Re: Visa Exempt Entry to Work Permit

Postby Maceck 25 Feb 2011, 20:44

Answer: Yes.
If your Visa Exempt expires on Feb. 27th, you need to leave the country and come back. Go to
Hong Kong. Use a travel agent here in Taipei, should be able to get you a RT ticket for around
$6,000 - $9,000 NT. (Expedia or other websites are not the way to go here, you will always pay
more with the internet).
With regards to Visa Exempt --> ARC: this is how it works.
1) Find a job that will sponsor you on an ARC + NHI. Sign the contract. The government requires a
minimum 14 hr/week contract to qualify for an ARC.
2) Your employer will apply for your work permit. To do this they will need from you: current
Health Check(<3 months old), 8 ID photos, a copy of your passport, tax receipt from the previous
year (if you worked in Taiwan last year).Your work permit should arrive 2 weeks later at your
employers office.
3) Get a Visitor Visa (This can be done by you or your agent): Bring your work permit and your
passport to the 2nd floor of the MAC Building (not the Immigration Office) and fill out an
application requesting a Visitor's Visa. That's right, if you have a work permit in hand, you can
apply for a Taiwan Visitor's Visa while IN TAIWAN! Your Visa will take anywhere from 1 day to 5
days to be issued. Once issued you will now be in Taiwan on a 60 day visa and shouldn't have to
make any more visa runs!
4) You or your agent can now go to the Immigration Office and apply for your ARC.
My employer did all of this for me (acting as my agent). With the health check included, it will cost
around $5000NT after all is said and done. From the date your employer applies for your work
permit until the day the MOFA issues you a Visitor Visa is around 21 days.
Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Coolguy123 29 Nov 2013, 13:59
Hi,
I just got my work permit, and tried to apply for an ARC - I'm on visa-free landing permission (90
days), and they told me I need to go to Consular Affairs to get a tourist visa before I can get the
ARC. Just two questions 1. Is there anything I need to know regarding applying for the tourist visa? Might they ask me
questions about if I came to Taiwan in order to find a job? Also, I did a visa run before starting my
job, so I have two entry stamps. Might this cause any problems and should I be prepared before
going to get the tourist visa?
2. Is there a time limit on applying for the tourist visa/arc once you get your work permit? I don't
want to run out of time if there is a certain limitation when you must apply for the ARC (I still have
plenty of time on my visa-free entry, but I got the work permit about a week ago).

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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Coolguy123 29 Nov 2013, 14:03
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Steve4nLanguage 29 Nov 2013, 19:38
Since visa-free entry started, this whole get-a-tourist-visa-before-we-issue-a-residence-visa/ARC
seems pointless, but I guess it's a way for the government to make some income. Anyway, since you
already have the work permit it should be a piece of cake; your purpose of visit won't matter now
that you have your golden ticket (work permit).
As to your second question, I believe the only time limit is that you don't want the visa-free to
expire before you have the tourist visa-->residence visa-->ARC process in the works, so it's best to
get on this as soon as possible. Having that ARC will help you a lot in your day-to-day dealings
here, like getting a bank account, etc.
EDIT: This thread (https://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtop ... 1#p1568721) says "...you are
supposed to apply for your Visitor Visa (if you don't already have one) and then your ARC within
the next 30 days after you receive your work permit."
(BTW, "landing visa" and "visa-free" are completely different)
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Teacherteacher 07 May 2014, 23:04
I have to take my work permit to switch y visa exempt entry tomorrow. Which office do I go to and
what documents do I need. Thank you!
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Juba 07 May 2014, 23:22
1. Landing visa and visa exemption are not the same thing.
2. There is no such thing as a tourist visa. There is a visitor visa that can be issued for various
purposes, including tourism.
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Maceck 08 May 2014, 02:47
3 years ago you went to the 2nd floor of [the building in the map below] to convert your passport
stamp (i.e. visa exempt entry) to a visitors visa.
The 3rd post of this thread titled 'Visa Exempt Entry to Work Permit' might be helpful for what you
are currently doing.
EDIT: Google map didn't work. Use hyperlink above.
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby ShaoLeFen 12 Aug 2014, 17:42
Just adding a note for anyone who finds this post in the future. I just went through the process
myself and there's on headache you'll want to avoid. There is now an online form that must be filled
out before you go to the MOFA office. It is here:
https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw
Click on General Visa Applications
After you fill out the three pages and submit, it will give you a reference number. You can write
down the number and/or print the form (either is ok) and take it with you when you apply. I had to
do it on my smartphone at the office; there's no paper form to fill out there. There's also a fee of
NT$5,760 (or so), and you'll need two passport photos. They told me it would take 4 days.
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby jazzercise 20 Aug 2014, 21:47
If you plan on getting an English teaching job within the 90 day visa-exempt period, is it worth
getting a tourist visa before you arrive in Taiwan (perhaps it helps speed along the work permit and
ARC process?) or does getting a tourist visa not matter at all?

My only thought that it would be easier for the government to process one's work permit and ARC
since you're already in the system of sorts (via a tourist visa).
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby Abacus 21 Aug 2014, 07:11
Just come on visa exempt. If you come on a visitor visa then you only have 60 days to get a job and
process all of the paperwork. And I don't think it's any easier to process the paperwork (for a
teacher). There might be an extra step to do but it's not that hard AFAIK.
I think it's also cheaper to purchase the visitor visa and resident visa together than to purchase them
separately. Twice I did the visitor visa thing (just before 90 visa exempt (USA) started) and I think I
paid full price for both of them. Last year a new teacher did the visa exempt route and I think he
only paid 2100NT for the visitor visa and full price for the resident visa. I have no idea on the logic
but this is Taiwan.
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Re: Applying for ARC on landing visa
Postby jazzercise 22 Aug 2014, 22:06
Thanks Abacus for the clarification. Appreciate it. Will just come over on the visa-exempt