Visa run to HK for the first time

6 months ago I did a visa run to Tokyo switching from a work permit to a visitors visa for study, and since then have been a full time student at CCU’s MLC. Due to new policy changes, they now require you to have a health check up within 3 months of applying for a student arc. So, due to time constraints, since I was unaware of this (the health report takes 1 week to get), I now have to leave and come back in to continue studying Chinese. Next week happens to be a one week break in between semesters.

Hong Kong is the cheapest, I guess, so I plan on making a two day trip there next week as my visa expires on the 19th, but how difficult would it be for me to get another visitors visa for studies there? And do I need to prepare an outgoing one way ticket to some place from Taiwan? Will they check? Or will I have an easier time going someplace else?

I plan on being in Taiwan for a couple more years, applying to grad schools next year and starting in the Fall.

It should be fine about the ticket as long as you show your student papers when applying in HK.

HK were not much fun for student visas for me; I had to do four visa runs in six months because they flat out refused to give me any visa other than non-extendable thirty day visas. This is because they didn’t believe that I wasn’t working illegally because I had been an English teacher is the past. I had intended, in good faith, to use my saving to study at Shida. They didn’t deny me a visa, which they should have done if they suspected wrongdoing, they just dicked me about. The upshot was, I spent about three semesters’ tuition money on visa runs instead of tuition. Hong Kong and Bangkok got my cash, not Taiwan.

Is this another health check in addition to th eone you have to have done when you apply for school? They really are not making Taiwan a good place to study Chinese, are they? Doesn’t someone ever wonder why Taiwan is not bursting at the rafters with Chinese language students? Taiwan could be a great student destination if those with power used their brains a little.

Anyway, I’m off the point. Bangkok can be easier because their primary goal is to fuck up Thais, whereas HK’s primary goal is to fuck up westerners.

Ah okay, thanks for the quick response… yeah, I have all other papers and documents sorted out - passport photos, passport, financial statement, school admission enrollment certificate and receipts. I’m just really scared of being dicked about, and I’m sorry to hear that that’s what happened with you :frowning: … I’m particularly concerned with the one way outgoing ticket because I was told by an authority that it is required when I went to Tokyo to change to a student visa (but they never did ask for it, and I had to wait 6 months to get the money back from the cancelled ticket).

Yes, it’s quite a strange new policy… to rake in more money I guess. You provide a health checkup when you first apply, get there and study for 4 months until you decide to appy for a student arc, and then you need to get another health check (which runs you 2200 nt in local Taiwan) because it’s 1 month out of range.

Another bit of sad news is that next year, no scholarships are available. Money is scarce these days… so yes, I want to avoid any more hassles if at all possible, while saving as much as possible.

I’m a bit wary to give HK a shot, but if there should be no problem then I might as well give it a go, considering other destinations will run more expensively. And yes, I have to admit that I really want some Popeye’s at the airport.

If you stay overnight, BK will be cheaper, though, unless you can get a deal on a room.

Popeye’s? Erhu and the chief told me that was ‘all that’ in norte americano-speak, but I had some of their coleslaw on a wee savoury scone, and wasn’t that impressed.

Good luck, anyway, and you’ll prolly get more up to date health in the morning.

Hm… I notice comparing many of the hostel prices, the difference isn’t much (Hong kong at around 13-5 usd per night)… does it come cheaper at the cost of food and taxi/subway travel fare? Hm, I’ll have to see once I go to eztravel and check what tickets are available…

Yes, Popeye’s… I never liked coleslaw, but I do crave me some good old mashed potatoes and gravy with biscuits. … and that is pretty much ‘all that’ hehe, especially after more than 3 years since I last had some.

Try Okinawa.

Relaxed office and hardly anyone there.

[quote=“cake”]Try Okinawa.

Relaxed office and hardly anyone there.[/quote]
I went to Macau in November. Was the same for me.

