Why all the Visa Runs?

Legal Visa & Residency
1

I’m hoping to spend a year in Taiwan on a visitor’s visa, so I called a TECO office in the States about what I would need to do. She told me that I could get a multiple-entry Visitor visa for 60 days that could be extendable twice (so 6 months total). She also mentioned that I can extend it while I’m in Taiwan, and that at 6 months I could leave the country and come back (the Visa run) and start the cycle again. So, I guess I’m confused why so many posters to the forum talk about having to do expensive visa runs every 2 months. It doesn’t seem so bad to have to do one every 6 months. In fact, I’m sure it would be a nice excuse for a short break. Is this just a new rule or something?

Why all the Visa runs? Just wondering if I’m missing something here.

Thanks!

2

The truth is that extensions can be hard to get.

3

Right. You generally need one of the approved reasons to extend, for example 15hrs/week of Chinese classes. It’s cheaper to do a day trip to HKG.

4

to make things easier, get a local Taiwanese friend to go with you to the FAP, things will go easier as you will be ‘visiting them’ as your purpose for the extentions.

5

When you say bring a Taiwanese friend, you mean you basically say that this is your girlfriend or something? Is that a justifiable excuse for extending your visa?

6

I would preferably bring a male Taiwanese friend if you have one… I don’t know from personal experience as I didn’t have a Taiwanese girlfriend… this is just my personal opinion.