Every time I read an article about how Taiwan can attract foreign visitors I cannot help but laugh. At the very root of Taiwan's problem are archaic and unfair visa policies. Obtaining a visa to come to Taiwan is an onerous exercise.
I am an American businessperson who has been coming to Taiwan for close to 20 years. Applying for a visa -- even a simple 60-day visa -- has been one of the biggest hassles in my life. If I want to go to Hong Kong, I can get an automatic 90-day visa. For China, it's very easy to get a one year multiple entry visa.
In Taiwan, all one gets is a 30-day landing permit. This unfriendly visa policy has resulted in many lost opportunities for Taiwan.
To add to my frustration, just the other day I had to leave for my visa run.
In all the time that I have come to Taiwan, I have never missed my exit date. This time around, my travel agent of over 10 years made a mistake on my booking and I had to rebook my ticket for the next day. Since I was one day late, I am now unfairly blacklisted from entering Taiwan for a year. This is hardly the way for Taiwan to attract good people who come here to create business.
I will be leaving Taiwan in April and I do not plan on coming back, ever. I have decided to relocate to China.
Name withheld
Taipei
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