Hah, exact same situation, uncanny. I am worried about this stupid flight as well, last time I just booked a refundable flight (to HK!). My bank account is hurting though, so I really don’t want to do the same again. I read somewhere that people just print out fake itineraries, does this work in HK? To what lengths will they be able to check you are actually booked on the flight? (I would be worried if airlines actually released this info)

Well, just arrived back in and I’d like to report back that everything went relatively smooth sailing for me. I suppose this might be common sense to most people, but this is the first I’ve heard of it - when on a visitors visa with multiple entry, you can exit the country and come back in before the “enter before” date, and the count resets right back down to 0, and it is extendable. Huh… well, if anyone didn’t know… there you go. My visa expired Dec 19th, with an Enter Before date of Dec 20th. I left to Hong Kong on the 17th, and came back on the night of the 18th. Actually, I could have saved myself some time and money by simply going to HK for a day and coming back at night in the same day. Anyway, I was saved the cost of having to apply for a new visa. HK lady at the counter was very helpful in explaining this all to me, and if it assures anyone, she did not ask me for an outgoing return ticket after half-way processing my application before noticing the date and asking when it was I was planning on going back. Glad she caught it. And glad it all worked out.

SO 2 days, I made the most of my time and did a lot of exploring~ HK has changed a lot last I saw at the end of 96.

Weird moment at HK airport immigration however… I’m not sure why or if it is related, but something made them flag me at the counter and call the guard, and I was led to the center post behind overlooking all the counters to sit awkwardly while the guard fixed whatever the problem was at his terminal. I asked the guard and the counter lady later, but they just said no problem :eh:

Come back into Taiwan, the guard asked a few questions like where I went, if I really left the country for a day, what school I was going to, how many different passports I held, etc. - took longer to get through than it normally would, but no problems.

It went very smooth for me too. I didn’t have the flight (just an itinerary from travelocity), I didn’t even have $2000 (though I had some supporting statements). Just make sure you have all the student documents and it’s cool. 60 days extendable.

Man, Hong Kong is expensive though.

I did not know. I thought whatever days they gave you on a multiple entry visa was a limit on the total number of days you can stay in Taiwan on that visa.

So let me get this straight. I have a multiple entry visitor’s visa. I entered Taiwan on Sept 2nd. Later, I extended my visa in Taipei and there’s a stamp which says I’m admitted until March 1st. So just before the expiration of my admittance period, I can go to HK (or wherever) and just come back to Taiwan without having to ask for another visa. Assuming they don’t find some reason to refuse entry, they will just stamp my passport and I’ll be admitted again for another 90 days (and again extensible for another 90 without leaving Taiwan?).

[quote=“nolza”]6 months ago I did a visa run to Tokyo switching from a work permit to a visitors visa for study, and since then have been a full time student at CCU’s MLC. Due to new policy changes, they now require you to have a health check up within 3 months of applying for a student arc. So, due to time constraints, since I was unaware of this (the health report takes 1 week to get), I now have to leave and come back in to continue studying Chinese. Next week happens to be a one week break in between semesters.

Hong Kong is the cheapest, I guess, so I plan on making a two day trip there next week as my visa expires on the 19th, but how difficult would it be for me to get another visitors visa for studies there? And do I need to prepare an outgoing one way ticket to some place from Taiwan? Will they check? Or will I have an easier time going someplace else?

I plan on being in Taiwan for a couple more years, applying to grad schools next year and starting in the Fall.[/quote]

The Philippines would be a better choice unless one is pressed for time.

They do not offer “Rush” processing, and you really have to stay there for a week (apply on Monday or Tuesday, get it on Friday), but staying in Manila is a hell of a lot cheaper than Hong Kong. The flights are cheaper, five nights in a “pensionne house” (like a youth hostel) in Manila costs the same as one night in a HK hotel. (What hostels? I’ve never seen one.) The food is also cheaper too.

Most importantly, while most of the Taiwanese consulate in Manila have the same bad attitude as those in Hong Kong, they didn’t screw me over, nor anyone else I’ve met, on the types of visas issued - you get what you ask for. And the service is in English, too.

Is there anyone who can confirm or contradict my understanding?

Hi, wow… sorry for the late reply…

Yes, you have the right idea.

I went to HK last weekend. No trouble when I came back. The HK immigration officer had to be reassured thought that I’d be able to get back into Taiwan. I had to point out to her that my visa says multiple entry.