May 8th, 2012 
Kristin 
Let me just preface this story by saying that, like most of the catastrophes I find myself in, this could have been completely avoided with better planning. But, as you’ll probably find if you stick around and read more of my stories, I’m unbelievably lazy about planning, so here we go:
I previously lived in Taipei, where I was a student at ShiDa, or more formally known as National Taiwan Normal University’s Mandarin Training Center. I was the recipient of a language enrichment scholarship that afforded me a permanent resident’s visa, which allowed me to leave the country and re-enter without needing an additional visa (US citizens may visit Taipei for up to 30 days without a visa, after that, you need to have one to stay. They run a couple hundred bucks assuming you don’t need it expedited). This visa was very valuable to me, as I had every intention of traveling around the area while living abroad – which I did!
Democracy Hall in Taipei, taken by my girl Carrie Kellenberger
This all went along just fine for me until I made a horrible mistake. It was a random Wednesday in March and it dawned on me that a very important date had passed. I felt a flash of heat go across my body. I frantically fondled around my bag for my wallet, then flipped through and confirmed my worst fears – my visa card had expired.
Hoping this wouldn’t really matter, I sat on it for another two weeks figuring it couldn’t hurt (Which is really dumb. Don’t do it.) and I finally made it into the visa office in Taipei to renew it.I took my number, waited my turn, and gave the necessary paperwork to the attendant.“This is expired, you can’t renew here,” He said to me. “You need to get another temporary student visa, or a work visa, and you must leave the country first, you’re not here legally right now.”
Are you serious?! Face, meet palm.
I have to leave this beautiful place? (by Carrie Kellenberger)
Why I didn’t think this would be a problem, I really don’t know. Seriously. How. Freaking. Stupid. But my bed was made.
I knew that I couldn’t procure another student visa because I had missed too much class due to an impromptu trip a couple of months earlier. In order to retain a student visa, one could not miss more than 5 days of class per semester. Had I renewed my visa before the expiration, this would never have mattered.
I’d rather be here (Ice bar in Taipei)
Unsure what to do, I returned to my flat on Wen-Zhou Street and started informing my friends I’d be coming back to California. My buddy Dee, laughing, said to me “Kristin, you’re an illegal alien!”
My goodness, he was right!
My options were to leave the country for good and return home, or leave Taipei every 30 days in order to get a new visa – and they aren’t cheap.
I didn’t have enough money to travel around anymore, so I hung my head and admitted defeat. This was a sign, it was time to go.
I purchased a flight home and, when I arrived at the airport in Taipei, was told to pay a stiff fine and then hand over my passport, which they stamped with a scarlet letter (ok it was purple) stating that for the entire following year, I was not to return without a visa, even for fewer than 30 days.
The fine was a painful one. But I felt left with no choice as I did want to return to Taipei again one day. I noticed the only other people at the window for the bad bad deed of overstaying a visa were housekeepers from the Philippines and Indonesia, most of whom violated their visas to ditch the agency fees (but that’s another story entirely). Nobody else seemed to make this mistake anything other than intentionally.
Save for, of course, yours truly.
Lesson learned.
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I'm a former investment banker who quit my job, sold all of my belongings, and bid the life I knew goodbye in favor of searching for off-the-beaten-path adventures in Asia. I'm a SCUBA addict, humble student of Mandarin, passion fruit enthusiast, and above all, an adventurer. I plan nothing, and simply let things fall into place. For more information, visit the 
OMG! What a lesson to learn…the hard way
Yeaaahhh, I was probably going to learn it at some point, though. At least I got that mistake out of the way!
Wow what a nightmare. I was an illegal alien in Colombia for one day. In my head I had a 3 month visa not a 90 day visa, I was over by one day but at the border they didn’t seem to notice. I was lucky.
Didn’t notice? I’m jealous. They definitely noticed I had overstayed mine by almost a month. Weird…
Gosh, it’s never happened to me, but I think I’d be really shaken up to have to depart so quickly without knowing when I’d be able to return. Seems like you handled it okay in the end though.
I was at the time, but I can laugh about it now.
Was it cold in that ice bar in Taipei? You don’t seem like on the photo! I visited the ice bar in Stockholm and we were frozen
Btw, the first sentence of this article is great … catastrophic situations happen to me all the time, another thing in common
It was really cold! But we had also had a few drinks by then, so I don’t think we really noticed or cared. I look forward to reading about your, umm, catastrophes!
A little off topic but your post about the ice bar reminds me that I want to check out the one located in Seoul
It provides a pretty awesome photo op.
Definitely glad I never ran into such trouble in mainland China (penalties can be much worse there). I did, however, have a few visas that were a little sketchy and could’ve gotten me in trouble if anyone bothered to check my status.
Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t want to learn my lesson the hard way in China!
I remember the extra questioning I got when re-entering the UK as a tourist shortly after my student visa had expired. I hate to think what would have happened if I had overstayed it! I hope you don’t have too much trouble re-entering Taiwan in the future!
Oddly enough, they didn’t even notice or care that I had overstayed my visa in the US. They just kept asking if I had acquired anything abroad…during my 8 months there. I kept saying no, although I’m sure we both knew I was lying. They let me through
Ouch. That is a hard lesson to learn, Ava. I’ve had a few friends overstay their visa and I’ve had friends that have had to leave for working illegally, and it’s not a pleasant experience having to leave a place you’ve grown to love so quickly. Fingers crossed that you will be visiting us here again some time soon now that your year is up!
Yes, I can come back now without a visa! I have every intention of returning!
Thanks for the photo love, by the way. That was a nice surprise!