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!
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.
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.
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.
Annette | Bucket List Journey says
OMG! What a lesson to learn…the hard way 🙁
Ava Apollo says
Yeaaahhh, I was probably going to learn it at some point, though. At least I got that mistake out of the way!
Ayngelina says
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.
Ava Apollo says
Didn’t notice? I’m jealous. They definitely noticed I had overstayed mine by almost a month. Weird…
Maryrichardson says
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.
Ava Apollo says
I was at the time, but I can laugh about it now.
Crazy sexy fun traveler says
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 😀
Ava Apollo says
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!
Nomadic Samuel says
A little off topic but your post about the ice bar reminds me that I want to check out the one located in Seoul 😛
Ava Apollo says
It provides a pretty awesome photo op.
ChinaMatt says
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.
Ava Apollo says
Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t want to learn my lesson the hard way in China!
Megan @ Roamancing says
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!
Ava Apollo says
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 🙂
Carrie Kellenberger says
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!
Ava Apollo says
Yes, I can come back now without a visa! I have every intention of returning!
Carrie Kellenberger says
Thanks for the photo love, by the way. That was a nice surprise!
Ava B says
Hello! Wow my name is Ava and almost the exact same thing happened to me last summer in Taipei! I was studying at ShiDa as well and was planning to fly back to California (I’m from Los Angeles) earlier than most of my American friends so I didn’t renew my student visa thinking I would be within the time period. It honestly slipped my mind. I was two days late accidentally, paid a fine, and got a stamp saying I couldn’t return without a visa for a year. I’m a bit worried about how it might affect my travels in the future. I’m planning on studying abroad in Amsterdam in the Spring of next year and to travel around the EU. Have you found that this overstay affected any travels in places other than Taiwan? I want to go back to Taiwan at some point so hopefully it won’t be much of a hassle. Oops!
Ross says
Hi Ava!! I was wondering what should happen if I overstayed a ARC and not a visa? it`s the same situation , do u think?
Ronnie says
Yes, it is pretty much the same. An ARC is a ‘sponsored’ visa essentially. But when your contract finishes (assuming you work for a company under contract) they reserve the right to cancel your visa before the time period is up. However, there used to be a ‘grace period’ for loss of a job, which gave you time to get your affairs in order if they cancelled your ARC. Overstaying it without renewing it will land you the fine and the whole 1 year situation.
Shinee says
Hi, I’m an another illegal alien from Mongolia 🙁 In my case, I overstayed there 119 days OMG!. Reason was that I lost my small bag including Student ID card, and ARC accidentally in a bus (just missed them and not stolen by a thief, BTW, I never saw any of thief in Taiwan). I asked my stuff from an official of the bus route at last station around 6 hours later. But we couldn’t understand each other correctly. So, I thought its better to come back there with my friend can speak Chinese tomorrow and went to my rent-room. Plus, I knew I had to inform it to police or other necessary authorities. But, I didn’t do any of them, cos, that was my very busy days concerning on many exams, assignments, and thesis work etc. Then one day, I remembered about my ARC after I finished all my exams and thesis.(I totally graduated my school). And I bought my ticket from Taipei to HK with connection from HK to Ulaanbaatar. When I was checked in the immigration at Tau-yon airport, they refused me to exit. Cos, my ARC/visa was expired. I wonder now why I didn’t care it. It made too serious problem. They told me that if one overstays under 30 days, he/she pay fixed fine at airport and can fly. But if overstay more than 90 days, have to go back a city to meet immigration office. That was Friday evening. So, I postponed my flight on Monday (p.m 8.20). Although, I came to the Immigration Office early in Monday morning, there was other 5 people also needed to be investigated and paid fines. In this case, an officer of the immigration spends normally 4 hours for a illegal man like me. Finally I finished my questioning and paid my 10,000 NT for my 101 days overstay. Then I rushed at p.m 6.00 by taxi from Taichung city to Tauyong Airport. Of course, I late for it, oh my goodness. I came at airport p.m 8.30. I asked from customer service what should I do, they said I should ask from my airline operator. My airline was Cathay Pacific – Economy Class. CP is awesome. I thanked them a lot. They just let me allow to fly by their next flight which was a.m 5. Then I boarded at HK Airport, immigration officer asked me to follow him and we came in a room. He asked me why I overstay in Taiwan and allow me enter HK for only a day transit. At HK Airport, there was no electricity supply, no place to take a nap. In addition, I couldn’t find a hotel room for 100 USD which all I had. Finally, I came back my sweet home Ulaanbaatar. But, my memory of Taiwan will be always positive, respectful and cool. To this end, from my this terrible experience, I know that overstaying is really bullsh!t. I will never forget it anymore. I’ll miss u all my friends in Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan. Hope someday I will go there by trip.
Shinee says
sorry not 119 days overstay, it is 101. but no difference at all for its consequences hhhhh
Anonymous says
Hi!
I’ve overstayed my visa by 10 days. I’m South African and I do have a work permit here. I was told I will have to pay NT4000 and apply for another visa in Hong Kong. Will I be able to do this by just going to Hong Kong for a day or will I need to stay there and wait for my visa? HELP!!!
Kristin says
I think it took me two days in Hong Kong
Julia K says
For whatever reason I thought I could and that it is going to be ok if I stay for four months in Europe. I only found out at the border that I could not stay in Europe, all of it combined, for more than three months. I overstayed by one months. Luckily, we were leaving not entering AND we got a nice guy at the boarder so we did not pay anything.
