Taiwan Work Visa for Indian - Definitive Guide

Looking for a job, people apply to not only in their country but abroad as well. A work visa for Taiwan is issued for those applicants who are seeking employment in the country or already are appointed at a firm based in Taiwan. The differentiation of the permit can be understood as follows:

• Taiwan Work Visa: Short term

Also called as employment-seeking visa, this permit is a kind of visitor visa that allows the holder to travel to Taiwan looking for a job. The validity of this permit is about 6 months and it can be a single-entry type or a multiple-entry type and the stay permitted is dependent on the same factor. The holder is allowed tourism and other leisure activities like visiting family members and friends.

• Taiwan Work Visa: Short term

This is a long term work visa for Taiwan which allows the holder to work in the country that grants the holder of a Taiwan work permit to stay in the country as a resident but not all the citizenship rights are granted. The holder can work, tour the country as well as is allowed to travel to another country based on the existing work visa. The validity provided by this permit is of 5 years and can be extended based on the employment status of the holder.

Before going ahead with the application process, it is essential that the applicant knows if they are eligible for the same or not. The procedure for application for both kinds of permits is similar and is mainly offline. The process for the issuance of a work visa for Taiwan is as follows:

1. You can start by visiting the official website of  Taiwan Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC).
2. You can then fill out the visa application form.
3. When the form has been filled out correctly, download and print the form.
4. Attach the photographs as per the photo specifications.
5. Attach the supporting documents as per the list of documents provided.
6. Submit the form to the TECC in India.
7. Pay the required visa fee and wait for the final verification.

When you are filling out the application form for a Taiwan work permit, you need to make sure that all the correct and verifiable information is being provided. If any kind of information does not match with the details on your travel documents, there are chances that your application may get rejected. There are other grounds on which a visa rejection can take place. Therefore, it is safer to consult professionals at the time of applying for the permit.

There are certain parameters that you need to match in order to be able to issue a work visa for Taiwan. The eligibility criteria for both the types will vary. Some of the important parameters are given as follows:

Eligibility for short term type

• You must meet one of the following conditions

• You must be graduated from one of the known 500 International Universities as per the list of ROC Ministry of Education in the past year and are yet unemployed.
• Else, the university must at least be deemed and eligible as per the consultations with the central competent authority of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• You must have professional experience in the kind of job you are seeking and possess proof of the same along with the salary payslip. The salary must not be lower than NT$47,971.

Eligibility for long term type

• You must have confirmed employment in Taiwan

• You need to have a job and a letter from the organisation confirming your employment to be able to apply for the Taiwan work permit.

Common criteria

• You must meet the health requirements

• You must be healthy enough to travel to Taiwan.
• You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
• You must be within the age limit to be able to apply for a work permit.
• You must meet the character requirements

• You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind working in Taiwan.
• You need to provide a relevant documentary proof for the same as well (if asked) in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) or a Certificate of Good Conduct.
• You must have sufficient funds
• You must possess or have access to sufficient funds to be able to cover your stay and other expenses in Taiwan.
• Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.

The documents required for the issuance of a work visa for Taiwan will differ as per the type of the permit. The differentiated Taiwan work permit requirements are listed as follows:

• Short term type
• Completed and signed visa application form.
• Passport valid for at least 6 months, with a photocopy.
• Passport size photographs
• Certificate of highest education level pursued.
• Health Insurance.
• Certificate of Good Conduct.
• Proof of working experience (if applicable)
• Proof of sufficient funds - bank statement, etc.
• Long term type

• Completed and signed visa application form.
• Passport valid for at least 6 months, with a photocopy.
• Passport size photographs
• Certificate of highest education level pursued.
• Health Insurance.
• Proof of working experience (if applicable)
• Bank Payment Slip
  
  

• Two copies must be provided
• Photo size: 2 inches x 2 inches.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 60-70% of the frame - 32mm x 36mm.
• Head should well-centred.
• A gap of 2mm to 6mm must be kept between the top of the head and the frame.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The processing time required for issuing either one of the work permits is about 2 weeks. There is a set of factors that affect the time required for processing, these include - the workload at the Consular office, the staff availability, whether the documents are complete or the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others. The time increases and decreases affected by these parameters.

The fee for the permit must be paid before the submission of the documents and the application form to the TECC. The fee is to be paid at the Kotak Bank, it can be paid directly or through a demand draft in favor of TECC, and must be paid in New Delhi only. There are certain parameters based on which the fee for the permit is decided. The fee varies as per the type of the permit, the number of entries, whether to fast track the application, validity of the permit and others.

There are a few pointers that you need to keep in mind at the time of submission and after the submission of the documents and the application form. These are listed as follows:

• The documents to be submitted must be in good condition and there is no need for an appointment for the submission. 
• The completely filled and signed visa application form can be submitted to the visa application centre or directly to the Consulate. 
• There is no separate appointment required for the submission of the form and the documents, however, you must submit them in time allotted by the TECC.
• You may be called for an interview depending on the requirement.
• If there are any other requirements to be fulfilled or if there are any mistakes in the application, the embassy or the agency must be informed.
• If there are any changes related to the application, for instance, change in marital status or birth of a child, you must inform the embassy/agency.
• You can even check the status of the application and the processing in the meantime. 
• If there is a change of plans, you can withdraw the application.
• The visa fee is generally not refundable.

In order to check the status of your permit, you can visit the website of TECCC, else, you can contact the TECC offline and check the status of your visa application. If you have applied through an agency, you can contact the respective agency or check the status of your permit online on their website.

When the documents are verified and the processing is done, you can collect your Taiwan work visa from the TECC in the given timings, that is, 15:30 to 16:30 hours on weekdays. After you have collected your permit, there are a few things that you need to remember. Some of the important pointers are listed as follows:

Before you travel

• Note the visa expiry date as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
• You should travel to Taiwan within the validity of your visa.
• Make sure to carry your passport and other travel documents.
•  Issue health insurance and travel Insurance from a certified company.

At the Border

• Get your documents checked and your passport verified.
• Obtain the entry stamp on your passport.
• Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
• Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.

When you enter Taiwan

• Ensure not to get involved in any kind of activities that are not permitted to a non-resident. You may get into trouble otherwise.
• You can work as well as tour the country on this permit.
• You can later invite and sponsor your family to the country as well.
• The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
• Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for a visa extension in time.