Thread: Taiwan... Finally Making the Move

I posted on here a few months ago looking for information about Taiwan. People shared some great information, and now I'm finally ready to make the move after 3 years in Bangkok.

I applied for my Visitor's Visa to Taiwan this morning, but I'm a bit concerned that I might not get it. The woman at the counter was not very friendly and asked a lot of prying questions.

Sadly, I never was able to get legal while in Thailand and therefore have a passport full of visa exemption stamps, Cambodian visas and Thai tourist visas. She was very interested in this and asked a lot of pointed questions.

As I'm 24 years old and still plan to return to university (probably distance learning), I wrote on the application that I was a student. She asked to see a student ID card, which of course I didn't have.

She also asked why I wished to stay in Taiwan for 60 days when I could have 30 days on arrival without a visa. I explained that I was thinking about studying Mandarin next year and wanted to look at some schools around Taiwan.

Finally, I did bring my latest bank statement from the US showing a balance of $2,600.

For anyone who's been through this before, what are my odds? Will I get the visa?

Thanks

You'll get your visa if you are white.
Standard protocol at the embassy is to treat you like poop.
I overstayed a visa, lied on an application in Hong Kong for a new visa, got yelled at by the office lady and still got a visa to get bach in!

Yeah fair enough Ben. Maybe not the best, but one of the best to be sure. Maybe that says a lot about the kind of people I know, eh?

Cream, it is not techinically possible to teach legally in Thailand without a degree. In some government schools outside of Bangkok, you may be able to work around it. In Bangkok, it is 100% impossible.

I don't know what visa you have or what your school is telling you, but I can assure you that you are not teaching legally if you don't have a degree. If you don't have a degree, you cannot get a work permit. If you don't have a work permit, you cannot teach. It's that simple.

Even if you somehow managed to get a non-O visa, that visa does not permit you to teach. You still need to have a teaching license, which you cannot receive unless you have a degree.

See where I'm going with this? Sounds like your school lied to you.

Originally Posted by barfomcgee

Cream, it is not techinically possible to teach legally in Thailand without a degree. In some government schools outside of Bangkok, you may be able to work around it. In Bangkok, it is 100% impossible.

I don't know what visa you have or what your school is telling you, but I can assure you that you are not teaching legally if you don't have a degree. If you don't have a degree, you cannot get a work permit.

You're 100% wrong! There is a teacher at my school with no degree with a work permit. There was a little drama at first concerning whether or not they could get a work permit, but they did. This is in Bangkok, BTW. Some schools will try harder to get their teachers legal.

Where did you get the misinformation that you do not need a degree in Taiwan? I think the answer you have gotten is wrong, as I interviewed with a school in BKK and they told me that EVERYONE HAS A DEGREE, who teaches in Taiwan.

Originally Posted by jama

I interviewed with a school in BKK and they told me that EVERYONE HAS A DEGREE, who teaches in Taiwan.

They would know....wait a minute!.....

Originally Posted by jama

Where did you get the misinformation that you do not need a degree in Taiwan? I think the answer you have gotten is wrong, as I interviewed with a school in BKK and they told me that EVERYONE HAS A DEGREE, who teaches in Taiwan.

From Buxiban.com, but also from many other sources:

In order to be able to meet the government's requirements for legal employment as a foreign English teacher you need to:

1. Be a Native English Speaker from a native English speaking country
   The Taiwanese Bureau of Education recognizes the following listed countries as English-speaking countries. Listed countries include Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States.
   
   
2. Have Minimum Tertiary Education Requirements
   Teachers must meet one of the following standards to meet the Taiwanese Bureau of Education's minimum educational requirements:
   
   
   1. Bachelor's degree in any discipline OR
      
      
   2. Associate's degree with a TEFL / TESOL Certificate. The Bureau of Education does not recognize any other form of certification including diplomas, unless you can prove from your school that what you have studied is the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree.

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I have to say I'm a bit surprised by all the people stating that it's possible to teach legally without a Bachelors. I asked that specific question on this forum not so long ago and was repeatedly told that because of the latest crackdown it was impossible.

I was also under the impression that the only exceptions were in government schools with children and not in Bangkok. I got that impression from reading this forum.