So I’m in Manila and they would not process my paperwork. They weren’t interested in seeing any flight or bank account info (have both). They simply refused me since I don’t have letter of employment or language school documentation. I explained that I was a tourist and wanted a tourist visa and they said that my only option was the 30 day visa exempt. But that’s not what I want and I know that I SHOULD be allowed (to pay a ridiculous amount for) a tourist visa. They said that I can schedule a meeting with the consulate for further explanation.
Is there any info that I should be aware of when I schedule this meeting? Or do they just have the right to refuse anyone/everyone?
[quote=“Abacus”]So I’m in Manila and they would not process my paperwork. They weren’t interested in seeing any flight or bank account info (have both). They simply refused me since I don’t have letter of employment or language school documentation. I explained that I was a tourist and wanted a tourist visa and they said that my only option was the 30 day visa exempt. But that’s not what I want and I know that I SHOULD be allowed (to pay a ridiculous amount for) a tourist visa. They said that I can schedule a meeting with the consulate for further explanation.
Is there any info that I should be aware of when I schedule this meeting? Or do they just have the right to refuse anyone/everyone?[/quote]
You’re over there now? I hate to say this but…fixers. That’s the only way you’re going to clear this hurdle. As you’re well aware, Taiwan and Phils are not on the best of terms right now. I’m trying to get my wife over here for a short visit. They won’t even consider granting her a tourist visa without a letter of invitation from an ROC national and even though I have it, they told my wife flat-out (in Tagalog) that it’s going to take a considerable act of spontaneous generosity on my part to push it through and maybe even then it’ll be a no-go. I don’t supposed there was a subtle raise of the eyebrow when they said “schedule” a “meeting” with the non-existant “consulate”?
Meanwhile, I’ve been back and forth three times since the whole China-Taiwan-Phils criminal deportation snafu and the planes (both Cebu and Phil Air) have gone from packed to nearly deserted. In fact, the flight this morning was almost all transfers – it was so lonely at immigration-- whereas last fall it was mostly OFWs with those big-assed envelopes and employers’ name written on it.
Consider a jet to HK. This has less than nothing to do with being a US citizen.
No, you’re not … every embassy of any country or similar has the right to turn you away or refuse you a visa, getting a visa is not a given … but you can try to get hold of the director of the place, he’s Taiwanese and explain him why you want it … maybe he’ll issue one. Manila is known as a difficult place, due to the amount of visa they have to issue to Philippine workers … I know, I had the same issue many years ago … but I got hold of the second in rang.
And every successive visit I went straight to the same person, well … requested to see him … never had a problem anymore. Just be polite.
Well sometimes even I get caught trying to apply logic to illogical situations. And it’s not so much that they can and will refuse but that their formal policy at Manila TECO is to flatout not accept any tourist visa applications unless you have the letter of employment or Chinese school paperwork (not tourist usage). Oh well I guess that just means I’ll be back in and out on the 30 day exempt.
And had I known that it was impossible to get a visa I could have escaped Manila on Monday instead of hanging out in this relative hellhole.
Well sometimes even I get caught trying to apply logic to illogical situations. And it’s not so much that they can and will refuse but that their formal policy at Manila TECO is to flatout not accept any tourist visa applications unless you have the letter of employment or Chinese school paperwork (not tourist usage). Oh well I guess that just means I’ll be back in and out on the 30 day exempt.
And had I known that it was impossible to get a visa I could have escaped Manila on Monday instead of hanging out in this relative hellhole.[/quote]
Have you left yet… I just saw your post… Try this
I went through the same crap with the Manila location. I spoke to the consulate and she was of no use.
What you can do is if you have a friend in Taiwan, they can fax over a letter advising that you are visiting them (if you are in fact visiting friends there). They will give you a 2 month visitor visa, which the immigration office may choose to extend up to 6 months.
It’s true, I probably lucked out because I had a girlfriend here and was going to marry the next year … I got an extendable even … and I have to say that even that is not a given, I went to HK a few times after I was married, they refused to give me an extendable visa because I refused to take an HIV test … which they demanded … I stood my ground but had to leave every 60 days, back to HK … well it was a way to get out of Taiwan and wind down. I did this for 3 years until going back home to get all my papers for an ARC and I did my medical in my home country.
Just to say that they give a frigging duck’s ass …
When I realized it was a losing battle I got out of manila and enjoyed the rest of my visa-exempt run. I’ve got a ticket to Okinawa booked in two months that I’ll either try to move up or wait until then. But then again hopefully a job works out before then.
There aren’t any unexpected side effects in Okinawa following the earthquake. Thinking along the lines of supplies being diverted or the TECO being overrun with requests.