I have some questions for anyone who knows the ins and outs of the visa system here and the law.
I have been in Taiwan for just over 4 years working for a school and enjoying being here with an arc. I recently left that job and was leaving a week after my arc expired on a trip. I was going to make a quick run to Hong Kong, but then on the advice of friends who said they had overstayed and only paid a fine, I did just that. So, when I went to leave the country I went and apologised for staying late and said I had gotten the date mixed up and paid the fine. Then the foreign police at the airport stamped my passport with “NO VISA EXEMPTION FOR 1 YEAR.” (My friends said this never happened to them and were shocked that it happened to me.) I got a new passport back in Canada (I only had 5 months on it and a new visa needs 6 months available) and when I returned they wouldn’t allow me in. I was naiive enough to think that a new passport would not be connected, given the fact that in Canada it is a whole new number. The number didn’t connect me, my name did. I know-shoulda woulda coulda got a visa in Canada (and heartily kicking myself now!), but I can’t re-do a thing now. Dway bu dway?
So I went to Bangkok for a 60 day visitor’s visa and they gave me one and stamped it with employment prohibited under the remarks section.
I want to work and have an arc in Taiwan again. My questions are: Is this negotiable if someone wants to hire me and offer me an arc? Or Is it possible to go at the end of my visitor’s visa to somewhere like KL and get a visitor’s visa that may be easily transferred to an arc? I would appreciate someone who could help me and tell me what my options are. I have never had any problems with the police or overstaying my visa before and this all seems a little harsh for an 8 day overstay. (Incidentally my friends had both overstayed a month and then went out as I did without the same result)
Thanks much in advance!
PS–Anyone reading this and even thinking about overstaying: No matter what people tell you, do not overstay your visa!
The “employment prohibited” only means while you are using a visitor visa. If a company appies to emply you and is approved, you can get a resident visa and ARC again.
i would get an application in as soon as possible, so that if they shoot you down, the application can be resubmitted ( a couple of times).
when i was still under a bushiban’s arc, the lady in charge of this process told me that it was not strange for teachers to be denied once or even twice, but approved on the third application. :s
so get moving on it if you’re gonna do it, and you might manage this as well.
good luck.
Thanks so much for the help and I will get on it!
Gnu
The very same thing happened to me a few years back. I overstayed, completely by accident, the FA police in taichung stamped a NO VISA EXEMPTION for a year. I then flew to Guam, got a 30 day visa, came back, studied at TLI and changed the visa to a visitor’s (student) visa).
Don’t fret. Submit.