart for me when I didn’t really need it). I’m putting it in writing to the CEO so I hope it might negate the need for visa runs for teachers in the future…what the hell, I’m an optimist?!

This is surprising. Visas are extendable given enough time, no visa jumps required. One of the legitimate reasons for having a visa extended is because of work and you would show the evidence of a work permit application, letter of employment etc to get the extension. Perhaps we need to get this information out better. I’ll bring it up on the next show I do on WWRN’s community program.

Superb, thanks! That’s great if it prevents someone from going through the same thing! And another issue: why on earth do we have to leave the country to get an extension? why does Taiwan not do it in country like other places?