remember you are dealing with a country where if you overstay your visa by even one day, you will be stopped at the airport and told to go back to town to get an extension to your visa. Even if you argue that you are wanting to leave the country NOW to not further aggravate your lateness in LEAVING the country.
and yet to the police in Taiwan? It makes perfect sense to DENY you the chance to LEAVE the country until you have extended your VISA so then you CAN leave on a valid visa cuz essentially your visa is now not valid and you are in limbo.
wierd or what?
in most countries they would be pleased you are leaving the country especially if you have overstayed (so long as no penalties are due of course)
Is this true? I heard that after your ARC expires, you have one week to get out of the country. How would you be able to finish your work contract and then leave at the same day. Does anybody have additional information?
Is this true? I heard that after your ARC expires, you have one week to get out of the country. How would you be able to finish your work contract and then leave at the same day. Does anybody have additional information?[/quote]
i was talking bout a 60 day visitors visa. I think that they put a stamp in your passport when your ARC is taken away? who knows? pls speak up
You are mistaken - you only get a grace period if your ARC is cancelled, not if it expires. If it expires, you have to leave on the day of the expiry. Stupid rule, I know - I had the same problem and had to leave just before my ARC expired, and then re-enter on a 30-day visa-free entry, rather than on the ARC, which was still valid for another couple of days.
You are mistaken - you only get a grace period if your ARC is cancelled, not if it expires. If it expires, you have to leave on the day of the expiry. Stupid rule, I know - I had the same problem and had to leave just before my ARC expired, and then re-enter on a 30-day visa-free entry, rather than on the ARC, which was still valid for another couple of days.[/quote]
Oh no, how stupid is that. So where did you go? And there is no other option, like applying for a visa within Taiwan? How often can one enter Taiwan on a 30-day visa-free entry? I would have to do it twice. When you reentered on the 30-day visa-free entry while your ARC is still valid, did you have to show them a ticket out of Taiwan to be able to enter in such a way?
If a new employer can file the work permit paperwork before the ARC expires then you can renew the ARC without leaving or getting a new visa. If the work permit is not issued before the ARC expires then you can get a short extension once the paperwork is filed in most cases.
If a new employer can file the work permit paperwork before the ARC expires then you can renew the ARC without leaving or getting a new visa. If the work permit is not issued before the ARC expires then you can get a short extension once the paperwork is filed in most cases.[/quote]
Well, I want to leave Taiwan for good. But I do need some more time here so I can take care of some business. I heard that one can stay 7 days longer, but that information seems wrong. I already got some tickets for 5 days after my ARC expires. So maybe if I go on that New Year’s trip, I will reenter Taiwan on a landing visa, and if they ask for a ticket out of Taiwan, I can show them the ticket that is for 3 weeks later. But that one is a round trip ticket to the Philippines for a short vacation. So before I leave for the Philippies, I will get a ticket to my next destination which I can use to reenter Taiwan on my way back to the Philippines. And then finally leave within another few days.
[quote=“ratlung”]Well, I want to leave Taiwan for good. But I do need some more time here so I can take care of some business. I heard that one can stay 7 days longer, but that information seems wrong. I already got some tickets for 5 days after my ARC expires. So maybe if I go on that New Year’s trip, I will reenter Taiwan on a landing visa, and if they ask for a ticket out of Taiwan, I can show them the ticket that is for 3 weeks later. But that one is a round trip ticket to the Philippines for a short vacation. So before I leave for the Philippies, I will get a ticket to my next destination which I can use to reenter Taiwan on my way back to the Philippines. And then finally leave within another few days.
Do you guys think that might work out?[/quote]
I think it will work. Actually it’s called a visa-exempt entry, not landing visa. Note the requirements.
The only (small) risk I see is the ticket to the Philippines as it’s not a true return flight, but I guess it depends on the mood of the immigration officer or how good you are at convincing them that you will leave for good afterwards. If possible avoid the issue of returning once more, i.e. don’t tell unless asked.
