Justifying to TECO a 60 day visitor visa when 90 day visa-free entry is available (UK)??

[greengreen]

Hello I am leaving the UK for Taiwan either in June or July. I plan on teaching English for at least one year. Having looked into the visa situation I am aware that I require a 60 day visitor visa in order to A) Have time to find a job, B) Legally convert my visitor visa into a resident visa (with the 90 day visa-free entry I CANNOT convert (at least officially))

My question is this: How do I justify to the TECO office that I want to pay money for a 60 day visa when I would be granted 90 days visa-free on arrival?

Obviously I can't say that I want to convert my visa into residency (intention to work) or lie and say that I plan to study (I believe they would ask for proof).

Does anyone have experience applying for the visitor visa in the UK? (specifically the Edinburgh office) what did you say? Can I apply by post and therefore possibly avoid having to answer awkward questions?

Any advice would be mightily appreciated!

Cheers

[CraigTPE]

Can I apply by post and therefore possibly avoid having to answer awkward questions?

I applied for mine by post, but that was in the US.

If they ask for reasons, I'd say you were researching Chinese language programs to study, but do it... so you have some information. TLI, Shi-Da, etc. Just say you aren't ready to make your choice until you visit those schools.

[tommy525]

My two cents. Take the 90 day visa free because the very first time they allow you to extend that one time for another 90 days. This way you have plenty of time to get a job set up. Do a visa run to HongKong if you have to. Many are saying that you may not have to . That your visa free entry can be converted without you having to leave. But even if you have to leave, you got at least 90 days to sort things out.

They will not let you apply for a tourist visa because of the new visa free, most likely.

[Abacus]

just take the 90 day visa free. It sounds like you can apply for the visitor visa (and then resident visa) without leaving the country. It might also take you more than 60 days to find a job and process all of the paperwork. The 90 day visa free might save you a visa run.

[greengreen]

Thanks for the advice.

So hopefully I would be able to convert my 90day visa-free entry into a visitor visa without leaving the country. If I did however have to go on a visa run to Hong Kong wouldn't I still be in the same situation? Having to justify to the TECO in HK that I want a visitor visa over visa-free entry? Or are we talking about finding a job beforehand and then doing a visa run to somehow obtain a resident visa (sponsored by my new found job)?

Sorry in advance if these are daft questions...

Cheers

[tommy525]

Theres a thread on here about a visa run to HK that may help should you need to do that. But yes you would be applying on the basis of work in that case.

[greengreen]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!