Kristin says
That’s lucky. Did you get the stamp of doom?
Julia K says
Even if I did (which I do not remember) I changed the passport due to “no space for visas”. I simply ran out of the pages by the time I got to Canada (home). So now I have a new passport and no bad record.:) But I remember about the punishment: we were not to come back to Europe for the following 90 days. Tip: they do ask you sneaky questions at the border about how can you afford stuff? Or they can simply comment on how you could have ran out of money because Europe is not exactly cheap and then wait for a reply. So be careful should you end up in this situation. My husband’s answer was “savings” or “good thing I saved enough” (which we did).
Kristin says
I always get asked how I can afford to travel when I go into the UK. They’re not shy about it.
Luis says
Hello Ms. Kristin! I am Luis, a student from the Philippines. I was invited to have my internship in Sinica in Taipei for the period June 1 to July 31. I bought a ticket from Manila to Taipei and will arrive on Taoyuan AIrport on 12AM June 1. When I applied for the visa, they gave me 60 days only. According to the visa sticker, the duration of the stay will be the next day of the day of the arrival in Taipei. So the 60th day will be July 31. My return flight to Manila will be on Aug 1, 12:05AM so I will be in Taoyuan Airport on July 31 around 9PM to wait for the plane. Now my question is, will I be candidate for overstaying? Thank you so much!
Luis says
So sorry for the confusion, I mean for the return flight to Manila, the plane leaves at 12;05AM so I will be in Taoyuan Airport around 9PM to wait for the plane. 🙂
Kristin says
Hi Luis, I really can’t answer that for you, but when you land you can ask the person who stamps your visa and see what he/she says. There is a fine for overstaying but I believe I got such a harsh penalty because I overstayed for so long. Perhaps one day would not matter, and in theory you’d get stamped out of Taiwan before midnight, anyway, so I doubt it’s a concern.
Anonymous says
I received my ARC, and e-gate clearance (relatively new for foreigners). I went on a quick overseas trip a few days before my ARC expired, so figured i’d be back on the 90-day visa waiver scheme – feeling smug.
Without thinking (my bad, I know) I returned to Taiwan through the e-gate port rather than the standard passport-stamping port, imagining these systems talked to each other. They don’t. Despite coming back into Taiwan from an overseas trip, from the authorities standpoint, it was effectively as if I had never left.
*Currently sitting in an airport on the way home for a 15 day overstay, a 4,000NT fine, and a stamp that requires a Visa next time I enter Taiwan for the next year.*
Lesson learnt.
Kristin says
Whaaaaat? That is pretty ridiculous. I would have thought you could still plead your case with proof that you had been out of the country. Sorry you were on such a rough side of the right hand not talking to the left.
Yunzi says
Hi, I am facing the same problem and the same reasons as you did.. = = i am an exchange student in NCTU Taiwan, and my visa expired by 45days, which required me to pay 6k before returning to my country (having finals now so i just let my illegal stay extends..). Can I know the consequences of this penalty?? The procedures at the airport and also if I am able to travel back into Taiwan within 1 year??
Kristin says
I was not allowed to come back without obtaining a visa first for a full year. I’m sure it partially depends on how long you overstay and what the rules are for your specific situation. It may have changed since 2008 but that’s what happened to me. I could still come back but I didn’t get 90 days free anymore.
Wiwik says
Hi… Thank you for your information… This is truly lessons, my boy friend face the same problem He is German nationality an exchange student in NCTU and have re entry Visa, we know his visa was expired when we were about leaving for Indonesia for vacation, we paid 4000NTD , they gave stamp saying that for coming to Taiwan required for Visa and can not use excemption Visa, He is refused to enter Taiwan unless hold Visa even we showed them his ticket for flying back to German within 4 days, and now we’re leaving for hong kong to get a visa only for 4 days to pack his stuff, … He need only 4 days to get his stuff out of dormitory but not allowed ??.. basically he will able to enter Taiwan after make Visa in Hong Kong. Hopefully we can get his Visa within this 2 days… and now we are waiting for flight to Hong Kong after arrived in Taoyuan airport
wei hong chen says
I am a taiwan citizen and i over stay here in the philippines for 16 years what can i do to go back in taiwan im now 21 years old thank you in advance wait for your reply my father is taiwan citizen and my mother is filipino
JC says
Hi Kristin!
Long-time reader, first-time poster here. I’m actually doing some last minute planning for my trip to Taiwan in March and I’ve just found myself in a somewhat similar (maybe, probably not really ?) situation.
The short of it is: I’m arriving at Taoyuan airport on March 1 at 2145. My expected flight out of Taipei is March 16 at 1000, 15 (and 1/2?) days later. I’m a Filipino citizen, US resident so I’m only allowed visa-free for 14 days. My question is, if I hang out at the airport after deplaning and not go through customs until midnight March 2nd, would I be ok to go without a visa? In other words, does the timer start at the time of landing or passing through customs?
Also, since my flight out is at 1000 on March 16. March 2-15 is 14 days. Would I have to be at the airport before midnight of the 16th to avoid overstaying?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Sincerely,
JC
Kristin says
Hi JC, I wish I could answer that for you but I really don’t know. Due to security they may not allow you to just hang out at the airport. I’d ask at your consulate or embassy to clear that one up.