The Foreign Affairs Police will sometimes allow a short extension to allow someone to finish up their affairs. It’s worth asking.[/quote]
Thanks, that’s what I was planning to do tomorrow. I will also mention that I already have a ticket out of Taiwan, which I can show to them. Otherwise, I already came up with a few other solutions as well, which are not ideal, but would be okay for me.
[quote=“Rascal”]
I think it will work. Actually it’s called a visa-exempt entry, not landing visa. Note the requirements.
The only (small) risk I see is the ticket to the Philippines as it’s not a true return flight, but I guess it depends on the mood of the immigration officer or how good you are at convincing them that you will leave for good afterwards. If possible avoid the issue of returning once more, i.e. don’t tell unless asked.[/quote]
Thanks for your input. We once had visitors from the U.S. which had a return ticket to the U.S… We did take them on a trip to Thailand from here, and they were able to return to Taiwan due to the fact that they had a ticket to the U.S.
But you are right, only give them the information they ask for, and don’t give them any extra details, that might invoke another rule. Nevertheless, I will try to beg the foreign police for a short extension of 5 days. There must be something like that possible. There might be people who’s ARC expires during Chinese New Year and then neglected to book a flight home one year in advance…
Anyway, thanks for all the input and help you guys provided. That is awesome. I will post frequent updates on this story, maybe there is someone in a similar situation in the future.
I just asked a colleague to call the Foreign Affairs Police (FAP) in Taoyuan and see if I can get an extension of a couple of days. The FAP told her that I don’t need to apply for an extension, but I have to pay a fee at the airport when leaving Taiwan.
1 - 10 days overstay NT$ 1,000.00
11 - 30 days overstay NT$ 3,000.00
30+ days overstay I have to go to some office in Taoyuan and apply formally
6+ months overstay I won’t be allowed to enter Taiwan ever again
Can anybody verify this information, or has anybody heard about this regulation
before? Input is appreciated.
I also had this problem. I just asked for a 7 day extension and got it. I had to pay the 1,000 NT at the time I got my extension. Just wasn’t a big issue.
Cool, did you just go to the FAP station that does all the ARC stuff, or did you go to the immigration office at the airport. That’s where I would pay the NT$1000 if I stay up to 10 days longer. But thanks for the info.
Cool, did you just go to the FAP station that does all the ARC stuff, or did you go to the immigration office at the airport. That’s where I would pay the NT$1000 if I stay up to 10 days longer. But thanks for the info.[/quote]
I guess they failed to tell you that this also gets you a big stamp in your passport banning you from visa-free entry for one year. You can still enter on a visa if you apply before leaving for Taiwan, but this stamp might affect any plans you have of coming back for a short visit in the near future.
Cool, did you just go to the FAP station that does all the ARC stuff, or did you go to the immigration office at the airport. That’s where I would pay the NT$1000 if I stay up to 10 days longer. But thanks for the info.[/quote]
I guess they failed to tell you that this also gets you a big stamp in your passport banning you from visa-free entry for one year. You can still enter on a visa if you apply before leaving for Taiwan, but this stamp might affect any plans you have of coming back for a short visit in the near future.[/quote]
Sounds like you guys are right. I had somebody call the office of immigration and explain the situation to them. The deal is, that when you overstay, you have to pay NT$ 1,000 for the first 10 days, and you get a nice stamp in your passport indicating that you did overstay. The immigration office did say it is nothing much to worry about and I will be able to re-enter on a visa-exempt entry as long as I can show an onward flight ticket. But I don’t really trust what he is saying, and I am not going to take my chances with having such a stamp in my passport.
I also asked them for permission to stay a couple of days longer in Taiwan, but the person on the phone said this is not possible. I am not sure how Enigma was able to get it, maybe you can elaborate.
At the moment it seems that I need to do the trip to Hong Kong to avoid getting an ugly stamp in my passport. :fume: Not really happy about this, and the impractical nonsense laws here in Taiwan.