Hello Everyone, I’m in a bit of a tough spot and could really use some advice. I’m an international student studying in Taiwan, but recently I got expelled from my university due to failing to pay tuition fees on time – a pretty major oversight, I know.
Now, I have about 10 days left on my ARC to figure out my next steps. Here’s where it gets tricky: my passport has less than 6 months left before expiry, and I need to stay in Taiwan for at least another 3 months to sort out my affairs and wrap up my lease.
I’m from a visa-exempt country, so obtaining a new visa isn’t too complicated. However, getting a new passport means I’ll need to overstay my arc by about 20 to 30 days. My question is, can I pay the fine for overstaying, fly to a nearby location, and then return to Taiwan to get the visa-exempt entry, or will this cause further trouble with immigration due to the fine? Also, can I apply for a student visa while I am in Taiwan with the visa exempt status? I asked about the expulsion (that I thought was not going to be a big problem but it actually was) but didn’t receive any response about what it means for my status, can I retake my courses next semester? Can I withdraw from this university and apply to another one?
I’m really uncertain about what to do, and any advice or insights would be incredibly helpful. Thank you all in advance for your assistance!
Pardon my ignorance, I know it may pretty much common sense what I am going to ask but, is it illegal to overstay within a certain period? I thought that if you overstay within a certain period, you get a fine and that’s all?
I’m telling you, this is highly illegal. Do not break the law. It may bite you closer in the future, it might bite you further into the future.
Don’t break the law. Full stop.
We cannot predict how immigration is going to treat you in the future. Do not break the law. Do not make it worse for the rest of us.
It is their discretion. They may choose to blacklist you from this.
Leaving now and coming back on visa free entry after your ARC has expired is much easier and safer for you to handle your affairs, apply for a school and then get a new student ARC/visa.
Do not overstay. Come back on legal terms and you will be safe.
Nope, due to 2 reasons:
1 - overstaying a visit/residency will suspend visa-exempt entry for 1 year.
2 - let’s say if for some reason that an exemption was given to point 1, as part of the visa-exempt rules you need at least 6 months left on your passport.
I’ve already sent emails to rhe university asking them to explain how can I proceed and I’ve asked if I can pay the tuition right now, but they are set on that the deadline has already passed. I am tempted to contact someone with more authority in the University to explain the situation but I am afraid to make things worse. I’ve also contacted my embassy to see what can I do and they just referred me to the same people I am already contacting.
I am also afraid I may not get any help from other universities because no university has admissions right now
I suggest trying to speak with someone in person instead of just sending emails. Visit the international affairs office at your university for guidance.
If you need to contact someone with more authority, go ahead. Ultimately, it’s your issue, and demonstrating your determination to solve it may open up other options.
Regarding contacting your embassy, they might not be able to assist with the study problem directly, but they could help expedite your passport if needed.
I had a similar experience where I was expelled from a local university due to poor grades. I wanted to transfer to another university, but they didn’t allow it because of the issues from my previous university. Eventually, I had to leave the country, apply for a tourist visa, and then in Taiwan, I searched for a job and changed my visa to a working visa (which required leaving the country again).
My advice is to try to resolve the problem with your current university; otherwise, you may face difficulties getting accepted into other universities, whether public or private. This was my situation about 10 years ago, so I’m not sure if there have been any changes in the law, but I remember feeling disappointed about not being able to continue my studies.