Small business for foreigner + Mainland spouse

Hi,

I’m a British national and I’m wanting to move to Taiwan and start my own consulting company which should be netting $4500-$5500 USD a month and have enough to gain me a work permit which is fantastic for me…

But I also have a Mainland spouse, we married in Hong Kong a few years ago. I assume Taiwan will not put a dependant visa in her Mainland passport. She says she needs some sort of card from the Mainland authorities which they’re not giving at the moment?

Is it possible to do without this card and get her granted dependant status from somewhere like Thailand?

With that kind of income, why don’t you settle in a nicer part of China ?

I have no answer to your original question, but I doubt it will be easy to get your spouse any kind of Taiwan residency.

Because China does not give good options to foreigners staying long term. They do not want you settling there.

So they make it intentionally difficult.

1 Like

Even if you are married to a chinese citizien ?

I am sorry for my lack of knowledge regarding China. A place I have no intention to ever visit.

Yes. Imagine having no work permit and having to renew your ARC yearly for the rest of your time in China

China’s spousal visa sucks.

She won’t get a visa in her passport (or an ARC as you are not Taiwanese). She basically needs a pass from the Chinese government which allows her to go to Taiwan and then a reciprocal one from Taiwan which allows her to enter Taiwan. China is still giving out their passes but not as freely as before. Best bet is to contact your local Chinese embassy, explain what you need and see if they can do it from the embassy. It may require your wife to visit and apply from wherever her Hukou is registered.

But the Chinese exit pass only works when in China. If she is outside already…

?? What does that mean?

1 Like

You can live here with your spouse but as far as I know under current covid restrictions entry permits are only issued to mainland spouses of ROC citizens, not foreigners.

You would need to contact Taiwan immigration to get a definitive answer on wether your spouse can join you right now

Also better to get the mainland permit too in advance because if she travels from Taiwan to China without it there is a possible haul to the side at the airport

They had a “green card” scheme ~10 years ago. I don’t know if they still do.

Yeah they ‘have’ a permanent residency scheme, but it’s only given to the cream of the crop.

Mainland spouses are given residency. But it is complicated by COVID regulations. So I would assume right now it’s a no go. However I could quite likely be wrong. Ask the authorities

Not permanent residency.

What’s that?

I said permanent residency in my post. Not residency.

3 posts were split to a new topic: Random pointless stuff

There are two documents. The Exit and Entry Permit of the ROC. Shown below.

And the To/From Taiwan Pass, known as the 往來臺灣通行證. This is issued by Communist authorities. Taiwan’s immigration and emigration officers will never ask for this. They only ever ask for the Exit and Entry Permit of the ROC. Shown below.

The passport-like book. No longer issued.


The new card: Currently issued.


They bear striking resemblance to the Taiwan Compatriot Pass



The To/From Taiwan Pass is only ever reocgnised by Communist immigration and emigration officers. Taiwan will never ask for it and does not recognise it. The To/From Taiwan Pass is needed to exit China and Enter China when coming to and from Taiwan directly. The To/From Taiwan Pass is not permission to enter Taiwan, but confusingly, is the Communist government’s way to pretend Taiwan is part of China by ‘allowing’ you to go to Taiwan. However, in practise, since Taiwan is a sovereign country, this document is nothing more than a useless piece of paper/plastic in Taiwan as you need permission from Taiwan to enter Taiwan.

Since it is not asked for by Taiwan immigration and emigration. The loophole is, if you leave China and go to…let’s say Korea, or Thailand and then simply acquire the Entry and Exit Permit of the ROC at a TECO there, then there is no reason to attain the To/From Taiwan Pass.

Just head back to a third country before going back to China. So, if you’re having trouble attaining the To/From Taiwan Pass, just head to a third country.

You get both papers in order to not have hassle.

1 Like

A post was merged into an existing topic: Random pointless stuff

Btw thanks for staying civil and helpful and on topic, everyone who is. :slightly_smiling_face:

2 Likes