Visa Exempt Entry to Work Permit

[Oni]

I hope I won't be hijacking this thread, but my situation is similar.

I am currently on a "for study" visitor visa and have been teaching at some schools in my area for the past month. While I have been considering just continuing my studies and getting a work permit through my school, I have found the 15hr/wk workload to be too hard to balance with teaching, and I'd have to keep my grades up anyway to qualify for the work permit. Plus, the school's teaching method... well, there are better schools in Taiwan for serious study.


So, I plan to switch my visa to a work visa. Both of the schools I am at now are willing to apply for one, and I just got my Health Check. I have 4 more weeks to try:

1. Cheapest, most convenient,sane, and seemingly improbable option. Applying for a resident visa/ARC directly in the country and hoping they ignore my "for study" visa. (Old post http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi ... 70&t=72867 says this might be worth a shot, but I would love to hear from someone who tried this more recently.)

2. Applying for a Resident Visa directly in Hong Kong (or other cheap destination) (does this processing take longer than the "for work" Visitor Visa, or require anything more than the note from the employer and my health check?) and get my ARC upon arrival back to Taichung.

3. Return on a Visa-Exempt Entry and apply for the Visitor/Resident Visa domestically, then the ARC. In this case, what should I tell the immigration officer at the airport? Just give me a visa-exempt entry and ignore my Student Visa?


I have read and have been reading posts here for a few years now, so I'm aware these are my only possible options. I would greatly appreciate any and all help. As I wish to get this all settled within the next 2 weeks to be safe, I would also appreciate some expediency, but I will take what I can get!

Thank you!

[Abacus]

In regards to situation #2.

When applying for a work related visa do you need to have the work permit or work permit application? Or is any random typed up letter from an employer good enough?

the cheapest option I think would be to have your health check done and then do a same day round trip flight and re-enter visa free since it saves you travel costs wherever you go. But if you're paying 6-10000NT for a flight somewhere maybe it's worthwhile to spend a few days and a little more money traveling at that destination. I'm very happy that I spent a few days in Hong Kong although I've had to up my typical travel budget from the $30/day to $50 since it's not cheap here.

[Oni]

I know this is an old thread, but I would like to update it with some useful information.

Last year, I took option #3.
Here's the steps:
1. I got my medical check first. It's a simple, albeit confusing process (you'll have to pay more unless you have documents in-hand that you got an MMR shot... if I remember correctly).

2. I told my boss to get the process started on my work permit. This part of the process requires the most paperwork and advance planning.

3. Then I finished my Chinese school's semester and took 10 days off from work to return home. Sparing myself a long road trip to my regional TECO office, I just came back on a visa-exempt entry. No money, no fuss. It's just a quick stamp for a 1 month no-extension stay.

3. I immediately went down to my local immigration office to get a "visitor" visa. Even though I had my medical check, work permit, etc. I was NOT allowed to get a resident visa first. I was told the process is always Visa-exempt --> Visitor Visa --> Resident Visa --> ARC. You can not skip over the Visitor Visa.

4. After a month or two (I was lazy), I changed my "visitor" Visa (for work purposes) to a Resident Visa (for work purposes).
5. I was then able to get my ARC within a week.
6. National Health Insurance Card came much later, but cause my boss and her accountant were lazy.



So, in short, it doesn't save you any money to go Visa-Exempt, because you'll have to get a Visitor's Visa before a Resident Visa anyway (paying for both).

[dasmania]

Does anybody know if they will let your switch a visa-exempt status to a visitor visa for studying?

[aranyjohnny]

Does anybody know if they will let your switch a visa-exempt status to a visitor visa for studying?

My question exactly.

[dasmania]

They wouldnt let me, had to go on a visa run