So, yeah, I deserve to be roasted, but long story short, I’ve overstayed for three years. I made my living working online (illegally) during that time, but because of medical emergencies and stuff, I don’t have a lot in my banking account… just about enough to get back home and another grand or so. Apart from the obvious ban and overstay penalty, I’ll have a huge tax bill, which I won’t be able to repay… Not sure what my options are, right now.
I’m just wondering if there’s any of chance of leniency or whatnot… Or, am I screwed, and looking at detainment or whatnot. Also, can I get away with not showing my bank statements? 
Does your salary from abroad show up as salary on your statement?
Can’t you just sell some of the stuff?
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A guy I knew who overstayed teaching Kindy for cash just got a fine. They wrote off taxes from the illegal earnings.
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It doesn’t show up as “salary” per se, because I’m freelancing, but they’ll see a lot of transactions from PayPal/Amazon Payments, whatnot.
I just asked him. He got a 10k fine and a ban.
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Ah, thx! Did they ask for his bank statements? (if you don’t mind, sorry) Because that’s what will do me in
I don’t think so. I’ve asked him and am waiting for a reply.
This was all ten years ago, by the way. I don’t know if any rules have changed since then.
EDIT: They didn’t check bank statements, but they did ask him how he had been supporting himself. He gave an excuse, paid the fine, got put on a plane, and was banned from reentry for three years.
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Are you sure the tax bill will actually be “huge”? Taxes in Taiwan aren’t that high actually - and those medical emergencies you had might be tax-deductible.
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How much in total are you talking about? ballpark?
you would be able to figure out how much you owe.
You say you will have a huge tax bill, but would you?
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Maybe you say you were living off savings, tell them covid was tough and taiwan was a haven, pay your fine and go. It doesnt sound like you were making money here anyway.
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Were you teaching Taiwanese people English online? If not then you shouldn’t have a problem.
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Alright. Thank you so much! I will update in a week or so, hopefully not from a detainment cell, haha
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You don’t need a tax exit stamp so I think you can just leave no? Or visit the tax office and tell them you just made a subsistence wage and work out a deal. I did that many moons ago.
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