So, my employer told me to arrive in Taiwan on a resident visa but recommended that my children enter visa exempt. My employer promised to take care of all ore ARCs, NHI, etc. for the whole family.
Now, we’re here in Taiwan and my employer processed my ARC and NHI just fine. But now they’re saying that there’s nothing they can do for my kids. Apparently, they need visitor visas. Well, that’s just dandy.
I’ve spent a while reading these forms and have found people who managed to switch from visa exempt to visitor visa to ARC without leaving Taiwan… but they all had work permits. My kids (ages 1 and 2) obviously can’t work… so, no work permits for them. And I can’t exactly expect them to go to HK by themselves. Ok, fine, I go with them on a plane for a visa run… but I really really don’t want to stay in a hotel with two kids while we wait for the visa to process.
What I would like to do is get my kids visitor visas in Taiwan… so that we can hop on a plane, immediately turn around again, get the new visa stamped, and be home by bedtime.
I know that TECO offices process visas by mail. Is there any way I can mail my passport to a TECO office overseas, get the new visa, and have it mailed back to me, so that I can make this visa run much simpler? My only concern is that TECO offices would think it’s strange to mail a visa back to an address in Taiwan.
Sorry to hear your children have been left hanging. I don’t have advice about how to get their visas/residency permits, only a warning to be careful with sending passports. As far as I know it is difficult (if not impossible) to send the TECO offices a passport from abroad. And should you get it there, they may refuse to send them back to you here.
In my past experience with embassies, consulates, and TECO offices in the US they would not accept passports for visa processing that had been sent from outside the US. Recently I came across information from a TECO office stating they would not accept a passport mailed from abroad, and only passports mailed from within the US would be accepted/processed/returned.
I don’t know which country you’re from, but perhaps similar procedures/rules exist elsewhere.
Another example involves a case some time ago and for a visa to another country. In a situation such as yours one had to first send the passport to friends/relatives in the US (the contents were always “documents,” as “passport” could have been problematic for DHL/FedEx). Next the relatives would send the passport to the embassy/consulate/TECO for the visa. When ready the visa is sent back to the relatives, all per domestic courier or post. The final step is the relatives send the passport with visa back to the person abroad (once again as “documents”).
However if the above is even be an option for your children, you may have a problem when getting the ARCs, as the authorities often want to see date of entry that’s in line with visa, etc.
I hope your company can help you and get your children sorted without you having to go out of your way and pay out of pocket!
You could mail it to family or friends abroad, have them mail to and receive from the TECO, send it back to you with the visa, then take the kids and board a flight to Hong Kong, flying back the same day, to get their visas stamped.
In all seriousness, just go to MOFA with children and their passports, and keep asking for a solution that doesn’t involve taking your kids back overseas until they figure something out.
A huge thank you to everyone who has replied so far. I’m getting a lot of good ideas.
I don’t think mailing passports to family in the US is a great option because I’m not comfortable with our passports traveling that far around the world… yes, we can insure the package, but insurance will do nothing to help us with the headache of being overseas with no passports should they get lost.
I dropped in to a random travel agency and asked if they could help me but they said no. I’ll keep asking around.
I like the idea of going to MOFA and begging them to help me out. I’m not sure if that route is technically a viable solution, but it’s worth a shot.
@Caspian
Your company should be involved in solving the problem, too. Do you have a home office that you could contact? The company wants you here to work for them, issued you a work permit, and from what I understand part of the package (and contract?) was your family coming along. The company should not make this your problem. Hope you find a solution soon.
I absolutely agree. I’ve threatened to quit… but I’m not exactly in great position to look for teaching positions back in the US at the moment with the school year starting so soon.
It looks like I really don’t have many options. I’ve explored several routes and nothing seems to be coming together.
My wife has been looking for a job but time is running out. We can’t depend on that option anymore. (She’s a nurse, not a teacher, so that makes job hunting very difficult)
Here’s what we’re thinking about doing now. My wife will go to Hong Kong and get visas for herself and our two kids. I’ll stay in Taiwan with the two kids. Then, I’ll do a round-trip with my two kids to any destination (we won’t leave the airport) just to get the kids’ passports stamped. (I have an ARC, so no worry about multiple entry for me)
My question is… Will this work?
Will my wife be able to get visas for our kids without them being present? We really really don’t want to stay in a hotel in Hong Kong with kids…
Ultimately, my wife and kids need ARCs (tied to my work permit). When going to Hong Kong, should we get visitor visas and convert them to ARCs back in Taiwan, or should we get resident visas in Hong Kong?
I had thought you are alone. Here is your wife too.
In that case, if I were you, I’d stay one night with 2 babies and wife in Hong Kong hotel to get their visas. That is most straightforward, and I don’t think it is more hassle than staying home with 2 babies for 2 days then do a round-trip with them by myself.
If all of required documents have been ready, I prefer to get a resident visa in Hong Kong. I think if I get a visitor visa, I need some extra step in Taiwan again.