I’ve searched and found bits and pieces but maybe my situation is different enough to warrant a new topic…
I want to extend my multiple-entry visitor’s visa. The lady at the police station tells me first that I need to wait until two weeks before it expires. Is this true? I don’t want to wait and then find out it was for nothing; my situation is time-sensitive.
Second, she tells me that I first need to change to a student visa at the foreign affairs office (I study at Shi-da). I’ve heard there’s no such thing as a student visa, and if that’s the case, is she just trying to confuse me? Or is there some other procedure I need to do that she might be confusing for “student visa”? If it helps at all, she seemed confused that there was a letter “P” in the “remarks” section of my visa. I don’t know what it means either, but I figured it can’t be good.
Is there someone who speaks English at the foreign affairs office (next to NTU hospital station and ministry of education)? If so, where are they? I was there today and couldn’t find anyone/anything. Thanks for any help
For some reason the Taipei Foreign Affairs Police currently won’t extend extendable visitors visa’s which have “P” in the remarks. I had been extending my 5-year multi-entry visa through my language school until the Taipei FAP got a new supervisor early this year. Apparently the new sup decided that they won’t allow the extension of P visas.
When I questioned this, they showed me some ‘rule’ in English and in Chinese, but neither of them said that they couldn’t extend “p” visas; it only said that they won’t extend “P” visas for students who aren’t registered at a government approved language school. Shida is government approved, therefore your visa should be extendable according to their written rules. But this is Taiwan. They told me if I wanted to extend a visitor visa for the purpose of study, I had to get a new visa with my school’s name in the remarks. But they added that the MOFA probably wouldn’t give me a new visa, since my current visa was still valid until 2007. :s
I suggest you try the Taipei County FAP in Banqiao. Different supervisor. You might have better luck there. (But unfortunately you do have to wait until 2 weeks of your current visa valid period).
Predictably, the “visa-question guy” at Shi-da is out on business and won’t be back for a month; I spoke to two others today on the sixth-floor and they have no idea, just referred me to someone else who MIGHT know. So I do need to ask anyone who might have a little info; getting this out of the way fast is all I care about. Thanks for the info Erhu, I just might be going to Banqiao then!
Oh my God - new depths of idiocy. These people never cease to amaze me. Does anyone know the significance of this “P”, anyway?
Eleven years ago I was offered the job of “foreign guy at the Shi-Da registry office” (the one who goes on the PA urging people to join the dragon boat crew etc.) I turned down the job because I thought I was going home - Little did I know!!! Perhaps they need me again. The pay is not good but you do get to study Chinese for free.
You can’t “shop around” according to your own whim.
You are supposed to go to the Foreign Affairs Police Station (FAPS) nearest where you live, as delimited by the geographic considerations of “county” or “city.”
For a short term visa, at the minimum if you want to go the the FAPS in Taipei County, you had better have a Taipei County “address” and “contact telephone number.” You will no doubt have to fill out some forms.
[quote=“Erhu”] But this is Taiwan. They told me if I wanted to extend a visitor visa for the purpose of study, I had to get a new visa with my school’s name in the remarks. [/quote] That has always been my experience.
[quote]
But they added that the MOFA probably wouldn’t give me a new visa, since my current visa was still valid until 2007. :s [/quote] Uhh, so did you say "Well dumbass, I mean sir what should I do in order to study? It seems like when I went to Okinawa to get a resident visa, the had to cancel my student visa, which was still valid, so that I could apply for an ARC. Here we go again on the merry-go-round of laws in Taiwan. :loco:
It’s funny, I just realized (by looking through my passport) that the visa I obtained last year to vacation to Taiwan for one month is a multiple entry Visitor Visa good for 60 day intervals…with an expiration date of 2010! I was excited to see that but then I saw this thread and my visa has a “P” as well. Hmmm. Well I guess I could take the expensive route and just leave the country, right? (please tell me that is still an option)
In any case I plan to go legal anyway (I need that health plan), but more options would have been more comforting =)