Zoidberg went on a visa run to Macau at the end of September. After being granted his 60 day extendible visitor’s visa, the TECO official advised him he would have to leave Taiwan to get a resident visa.
Meanwhile, Lo Bo To posted on forumosa.com that he was told by the TECO in Canada that Canadians now had to leave Taiwan to get a resident visa. This seemed to be confirmed on a response by Yellow Cartman.
And now today’s episode:
Zoidberg went down to the local FAP today to see about getting his visa extended.
Zoidberg: Can I have my visa extended?
FAP: Sure!
While one FAP rummaged through a drawer for the stamp, the other FAP collected all the info he could find about visas and gave it to Zoidberg.
Zoidberg took the opportunity to ask if he would have to leave Taiwan to get a resident visa, whereupon the FAP replied no; referring Zoidberg to the BOCA office in Taichung or Kaohsiung
Not surprised you mentioned Taichung and Kaohsiung. We understand that there’s a difference between the North and the South in these kinds of matters. Northern jurisdictions tend to be stricter. Southern jurisdictions are still business as usual or “anything goes”.
So for those looking for lax regulatory enforcement, head down South.
I don’t know about “lax”. I haven’t seen the law or regulation which states the MoFA cannot issue a resident visa to someone in Taiwan on a visitor visa. I don’t think there is such a law or regulation (but if there is please point the way). There wasn’t last month when someone I know on a tourist visa was issued with a resident visa in Taipei (assuming Taipei MoFA didn’t break the law in issuing that visa).
Logic ("Logic? In Taiwan?! / “Shhhhh!”) dictates that as the highest visa issuing authority there is for Taiwan visas, the MoFA in Taipei can issue whatever visas it likes to whomever it likes as long as it is in accordance with the law. It appears that the chances of it using its discretion in the applicant’s favour are directly proportional to the amount of guanxi the applicant has. Perhaps they just have a better attitude in the south?
The FAP police do not issue resident visas, BTW, Dr Ziodberg. Information from the FAP on whether or not MoFA will issue a resident visa is not really worth a whole pile as I found out to my cost in 1996 during a resident visa application which involved my being bounced between the two agencies until my visa ran out and I overstayed.
[quote=“hexuan”]
The FAP police do not issue resident visas, BTW, Dr Ziodberg. Information from the FAP on whether or not MoFA will issue a resident visa is not really worth a whole pile as I found out to my cost in 1996 during a resident visa application which involved my being bounced between the two agencies until my visa ran out and I overstayed.[/quote]
Considering all the recent confusion surrounding visas, I’m inclined to say information from any government agency is not really worth a whole pile.
While not a law, the following procedure from the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) concerning the issuance of resident visas to the holders of visitors visas does exist:
TECO generally seem to make stuff up as the go along. the tokyo one refused to issue me with a visa full stop claimimg it was impossible to issue a visa to third country nationals (strange woman who pretended to speak only Japanese when I was in earshot but who apparently was able to speak fluent English when my sister went up to the counter).
TECO Hong Kong also told me that I would have to leave Taiwan again to get a resident visa… which I then picked up in Kaohsiung.
Also re getting them in Taiwan… my school was a bit on the slow side getting things done and a fresh visa run seemed probale. Decided to ask if they would consider processing the visa if it was clear that my documents were in Tapei for approval and was told by:
Taipei: give us a receipt number and we’ll take your passport begin the process so you don’t need to leave the country.
Kaohsiung: Get a fax of the acceptance certificate sent to us and we’ll take your passport begin the process so you don’t need to leave the country.
Taichung: Get the original certificate or sling it.
I’ll be back in Taichung mid-year, on a 60 day non-extendable visitor visa, with the intention of teaching for 1-3 years.
In that time (60 days) I hope to pick out a decent school to teach for, and have my resident visa and ARC sorted. I certainly don’t want to waste cash on a 3 day visa run.
Original certificate of what? Sling what?
I got my last ARC within 30 days of arriving, but I had sorted my school before I arrived in Taichung. And sadly, my memory is a bit foggy as to the process I went through.
I remember I went for my health test, gave the school a copy of my degree, and after a couple of weeks they gave me some paperwork and sent me to some or other office (MOFA?). Thereafer I went to the FAP on Wenshin, and got my ARC (if my shoddy memory serves me correctly).
I’m in Cin Shuei, just outside Taichung city, but I had to go to the FAP in Fengyuan to get my resident visa and ARC. My employer said it was because we were in “the county” rather than “the city”. Which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, considering the FAP represents the national government.
Sorry, shold have written permit. Can’t remember who it came from - education ministry? Labor ministry??
Sling it is a slightyly lazier modern version of the British slang ‘sling your hook’, which I’m sure doesn’t help much. It means to go away, take a hike, piss off, etc.
