I went to apply for a tourist visa at the TECO Manila office yesterday and I encountered this very very rude lady who shouted at me for missing out something in my application. She just kept shouting at me, that I seem to have not understand what she was saying. She almost threw my papers back at me. So rude. I was so put off by this that I decided to just call off my Taiwan vacation altogether.
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That’s sad to hear.
Do you have any more information about the person and office?
I already emailed the TECO Manila office based on the email address that’s posted on their website but haven’t gotten a reply yet. I actually do want to know the name of that rude lady and report her. But I don’t know any other way to contact them.
The lady handling your case may have been having a bad day, but it’s no way to treat some stranger like this and to the point where you become not interested in visiting.
Do they not have a phone number? You can tell them what happened and request someone else to handle it if you do decide to try again.
They’ll probably give her a medal.
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I went there for a student visa a few years ago and the only person who didn’t seem to have sand in their genitals was the security guard.
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I don’t want to go back there anymore since the other staff might be the same. I was traumatized by that experience. So very rude.
That’s true! The guard there was actually very polite and helpful. The people behind the windows are rude and uncout.
You should send your complaint to the Foreign Ministry in Taipei. That might be more effective.
Visa offices are all pretty much the same really - filled with self-important assholes.
Aren’t you used to this sort of thing? Presumably you’re a Filipino, so you must have spent your entire life dealing with slightly retarded officials who demand documents that aren’t on the list of requirements, notarized, in triplicate, stamped and signed by the President, and hmmm that’ll be another 200 pesos please.
Anyway, if you’re really going to call off your vacation, why not go back there with the express purpose of finding that person, and telling her that you intend to make a formal complaint about her behavior? As mentioned, security guards tend to be pretty normal.
Hmmm. Is the person you are referring to was the one at counter 2? Because i had the same sentiments as you too when applying for a tourist student visa. She was then shouting, “we have lot of problems here and we have no time in dealing with your problems too!” I was not aware that my documents are incomplete but made sure i followed the instructions and documents to prepare on their site. There were no staff that are available for asking clarifications but the security guard outside was very helpful.
Nope, it was the lady at counter 5. I wasn’t aware as well that my documents are incomplete even though I followed all the instructions. Sigh.
yeah. even if you’re documents are incomplete, it’s not a rightful reason to have you scolded anyway. but i suggest that you don’t give up! i got my student visa after swallowing my pride and disregarding their rudeness…
The last time I got a visa to Taiwan from TECO Manila, which was over 5 years ago, I asked someone else to submit my materials for me. So, obviously, it was effortless for me. Before then, I would take care of things on my own, waiting in the scrum outside the Yuchengco Museum to get a number on the visa line, and running around the building to make sure I had all the details down right (there is a photocopy machine in the bank on the Gil Puyat side of the lobby where they are used to copying every page of your passport, yes, including the cover; on the other end of the lobby on the Ayala side is an HSBC branch which has (or used to have) an open Wifi network; up on the 3rd floor, behind the Mister Donut is a bookseller who will let you use their computer to go online to the TECO website and initiate your visa application in case you just learned that was the proper way to begin the process, which isn’t quite that different from the way AIT in Taipei forces you to use their website to schedule an appointment in American Citizen Services).
It is a good tip to always try to identify whoever you are dealing with behind those windows up there, because you may end up wanting to complain about that person. Sure, you can send it to MOFA here in Taipei, but in the past I have observed first-hand that MOFA has a sometimes tenuous relationship with its TECO offices. This means, that the TECO’s don’t care about MOFA, and if the “ambassadors” are political appointments and the TECO staff is like TECO Manila, which is 90% locally-hired staff, then you won’t be surprised at their autonomy. So, in addition to complaining to MOFA, and posting your story here on Forumosa, you should also email the TECO office as well. In Manila, if you are really pissed, you can probably print out your complaint from that computer next to the Bookstop on the 3rd floor and also mail it to TECO from the post office on caddy-corner on the intersection of Buendia and Ayala.
Another tip: the TAITRA office is that first door when you turn left once you enter the main waiting area. I used to duck in their to wait for my number to be called because NO ONE ever uses that room, so it is always empty, except for the librarian. I discovered it because once upon a time I used to work for CETRA and I would visit my colleagues when I was home in Manila.
And, of course, in addition to the security guards up at the TECO office itself, be sure to make nice with the 2 receptionists who work for TECO who are assigned at the counter in the lobby downstairs. Not only do they give out the numbers at the start of the day in front of the museum, but they are the first gatekeepers you will encounter. Since you can count on making at least 2, and maybe more, return trips, they will recognize you. By winning them on my side, I have managed to get lower numbers (sometimes people can’t wait so long so they return them), a break when I forgot to photocopy something, a tip on how crowded things are upstairs. Little things, but if you are consigned to wasting a lot of time at TECO Manila, it helps to know there are people who will pull for you, especially when you have to deal with cranky, short-sighted people behind the windows.
In short, I feel for you. Many of us have endured it. If you have a way to avoid doing it yourself by getting, say, your travel agent to have their messenger take care of the visa, do it. It’s worth the time savings. Plus, the messengers all seem to know each other – that’s what happened with me - the guy I gave my documents to turned out knew a messenger or someone at TECO. So having the right relationship (guanxi) can start well-before you even get here.
Good luck!
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Is there a private paid service that can make these Teco runs for you? That will save a lot of aggro. May be worth the money.
That’s an idea someone might want to explore. The queuing culture (is that a thing?) down there is widespread.
If you think TECO Manila is bad, walk 3 short blocks east to the PRC embassy. The querying is equally ridiculous but the building isn’t as nice as RCBC Plaza, the Yuchengco-owned building where TECO is
Same with DFA. Now THAT is a monster waiting room. I went there to get my Philippine passport and to get things certified. Nightmarish.
SOURCE: http://www.philippinefailblog.com/dfa-web-based-scheduling-system-utterly-useless/
Tip: avoid going to Roxas by going to the DFA offices at places like Megamall.
That’s an idea someone might want to explore
Maybe something like this, at the very least:
https://www.fiverr.com/nycservices/wait-in-line-for-you
The TECO Manila office replied to my complaint already. Which is a surprise as I never expected them to reply to my email in the first place. They informed me that the staff I complained about has been asked to submit a report regarding the incident to her visa supervisor. Not sure how true this is, but I’m quite glad for their prompt action and response.
I’ve now acquired the services of a travel agency to avoid the hassle of dealing with them
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Typically, this is how people in 3rd world countries dealing with the bureaucracies.
Use “an agent”.
I could say, similar attitude to be expected if you making your Visa/travel doc from any embassies/reps in any 3rd world countries.
Things would be different when you make it in Europe/America/Japan or even Taiwan.
I found that people in my country rep in Taipei (Taiwanese/my countrymates) are much more helpful compared to people in Taiwan rep in my country (Taiwanese/countrymates).