I have a few things that I would like to confirm with some of you members who are more enlightened than me on the process involved with employment and visas and the like.
So…from what I understand, after coming to Taiwan and finding employment, the employer will (in most cases) apply for a work permit on your behalf. Once this has been done, it will be necessary to leave the country and obtain a new visa from a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office abroad. Somewhere like Hong Kong, Thailand or Malaysia…
My questions are:
After securing a job, how long does it usually take for the employer to submit the necessary documentation?
Once documentation is submitted, how long before one should leave the country and go apply for the new visa?
How long does the visa take to process? (I mean, if I got to one of the TECOs to apply, can I get the visa the same day, or does it take a couple of days?)
So, for example, if I were to go to Taiwan and secure a job, and a week later head out to Thailand or Malaysia for 10 days of holiday and visa getting, would I be likely to run into any difficulties in terms of timing?
I would really appreciate any information from those who have been through this process before. Any advice, any flaws in my plan?
1st - under most circumstances you don’t need to leave the country and visit a TECO office to get your resident visa. I think the only reason that you would have to leave the country is if you weren’t to step c) below.
steps
a) health check - 10 business days
b) work permit - done after your health check is back
c) apply for resident visa - I had to pay for a completely new visa but I didn’t have to leave the country
d) apply for ARC (and then NHI)
from the beginning to the end it took me a little less than 4 weeks IIRC last year.
Hey, thanks for the reply…it helps clear some things up a little.
So, it seems like the only real wait is for the health check. Think I will get the health check done as soon as I possible after I arrive to save some waiting time…
I’m new here and just have some questions in regards to getting the work visa.
I was just offered a position with a school. I currently only have a 30 day tourist visa that will expire August 8th. From what I understand it will take about 4 weeks to process everything, so I’m assuming I have to leave the country for a visa run before Aug 8th and then again when everything has been processed?
Of the steps:
a) health check - 10 business days
b) work permit - done after your health check is back
c) apply for resident visa - I had to pay for a completely new visa but I didn’t have to leave the country
d) apply for ARC (and then NHI)
When do I have to actually leave the country and enter with a new visa?! after C?
The school wants me to start working on Monday. Is that okay, even though everything has not been processed?
You only have to leave the country and do a visa run if you have not applied for the resident visa (step c). But step c can be done within the country avoiding the visa run. Although there might be something different (I don’t think so though) since the previous post is actually on a 30 day visa exempt (correct?) instead of a 30 day tourist visa. but he might have to do a visa run since I don’t think he’ll have enough time to get the work permit back and apply for the resident visa.
Last year my school handled everything and the process was faster but this year it took 1.5 wks to get the resident visa and 1.5 wks to get the ARC. It also took 1.5 wks to get the work permit but that’s because we had to submit it twice (I think) because they needed the previous years tax statement.
Correct if you are talking about this. The previous post will be working illegally until the work permit is back. You don’t need a resident visa/ARC to legally work although I think you’re supposed to apply for them. And in almost every case you’ll want to apply for them.
It will be 7 days until I get my health exam results back, to then be able to apply for the work permit and ARC. Pretty sure I’ll have to leave before the 30 days are up, and I was planning on a visa run to HK anyways…
I looked in my passport and it says it’s a Visa-Exempted Permit Stamped for July 10, 2011 ( date in red ink which is when I entered Taiwan) and then it says “Duration of Stay.” Is it suppose to be a date underneath of it with when I need to leave by? There is very little ink in the “Duration of Stay” phrase and nothing underneath except two airplanes one right underneath of the “Du” in Duration and the “ay” in Stay.
Is there suppose to be a date there and due to lack of ink it’s not there?
I don’t know how to upload a picture here and I’ll upload it if anyone can assist…!
:southafrica: