Comprehensive Guide for Application of Taiwanese Citizenship

To the best of my knowledge, this is the procedure to date.

Application for Taiwanese Naturalization

If you want to become a citizen of Taiwan (R.O.C.), this is the process you will need to go through, regardless of nationality. However, they may be some quirks in the process from the side of the country you are a national of before starting and during this application process.

Some things I should clarify before getting into the actual naturalization process.

Residence in Taiwan
Foreigners in Taiwan have residence in the form of an Alien Residence Card (ARC), Permanent Alien Residence Card (PARC, sometimes called an APRC) or a Joining Family Residence Visa (JFRV). The ARC is the most common and is applied for by an employer along with a work permit allowing a foreigner to legally work and live in Taiwan for the length of the ARC’s validity. Commonly, the ARC needs to be renewed each year. Generally speaking, after five years on an ARC a foreigner can apply for an APRC. The APRC is much like the ARC, except that you now have permanent residence in Taiwan, open work rights and no longer need a work permit. Anyone married to a Taiwanese citizen can apply for a JFRV at any time. A JFRV is fairly similar to an APRC regarding work rights, but become null and void in the event of a divorce or the death of the Taiwanese spouse.

Taiwanese Citizenship
To be a citizen of Taiwan means that you have an actual ROC ID card. As an ROC citizen you obviously have all the rights and obligations of any other Taiwanese citizen, without it being dependent on a job or your relationship status. As good as this sounds, it is not a decision to be taken lightly as it comes with a few and especially one rather big sacrifice, depending on your perspective. The main obstacle for many foreigners in Taiwan in applying for and getting Taiwanese citizenship is that at the beginning of the process you are required to renounce your original citizenship before you can continue with the application process. Each country has different laws on this, and before even considering this move you should check with your respective government what their requirements and laws are regarding dual nationality and renunciation of citizenship (and especially resumption of citizenship, should you wish to do so one day). Applying for Taiwanese citizenship is not the best option for many people, and in most cases an APRC or even a JFRV would suffice.

Application of Taiwanese Citizenship
To get Taiwan citizenship, you need to go to your District Office (Qū Gōng Suǒ 區公所) and find the Household Registration Office (HHRO - Hù Zhèng Shìwùsuǒ 戶政事務所). They will give you a list of things you need (written in Chinese). The requirements may vary, but this mostly depends on how your country handles things like renunciations etc. The Ministry of the Interior only recognizes two classes of individuals who are applying for naturalization.

1. Individuals married to Taiwanese nationals (JFRV).
2. Individuals NOT married to Taiwanese nationals (ARC/APRC).

In both cases the following links may prove helpful:
1. Nationality Act - http://law.moj.gov.tw/Eng/news/news_detail.aspx?id=2390
2. Enforcement Rules of the Nationality Act - http://law.moj.gov.tw/Eng/news/news_detail.aspx?id=1277
3. flowchart for the application for naturalization in marriages between foreign nationals and ROC citizens and household registration - http://www.immigration.gov.tw/public/At ... 742111.pdf
Mandarin - http://www.taipei.gov.tw/public/Attachm ... 461537.pdf
4. This one is also useful - http://www.ychbo.gov.tw/EN/en-304014.html

The flowchart will be given to you by the HHRO in a booklet guide and will contain an English one, a Mandarin one (you should always reference the Mandarin one, as it is more correct and the one that the use exclusively for everything - the English one should only serve as a guide to understand the Mandarin one if your Chinese reading comprehension isn't that good) and several other language ones like Thai etc. You will use this flowchart often. It will, along with the helpful ladies at the HHRO, become your best friend and ally throughout the entire procedure.

There are technically nine steps involved in applying for Taiwanese Citizenship (ARC/APRC holders do steps 4 - 9):
1. Marriage Registration 結婚登記 jié​hūn​ dēng​jì​ (needed to apply for a JFRV)
2. Application for Residence Visa 申請居留簽證 shēn​qǐng​ jū​liú​ qiān​zhèng​ (Application for JFRV)
3. Apply for Alien Residence Certificate 申請外僑居留證 shēn​qǐng​ wài​qiáo​ jū​liú​zhèng​ (The JFRV card itself)
4. Application for Naturalization Candidature Certificate 申請準歸化中華民國國籍證明 shēn​qǐng zhǔn​ guī​huà​ Zhōng​huá​ Mín​guó​ guó​jí​ zhèng​míng​
5. Renunciation of original nationality 申請喪失原屬國國籍 shēn​qǐng sàng​shī​ yuán​ shǔ​guó​ guó​jí​
6. Appliction for Naturalization 申請歸化國籍 shēn​qǐng​ guī​huà​ guó​jí​
7. Application for Taiwanese Residence Certificate (TARC) 申請台灣地區居留證 shēn​qǐng​ Tái​wān​ dì​qū​ jū​liú​zhèng​
8. Application for Taiwanese Registered Permanent Residency Certificate. 申請台灣定居證 shēn​qǐng​ Tái​wān​ dìng​jū​ zhèng​
9. Application for Household Registration anf ID Card 申請戶籍登記及請領國民身分證 shēn​qǐng​ hù​jí​ dēng​jì​ jí​ qǐng​ lǐng​ guó​mín​ shēn​fèn​zhèng​

1. Individuals married to Taiwanese nationals (JFRV).

JFRV Holders
If you already have a JFRV, then you are set and ready to start your application process. However, if you are married and for some reason opted to stay on an ARC or rather applied for an APRC instead of a JFRV, then you would need to do the following if you wish to take the relatively easier route of applying on a JFRV (remember, your length of time on your JFRV is irrelevant, only the actual time you have been married, i.e. 3 years).

Step 1: Marriage Registration 結婚登記 jié​hūn​ dēng​jì​ (needed to apply for a JFRV)

Applications are to be done at your wife's household registration office.

Applicants married in the ROC:
1. Wedding certificate
2. Identification Cards of foreign spouses and marital status certificates with Chinese translation and certified (inspected) by R.O.C. foreign missions
3. household registration
4. R.O.C. Identification Cards and seals

Applicants who got married abroad:
1. Wedding certificates with Chinese translation and certified (inspected) by R.O.C. foreign missions
2. Household registration
3. R.O.C. Identity Cards and seals
4. Identity Cards of foreign spouses
5. If the foreign spouses are unable to return to the R.O.C. with their R.O.C. spouses, the foreign spouse is to submit his/ her Chinese name declaration certified by R.O.C. foreign missions.

You take these documents to the HHRO and register the marriage. If you already have a JFRV, this step has obviously already been completed.
The next step is applying for your JFRV (in the case of married folks who don't have a JFRV yet, or who are still on an ARC/APRC).

Step 2: Application for Residence Visa 申請居留簽證 shēn​qǐng​ jū​liú​ qiān​zhèng​ (Application for JFRV)

If the applicant is not in Taiwan, the application is to be submitted an R.O.C. overseas mission.
If the applicant is in Taiwan, the application is to be be submitted with the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the MOFA.

1. One set of the original household registration issued in the recent three months (with marriage registration certificate and the name of the spouse in its original/ foreign language).
2. Marriage registration certificate issued by the applicant’s government (marriage certificate for countries without marriage registration system, i.e. if you were married in Taiwan you will have to register your marriage in your home country first!).
3. A criminal record clearance/FBI report from your home country.
4. Qualified health examination certificate issued by the hospitals appointed by Department of Health or foreign qualified hospitals in the recent three months.
5. Passport (with validity for more than six months).
6. Two 2-inch photographs taken in the recent six months.

Please note: Documents issued abroad have to be first certified (inspected) by R.O.C. foreign missions accompanied by Chinese translations (certified by the relevant district court). I also had to get them apostilled by the department of foreign affairs in my country of origin and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Taiwan.
Applicants who are in Taiwan on visitor visas shall leave Taiwan should their visas expire. They are not to apply for residence certificates.

Step 3: Apply for Alien Residence Certificate 申請外僑居留證 shēn​qǐng​ wài​qiáo​ jū​liú​zhèng​ (The JFRV card itself)

Within 7-10 working days the Residence Visa should arrive. Take the relevant document along with the following to your local National Immigration Office (NIA).

1. One set of “Application for Residence Certificate for Foreign Nationals” is to be completed and submitted with two 1-inch photographs.
2. Passport and residence visa is to be submitted for inspection.
3. Application for residence visa stating reasons such as completion of household registration for marriage registration and certified documents is to be enclosed (Basically the documents you used in step 2 above, but I didn't need them a second time as the HHRO forwarded them - I asked them during step 2 if I could keep them and they said it isn't necessary. I advise checking with your HHRO during the application process during step 2 on this, but basically all I needed for step 3 was the application form, my passport, the residence visa I had just received and the application fee described below.).
4. Payment of residence certificate fee (NT$1,000, NT$2,000 and NT$3,000 for one-year, two-year and three-year periods respectively).

Within in 7-10 working days you will be contacted to go and pick up your JFRV. It looks the same as the ARC/APRC, except that Reason for Residence has marriage next to it, and your address is your HHR address and not your work address.

Step four onwards is the same for foreigners married to Taiwanese nationals and foreigners who are single or married to another foreign national. From step four onwards, please refer to the next section.

2. Individuals NOT married to Taiwanese nationals (ARC/APRC).

APRC/ARC Holders
Before starting the application process you will need to be in possession of an APRC or an ARC. If you do not have an APRC you will have to go through almost exactly the same process as applying for an APRC, and if you have an APRC, you should already be familiar with this process to some extent, and it may look fairly similar. But that’s where the APRC/ARC and JFRV application process streams basically converge. So before that, whether you are on an APRC or an ARC, before you can consider applying you will need the following to qualify:
1. Five years of legal residence on an APRC or ARC, with no unbroken periods in that five year period. It is important to note that if you changed your visa from an ARC to an APRC or went from a student visa to an ARC or an APRC you start from zero and need to start counting your five year stay from the date of issue of your latest visa type, be that an ARC or an APRC. A JFRV holder is exempt and merely needs 3 years legal residence.
2. You will need to prove tax statements of the last year showing that you earned twice the minimum monthly salary in Taiwan. The “Basic Wage" is currently set at NT$19,047.

Step 4: Application for Naturalization Candidature Certificate 申請準歸化中華民國國籍證明 shēn​qǐng zhǔn​ guī​huà​ Zhōng​huá​ Mín​guó​ guó​jí​ zhèng​míng​

Applications are submitted at your HHRO.

1. Application for “Certificate of ROC Naturalization Candidature” (including two photographs).
2. Legal and valid Alien Residence Certificate or Permanent Residence Certificate. (The 外僑居留證 wài​qiáo​ jū​liú​zhèng you applied for in step 3 - JFRV/ARC/APRC)
3. Alien Residence Certificate issued by municipality and county (city) government police bureaus (the length of residence should be continuous without disruption). (A 外國人居留證明書 wài​guó​rén​ jū​liú​ zhèng​míng​shū​ issued by NIA that shows your period of residence. IIRC it costs about NT$200.)
4. The arrival and departure dates of foreigners on immigration cards issued by the Immigration Office, Police Agency, Ministry of Interior. (A 外國人入出國日期證明書 wài​guó​rén​ rù​ chū​guó​ rì​qī​ zhèng​míng​shū​ - This can be applied for at NIA, but I didn't have to as the HHRO looked it up for me.)
5. Police Criminal Record Certificate issued by municipality and county (city) government police bureaus during the foreigners’ stay in the R.O.C. (Basically, this is applied for at the FAP. It costs NT$50 and is ready in 3 days.)
6. Certificates of sufficient property or professional skills to be self-reliant or to ensure personal sustainability (adhering to Article 7 of the Enforcement Rules of Nationality Act).
ARC/APRC holders have to submit tax forms proving they have earned more than twice the basic monthly wage. JFRV holders don't need to do this step and need to prove they can support themselves, in my case a 服務證明書 fú​wù​ zhèng​míng​shū​ from my employer was sufficient. You can ask the staff at your HHRO what the require as individual situations may vary. AFAIK, if a JFRV holder is unemployed and is supported by their spouse that is fine too, but then the spouse needs to prove financial ability by means of a 服務證明書.
7. Household registration copy with completed marriage registration (can be enquired online by household registration agency).- applicants failing to submit household registration copy shall enclose wedding certificates, identification certificates of foreign and R.O.C spouses. If you got married in the ROC (as I did), you need to add a marital status certificate (a document issued by Home Affairs, or whatever your country calls it, that states you are married, and to whom), translated into Chinese with all the relevant authentications and apostilles.
ARC/APRC holders do not need this, obviously.
8. Certificates of the basic language command and requirement of Article 3 of Standards for Identification of Basic Language Abilities and Common Sense of National Rights and Duties of Naturalized ROC Citizens. (Basically, this is either certificate proof of three semesters of Chinese Language classes at a government recognised language school, as at most universities where foreigners study Chinese, or you can take the oral or written language test at various HHR offices.)
9. Certificate fee of NT$200.

If the applicants’ countries do not require the certificate to abdicate their nationality, they do not need apply for the certificate. The certificate is issued within 7-10 working days if the applicant qualifies. Once you have the certificate in hand you will need it translated and certified and move on to the next step, renunciation.

Step 5: Renunciation of original nationality 申請喪失原屬國國籍 shēn​qǐng sàng​shī​ yuán​ shǔ​guó​ guó​jí​
This step varies greatly from country to country. Some are easy and cheap, some are expensive and difficult, and some don't allow renunciation at all. In most cases you take the Candidature Certificate (translated into English or whichever relevant language and certified as needed) to your representative office in Taiwan (or wherever you contact your government for passports or consular services while living in Taiwan) and apply for renunciation. In my case, South Africa, I went to the South African Liaison Office in Taipei anf filled in an application form with my Canditature Certificate. I was assured it would take 6 weeks to complete, but it ended up taking 42 weeks. It is advisable to contact your relevant consular office before step 4 and find out what your renunciation procedures are as they have nothing to do with Taiwan. Once you have a Renunciation Certificate (and are effectively stateless) you can proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Appliction for Naturalization 申請歸化國籍 shēn​qǐng​ guī​huà​ guó​jí​

Once you have a Renunciation Certificate you can proceed to your HHRO with the following:
1. Application for Taiwanese Naturalization (including two photographs ).
2. Stateless certificate or certificate stating the abdicating of original nationality or documents issued by foreign affairs institutes as required by the Article of Nationality Act. (Your Renunciation Certificate from your original country: Translated into Chinese and certified by the district court in Taiwan, certified by the ROC mission in your country, apostiled by the department of Foreign Affairs - South Africa, at least - verified by by MOFA.)
3. Legal and valid Alien Residence Certificate or Permanent Residence Certificate. (Your ARC/APRC/JFRV)
4. Alien Residence Certificate issued by the municipality and county (city) government police bureaus, the length of residence should be continuous without disruption. (A 外國人居留證明書 wài​guó​rén​ jū​liú​ zhèng​míng​shū​ issued by NIA that shows your period of residence. IIRC it costs about NT$200.)
5. The arrival and departure of dates of foreigners on immigration cards issued by the Immigration Office, Police Agency, Ministry of Interior (can be enquired online by household registration agency). (A 外國人入出國日期證明書 wài​guó​rén​ rù​ chū​guó​ rì​qī​ zhèng​míng​shū​ - This can be applied for at NIA, but I didn't have to as the HHRO looked it up for me.)
6. Police Criminal Record Certificate issued by municipality and county (city) government police bureaus during aliens’ stay in the R.O.C.
7. Certificates of sufficient property or professional skills to be self-reliant or to ensure personal sustainability (adhering to Article 7 of the Enforcement Rules of Nationality Act).
8. Certificates of the basic language command and requirements of Article 3 of Standards for Identification of Basic Language Abilities and Common Sense of National Rights and Duties of Naturalized ROC Citizens.
9. Household registration copy with completed marriage registration (can be enquired online by household registration agency).- applicants failing to submit household registration copy shall enclose wedding certificates, identification certificates of foreign and R.O.C spouses. Those marrying in the R.O.C. shall also enclose the marital status certificate of the foreign spouses translated into Chinese and authenticated by R.O.C. foreign missions.
10. Certificate fee of NT$1,000 (to be paid via postal money order with the Ministry of Interior as the payee).

Numbers 4, 5, 7 and 8 aren't necessary as the HHRO already has them and they were used during the previous step. Also, number 9 is obtained by the HHRO on their computers if you're married to a Taiwanese national. If you aren't it isn't required anyway.
Regular as clockwork, and as efficient as a German Brauhaus, your certificate of naturalization will be ready in 3-4 weeks (they will tell you 4-8 weeks). And on to step 7.

Step 7: Application for Taiwanese Residence Certificate (TARC) 申請台灣地區居留證 shēn​qǐng​ Tái​wān​ dì​qū​ jū​liú​zhèng​

You take your lovely certificate (And it is lovely!) to NIA with the following:
1. A Residence Application form (including one 2-inch recent colored photograph with white background).
2. Photocopy of the approval of nationality such as the approval for R.O.C. nationality table issued by the Ministry of Interior (the original will be returned after inspection), i.e. the lovely certificate you just got.
3. Certificate fee of NT$400.
4. Registered, stamped and self-addressed envelope.

Again, regular as a teenager's bowels, you will recieve a beautiful certificate in the mail with 3-4 weeks (they say 4 weeks, but it gets there super fast). This certificate states that you are now a Taiwanese national. You take this certificate back to the NIA offices where they go through a drawer and hand you your 台灣地區居留證 Tái​wān​ dì​qū​ jū​liú​zhèng (TARC). Now you have to wait a minimum of 365 days before the next step.

Step 8: Application for Taiwanese Registered Permanent Residency Certificate. 申請台灣定居證 shēn​qǐng​ Tái​wān​ dìng​jū​ zhèng​

After a year you go back to the NIA offices, where the staff at this time already know you by name and treat you like an old friend ushered ahead of other people waiting their turn.

1. A Permanent Residence Application Form (including one 2-inch colored photograph with white background taken in the recent three months).
2. TARC (Once handed in you don't get it back.)
3. Valid transient record (有效之流動人口登記聯單 yǒu​xiào​ zhī​ liú​dòng​rén​kǒu​ dēng​jì​ lián​ dān​) - Basically a transient population registration form that, if I remember correctly, the NIA staff looked up on their computers.
4. Household registration (for singles, or those married to a foreign national) or citizen Identification Card of R.O.C. spouses issued in the recent three months (if married to a Taiwanese national you can use either or).
5. Health examination certificate certified passed in the recent three months (issued by Department of Health’s appointed hospitals and in compliance with Table B of the health examination items).
6. Other relevant certificates such as photocopy of the household registration. (Which they sort out there.)
7. Registered, stamped and self-addressed envelope.
8. Certificate fee of NT$400.

In 7-10 days you will get a confirmation letter by registered mail that informs you that you may proceed with household registration and application of an ID Card. On to the final step.

Step 9: Application for Household Registration anf ID Card 申請戶籍登記及請領國民身分證 shēn​qǐng​ hù​jí​ dēng​jì​ jí​ qǐng​ lǐng​ guó​mín​ shēn​fèn​zhèng​

On receipt of your letter you may proceed to your HHRO. If you applied via the JFRV route you already have household registration and require the following:
1. Residence Certificate from the Immigration Office to inform the applicant to proceed with household registration (that you just received via registered mail).
2. Your houshold registration
3. One colour photograph.
4. NT$50

Applicants who applied via ARC/APRC will first need to apply for household registration (Certificates to prove house ownership, or a letter from your landlord or someone else that is willing to let you use their address to set it up, and other related documents, such as proof that property tax has been paid on the property, are required - as you are already a Taiwanese national and proved language proficiency via a test or attendance at a language school asking the HHRO which documents are required shoudn't be an issue at this stage.)

In 30 minutes or so you should be done with your Taiwanese ID Card in hand. You are now a fully fledged Taiwanese citizen.

Application for Taiwanese Alien Permanent Residence Certificate (APRC)

I have never applied for an APRC and would have no idea where to begin, however, seeing as it is more secure than a JFRV and seeing as many people who follow this blog may be interested, here is a comprehensive guide.

The three best resources at your disposal are as follows: 
1. Getting your Taiwan APRC (Alien Permanent Resident Certificate)

2. A Consolidated Compendium of APRC Procedures (Updated December 12, 2012)

3. APRC Application Procedures (Official Checklist)

An APRC is superior to an ARC in that you are no longer a resident based on the whims of an employer.  It is superior to a JFRV in that it isn't based on your marriage and can not be voided after a divorce or the death of your spouse.  However, it does have restrictions such as the minimum amout of time you need to stay in Taiwan etc.  All of that is dealt with in the above given links.  Renunciation of citizenship and naturalization is a huge step and not to be considered lightly, and due to the inherent disadvantages of a work related ARC or an ARC, the APRC is what I would recommend to 99.9% of foreigners.  Besides, if you can't qualify for an APRC it is rather unlikely you will be able to qualify for citizenship unless you're married to a Taiwanese citizen.  Also, many countries, such as the USA, don't allow resumption of citizenship once it has been renounced, and those that do are usually rather expensive or difficult to resume (with a few exceptions, like Australia).
Hence, for the vast majority of foreigners, an APRC is more than sufficient and will suit most needs perfectly.

Good luck!!

Application for a Taiwanese Joining Family Residence Visa (JFRV)

Damn! It's been three years and change since my last update.  There's a reason for it and many things have happened in the interim, including getting my Taiwanese citizenship.  More on all that in later updates.  First I'd like to post on how to get a Joining Family Residence Visa (JFRV) in Taiwan, or commonly known as the "marriage visa".  Marriage visa is a bit of a misnomer, as it can be applied for in any situation where a foreign national wants to stay in Taiwan and live with family members that are Taiwanese nationals, but there are restrictions (No, your third aunty on your great-uncle's side can not apply for one based on your citizenship!), and it is most commonly applied for by a spouse of a Taiwan national.  However, I know at least two people who are divorced and applied for a JFRV based on having to live in Taiwan to support a child who has Taiwanese citizenship, so it can be done.  However, this post will deal with the most common one, a spouse of a Taiwanese citizen applying for a JFRV.

In order to apply for a JFRV based on marriage to a Taiwanese citizen you will have to do two things, at least, before the actual application:
1. Marriage Registration 結婚登記 jié​hūn​ dēng​jì​ (needed to apply for a JFRV)
2. Application for Residence Visa 申請居留簽證 shēn​qǐng​ jū​liú​ qiān​zhèng​ (Application for JFRV)
and finally, once that's done,
 3. Apply for Alien Residence Certificate 申請外僑居留證 shēn​qǐng​ wài​qiáo​ jū​liú​zhèng​ (The JFRV card itself).

Marriage Registration 結婚登記 jié​hūn​ dēng​jì​ (needed to apply for a JFRV)
Applications are to be done at your wife's household registration office (HHRO), or the nearest ROC consular office if you are abroad or got married abroad.

Applicants married in the ROC:
1. Wedding certificate
2. Identification Card of foreign spouse and marital status certificates with Chinese translation and certified (inspected) by R.O.C. foreign missions.
3. household registration
4. R.O.C. Identification Cards and seals.

Applicants who got married abroad:
1. Wedding certificates with Chinese translation and certified (inspected) by R.O.C. foreign missions.
2. Household registration.
3. R.O.C. Identity Cards and seals.
4. Identity Cards of foreign spouses.
5. If the foreign spouses are unable to return to the R.O.C. with their R.O.C. spouses, the foreign spouse is to submit his/ her Chinese name declaration certified by R.O.C. foreign missions.

You take these documents to the HHRO and register the marriage. If you already have a JFRV, this step has obviously already been completed.
Documents from South Africa need to be apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs in South Africa, authenticated by the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria or Cape Town, and on return they need to be translated and certified by your District Court (The translator usually takes care of that for you) and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung or Hualien.  For more information see the website for the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) - MOFA.

Once your marriage is registered you can move on to the next step.

Application for Residence Visa 申請居留簽證 shēn​qǐng​ jū​liú​ qiān​zhèng​ (Application for JFRV)
If the applicant is not in Taiwan, the application is to be submitted at an R.O.C. overseas mission.
If the applicant is in Taiwan, the application is to be be submitted with the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the MOFA.

1. One set of the original household registration issued in the recent three months (with marriage registration certificate and the name of the spouse in its original/ foreign language).
2. Marriage registration certificate issued by the applicant’s government (marriage certificate for countries without marriage registration system, i.e. if you were married in Taiwan you will have to register your marriage in your home country first!).
3. A criminal record clearance/FBI report from your home country.
4. Qualified health examination certificate issued by the hospitals appointed by Department of Health or foreign qualified hospitals in the recent three months.
5. Passport (with validity for more than six months).
6. Two 2-inch photographs taken in the recent six months.

Again, documents from South Africa need to be apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs in South Africa, authenticated by the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria or Cape Town, and on return they need to be translated and certified by your District Court (The translator usually takes care of that for you) and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

 Within 7-10 working days the Residence Visa should arrive. Take the relevant document along with the following to your local National Immigration Office (NIA) to complete the final step.

Apply for Alien Residence Certificate 申請外僑居留證 shēn​qǐng​ wài​qiáo​ jū​liú​zhèng​ (The JFRV card itself)
Before you go to your local NIA office, you will need to prepare the following:
1. One set of “Application for Residence Certificate for Foreign Nationals” is to be completed and submitted with two 1-inch photographs.
2. Passport and residence visa (which you applied for and received above) is to be submitted for inspection.
3. Application for residence visa stating reasons such as completion of household registration for marriage registration and certified documents is to be enclosed (Basically the documents you used above, but I didn't need them a second time as the HHRO forwarded them - I asked them during step 2 if I could keep them and they said it isn't necessary. I advise checking with your HHRO during the application process during the previous step on this, but basically all I needed for step 3 was the application form, my passport, the residence visa I had just received and the application fee described below.).
4. Payment of residence certificate fee (NT$1,000, NT$2,000 and NT$3,000 for one-year, two-year and three-year periods respectively).  After one year, when you renew your JFRV you will be given the option for a five and ten year JFRV (NT$5000 and NT$10 000 respectively).

Within in 7-10 working days you will be contacted to go and pick up your JFRV. It looks the same as the ARC/APRC, except that Reason for Residence has marriage next to it, and your address is your HHR address and not your work address.

The JFRV is a very useful document as you are no longer at the whim of employers for your residence and have open work rights, which means you no longer need a work permit and can work anywhere you can get a job, or not work at all (If you want to study full-time or are at retirement age or whatever your individual case may be).  However, the JFRV makes you vulnerable in another way.  It is dependent on your spouse and becomes void should you divorce or should your spouse pass away.

A word to the wise for South Africans, anything that needs to be applied for from South Africa takes much longer than expected or promised.  It took me a few months to get a marriage registration certificate and almost six months to get a criminal record clearance. Apparently, now it takes even longer.  To save yourself time, pain, anguish and frustration, I recommend you apply for all South African documents from one of the following people who will also ensure all your authentication etc needed in South Africa is done before it's forwarded to you.
Khumalo Nomathemba - Docs4expats
Maya DuRand
Both ladies are awesome and will do right by you.

Taiwan Immigration Update II

Some news on that front. Eventually I received my Marital Status certificate and my Police Clearance certificate and put both through their paces by having them signed and certified by the SA ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa. In fact, for a nominal fee the South African lady who works there, Maya Du Rand will sort everything out for you. In fact, regarding the police clearance certificate, it's better if you send it directly to her and let her take it from there. You can contact her through the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria. She will take it to the criminal records bureau and sit on their butts to get them to hurry the process up and keep it within the promised 20 odd work day time-frame. She's an absolute life saver.

Those two documents were the big obstacles as basically anything that goes through the South African government takes ages. An American friend in Taiwan applied for his criminal record clearance from the US via the FBI and had it in hand within four weeks. The AIT got his marital status certificate within a week.

So all in all I had to prepare these documents:
1. South African police criminal record clearance
2. Marital status certificate
3. Taiwanese married certificate
4. A valid ARC
5. Arrival and departure certificate from NIA in Taiwan and proof of residence for 3 years (married applicants) or 5 years (single applicants).
6. Language proficiency certificate, which is either certified proof of Chinese language classes at a government approved language center such as Tai Da, NCKU etc., or the Language proficiency test (which I did and proudly scored 100% in).
7. Tax records proving you have earned twice the minimum Taiwanese salary (NT$ 17 836) or bank records or other proof showing you have cash or assets to the amount of NT$5 million.
8. Household registration certificate
9. Two photos, NT$200 and an application form. You also need your passport and some HHR offices require a Chinese chop (seal with your Chinese name).
*Note: All foreign documents need to be authenticated by MOFA, translated into Chinese and the translation authenticated by a local court.

All my documents were in order except for one snag. My tax records weren't sufficient because my ARC school (as many or most do here) lied on my tax returns. further investigation as to why revealed they do this (my school at any rate) and take the surplus the save on tax by giving in faulty returns and give it back to you at the end of your contract period as your "End of Contract Bonus". Initially I didn't think this would be a problem as married applicants don't have to give in tax records, only proof of work, and even that isn't necessary if you can prove that your Taiwanese family can and does take care of you financially (which is probably the case with foreign brides who mostly don't work, but come here for marriage and as housewives).
My problem was twofold:
1. I was still on a work related ARC and so had to give tax records as proof of income.
2. The three year period for married couples is the period you have been married, not your stay in Taiwan. Kiki and I will only be married for three years in February 2010.
The helpful staff at the HHR office suggested I apply for a family visa (Joining family residence Visa - JFRV) and return in February next year to apply for citizenship. I was worried that this would reset my clock and I would have to wait another three years before I could apply, but the lady at the HHR office said this is only the case at NIA (for things like APRCs etc.), but that the HHR office is only concerned with how long you've been married, not how long you've been on a visa or change of visa. She also assured us that as long as we don't leave the country before we apply I wont need to re-apply for a police criminal record or any documents from South Africa.
It is the route they recommend as it makes the procedure much smoother and easier, and it's the normal way of doing it - once again, due to experience with foreign brides that aren't in Taiwan on work ARCs.

So, that's where we are right now. I applied for a JFRV but I'll do another update for that as I think the info I gained will be useful to people who wish to apply for JFRVs and not necessarily naturalization.

Taiwan Immigration Update I

I'm going to start off this update with a picture of South Africa's new President. Jacob Zuma. You may notice that he's laughing. Well, considering how he escaped a very long prison sentence and somehow managed to climb up the political ladder to the pinnacle of power in SA, he has every reason to laugh. You may even think he's laughing at you. I'm sure, mostly he is. But today, he's laughing at me. And he's thinking, "Ah, my silly whitey. We want you to piss off, but before you go, we want to torture you some more."
You see, it seems the southern tip of Afrika will not release it's clutches unless it's given you an up the rear cavity search of a review of why you're immigrating. Just in case you forgot. Eish.

Three months ago I made the very inconvenient trip up to Taipei from Tainan to get my fingerprints taken (for my police clearance certificate) and to apply for a marital status certificate. The only two documents I need from South Africa. Thank all that's holy in this world!
I was ensured at length by one of the gentlemen there that the marital status wouldn't take longer than a month to six weeks at the most. It's been twice that and still no word.
Fortunately, I decided to delay sending my application for the police clearance as I suspected it would take longer due to elections, Easter and a myriad of public holidays and long weekends in South Africa during March and April. So, I sent it just over a month ago by registered airmail. This shouldn't have taken more than five to seven days to get to the Republic. However, almost four weeks after I'd sent it I get an e-mail from some woman in Alberton that says she's erroneously received my application papers in the post. I've checked the address and we definitely wrote it correctly on the envelope. How is this possible?

Now I need my aunt to go pick it up from this woman and then take it by hand to the Criminal records Bureau. As to the marital status certificate? Still no news. Perhaps that's also been lost in the post.
And all the while, JZ is laughing. Afrika. Is nice.

Taiwan Immigration

I don't think I've actually told anyone about this yet, but I'm planning to apply for Taiwanese citizenship. In fact, I've already started the process. This, like most visa processes on this fabulous island, is fraught with hurdles, mis-communication, rumour and more communication problems. Also, there are very few resources available online regarding how to do this, or folks who have done it. This is especially so regarding South Africans. North Americans and Brits have an easier time getting info, because there are more of them around. They are a useful starting point, but all things aren't the same for all nationalities, here and in your home country. This has been my journey so far.

For married South Africans (Married to a Taiwanese), the situation is as follows.

You need the following documents to apply for a Certificate of ROC Naturalization Candidature:
1. Application for Certificate of ROC Naturalization Candidature (including two photographs).
2. A legal and valid Alien Residence Certificate or Permanent Residence certificate.
3. An ARC certificate; this is a proof of residence certificate (3 years for JFRV holders, and 5 years for ARC holders) which is actually a piece of paper that you get from the NIA offices.
4. Certificate of arrival and departure dates (Household Registration - HHR - office applies for this on your behalf).
5. Police criminal record certificate issued by the South African Police Services. (Unless you have a JFRV, in which case you only need a police clearance from the Taiwanese police as you would've done that to get your JFRV)
6. Certificates of sufficient property or professional skills to be self reliant; which basically amounts to tax returns for the last year (although some websites say 3 years), obtainable through your employer or the tax offices. For more info on this, see Article 7 of the Enforcement Rules of Nationality Act.
7. Copy of Household registration with completed marriage registration (HHR office applies for this on your behalf).
7.1 If you got married in the ROC (as I did), you need to add a marital status certificate (a document issued by Home Affairs that states you are married, and to whom), translated into Chinese.
8. Certificate of basic language competency (test or 200 hours of sitting in classes). If you're going to do the test you need to apply for it beforehand, and they issue you with a booklet to prepare for it.
9. Certificate fee of NT$200.

Some notes on the above:
The SA Police Clearance certificate and you Marital Status certificate need to be authenticated by the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa. The Taipei office has this to say about authentication:
1. The document must first be notarized by the High Court. The document must get Apostille - red sticker and green or pink ribbon.
2. It then needs to be authenticated at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
3. The Taipei Liaison Office in the RSA will then authenticate the documentation. Please note: should you be from Cape Town or Bloemfontein, these documents must be notarized by the High Court in Cape Town or Bloemfontein.
4. Authentication fee: R112
Working days: 2 - 3days

This is very inconvenient for the person in SA doing all the leg work for you so I called the Taipei Liaison office to confirm details. I spoke to a wonderful lady, Maya Du Rand, who said:
1. The fee for processing each document is R400 in Pretoria.
2. This fee (only in Pretoria - if you apply at other branches this doesn't apply to you and you have to do the leg work yourself) covers everything. She takes the documents to the High Court and the Dept. of Foreign Affairs to be authenticated and then she hands them in at the Taipei Liaison offices where they authenticate the documents for you.
3. Your "agent"/family member can come pick them up and they get sent to you from there. No mess, no fuss.

After you've successfully applied for the Certificate of ROC Naturalization Candidature you take that to the SA Liaison Office in Taipei and cancel your South African citizenship. With that document in hand you take all the above mentioned paperwork again (except the police clearance isn't necessary, unless you left the country in the interim, as they apply for a police clearance cert. from the Taiwanese police) and apply for Naturalization. After a year you apply for a Taiwanese ID Card, and Bob's your uncle.

I'm still in process, so I'll keep the blog updated on any unforseen details etc.

The AltaVista Translator

I've added the AltaVista Translator device to the blog. You can see it on the right hand side, just above my links section. It's pretty useful and fairly accurate (I've tested it) although it seems unwilling to translate some names (especially Afrikaans ones...I saw this on my rugby blog...), slang and some shortened versions of words. The translator allows you to click on a flag corresponding to your language of choice and translates the entire page for you. Languages available are: Chinese (unfortunately only simplified as this is used on the mainland, although most well versed traditional Chinese readers - I'm able, so native speakers should be fine - should have no problem), German, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

It's a pretty nifty little tool. If you would like to add it to your blog or website, go here. It's free and easy to do.

For my Chinese/Taiwanese friends:
我增加了AltaVista 譯者設備來blog 。您能看它在右邊, 在我的連接部分之上。它是相當有用和相當準確的(我測試了它) 雖然它似乎不願意翻譯一些名字(特別是南非荷蘭語一□... 我看見了這在我的橄欖球blog...), 俗話和一些詞的被變短的版本。譯者允許您點擊鍵子對應於選擇您的語言和翻譯整個頁為您。語言可利用是: 漢語(只不幸地簡化當這被使用在大陸,
雖然最好熟練的繁體中文讀者- 我能, 因此說母語的人應該是好的- 不應該有問題), 德語、日語、韓國語、法語、義大利語、葡萄牙語和西班牙語。

這是一個相當妙的小的工具。如果您會想增加它到您的blog 或網站, 去這裡。它是free-and-easy 做。

PS - I wrote this Chinese, it's traditional.... (ok, Kiki edited a little...)

Treeless City, Starless night...

It seems as if the standard of journalism in South Africa has plummeted to the same poor depths as the ability of it's politicians to see reason and think logically. One article that is of interest to Taiwanese and South Africans alike is a feature in "Die Beeld" written by one, Cobus Olivier. He spins a yarn that makes it hard to believe that he has ever been to Taiwan, let alone actually lives here. Seeing as he does live here, I expect he is merely pandering to the low expectations of his semi-literate readership. One quote that come to mind is the following:

Hier word koffie en tee koud bedien. As jy dit warm verkies, moet jy daarvoor vra.

Translation: Here, coffee and tea are served cold. If you want it hot, you need to ask for it.

Blogger doesn't have emoticons, but I am rolling my eyes. The entire article is written giving us an "insiders" view of Mr. Olivier's day. He goes on to state:

Die straat om die sirkel is besig. Aan die oorkant van die sirkel langs ’n klein boekwinkel is die bushalte waar ek die bus kleuterskool (werk) toe neem. Busse het geen nommers op nie, net ’n naam in Chinees geskribbel.

Translation: The street around the circle is busy. On the other side of the circle, next to a small bookstore, is the bus stop where I take the bus to Kindergarten (work). Buses have no numbers on them, only names scribbled in Chinese.

There is so much wrong with this single quote. The illustrious Cobus has just admitted to working in an industry that is illegal for foreigners to work in. Yes, foreigners do work in Kindergartens and they get away with it as it isn't really a law that is fiercely enforced or policed much. But this is now the second non-English first language speaking Saffa that has proclaimed to work at a Kindergarten. At least Cobus did so in Afrikaans and in a SA newspaper. The other fellow wrote it in his book (published in English and Chinese) on his Taiwan experience and is still currently working here.
As for the Chinese "scribbled" on the buses. He lives in Zhongli, which is a relatively small town. All major towns and cities have bilingual (albeit with questionable quality) public services and it doesn't take a genius to figure out which bus or MRT to take. Apart from that, like so many of this ilk that I've come across in Taiwan, he seems to live an existence apart from mainstream Taiwanese society. Living in a foreign (non-Taiwanese) bubble without engaging the society he's in the least nor attempting to acquire even the most rudimentary Mandarin skills. The type that stays, two, maybe three years on the island without ever really experiencing anything it has to offer, yet still being dumbfounded to find Chinese characters "scribbled" everywhere. This obtuse kind of existence never ceases to amaze me.

By die kleuterskool waar ek Engels gee, die Melton Kindergarten, storm ’n swerm skreeuende kleuters op my af. “Mr. Coby! Mr. Coby!”. Hulle noem my so, want Coby is die naaste Engelse naam aan Cobus waaraan ek kon dink.

Translation: At the kindergarten where I teach English, the Melton Kindergarten, a swarm of toddlers storm towards me. "Mr. Coby! Mr. Coby!". They call me this, because Coby is the closest English name to Cobus that I could think of.

Oi vey! So, apart from admitting to working in an industry illegal for foreigners to work in, he goes and writes the name of the school. Furthermore, and correct me if I'm wrong, Cobus is the shortened form of Jacobus, which is German, Dutch and Afrikaans for Jacob. Coby isn't even a name, let alone an English name (not to be confused with Kobe, as in Kobe Bryant the NBA star). In the tradition of English names, wouldn't it be better if his students call him Jacob or Jake?

Hier werk ek van 7:30 tot 15:30, met ’n uur en ’n half se middagete. Die Engels wat ons hulle leer is maar baie elementêr en as die Engelse woord nie vinnig genoeg opduik nie, gebruik jy sommer die Afrikaanse woord.

Op ’n dag vra een van die nuwe Chinese onderwyseresse by die skool vir my: “What does ‘mamparra’ mean?” Sy het gehoor dat die een meisie ’n seuntjie “mamparra” noem. Wonder by wie het sy daai woord gehoor?

Translation: I work here from 7:30 to 15:30, with an hour and a half lunch break. The English we teach here is very elementary and if I can't think of the English word quick enough, I just use the Afrikaans word.
One day one of the Chinese teachers at the school asked me: "What does 'mamparra' mean?" She had heard one girl calling a boy a mamparra. I wonder where she learnt that?

What can you say about that? Now I can already see some of the folks back home thinking, "Ag, te oulik! Klein japsnesies wat Afrikaanse woorde se." (Ah, how cute. Little Taiwanese saying Afrikaans words.) Well, bollocks to that. As if we Saffas don't have a hard enough time explaining to all and sundry that SA is in fact an English speaking country and that we (those of us who are first language speakers - not merely nominally bilingual) really are English, you have this gormless article openly admitting to having such poor English that he occasionally can't think of the English word, so he just teaches them the Afrikaans.
Now let's be clear here, the parents pay a goodly sum of money every month to have their kiddies learn the international Lingua Franca, not some bastardised version of it. It's no bloody wonder most of the schools prefer Canadians and Americans, whilst becoming very suspicious at the mere mention of South African nationality.

Our dear writer goes on to claim that they only teach very elementary level English. In my experience (and please note, I'm not claiming nor denying ever having worked at a kindergarten in Taiwan) this means one of two things. One, the school is crap and merely a money spinner. Two, our dear writer is crap and his English ability isn't up to the task. Perhaps it's more a combination of the two. I have known immersion style kindergartens (those where they have a foreign teacher from 7:30 to 15:30) to graduate 7 year olds that have reading abilities (if not speaking skills) at the same or higher level than kids of the same age in South Africa. In fact, where you have kids attending an immersion style kindergarten from age 4 to 7, you may have several students graduating with near first language ability. Granted, these kinds of schools are private and expensive, therefore this is rare but not unheard of.
But if the teacher's ability is so poor that he or she often can't think of the correct English vocabulary and needs to resort to his or her own first (no English) language, then I guess the level of English would be elementary and the children wouldn't benefit as much as parents paying a kings ransom in school fees would expect.

Wanneer die kleuterskool uitkom is die werksdag nog lank nie om nie. Nou is dit tyd vir klas by ’n “bushiban” – ’n naskoolsentrum waar die kinders ekstra klasse loop.

Dit is standaard vir ’n negejarige Taiwanees om 08:00 met skool te begin en dan tot 21:00 of selfs 22:00 besig te wees met skoolwerk. Dan sit hulle 21:00 die aand in my Engelse klas en ek moet hulle opgewonde maak oor ‘n vreemde taal!

Translation: After kindergarten the work day is far from finished. Then it's time for classes at a Buxiban - an after school centre where kids take extra lessons.
It's standard practice for a 9 year old Taiwanese to start school at 8am and to still be busy at 9pm or even 10pm. Then they sit in my English class at 9pm and I have to get them all excited about a strange (foreign) language.

And so the monster raises its ugly head to be identified. Please realise that this bloke is claiming to be working from 7:30am to 10pm Monday to Friday. That's assuming he isn't taking extra work on the weekends. Subtract 1 and a half hours for lunch and a further hour and a half for dinner. That's 11 hours a day. Let's just make it 10. That would give him 50 hours a week! For those who don't know, this is an enormous amount of teaching hours a week. Double the norm. Most of us work 25 hours a week, not including the odd private student on a Saturday. Apart from the fact that the kids (especially the little one) really sap your energy, there is at least some preparation to be done. Especially if you wish to do a good job, making it interesting and educational, not just acting like a circus clown for their amusement.
It then strikes me that this fellow is one of the (too) many who come here just to earn a quick buck and bugger off without really getting to know the island, it's people, it's culture nor it's language. Well, it takes all sorts, doesn't it? It's also this willingness to work absolutely crazy hours that actually has some schools preferring Saffa teachers. Furthermore, I realise that not everyone is interested in Chinese language, history and culture. But, what strikes me about all this (and which is underlined in his article in that worthless rag, Die Beeld) is that this fellow is obviously working such a rate of hours as to compromise his level of teaching. He even admits to this by clarifying his inability to think of certain English words and thus reverting to Afrikaans, further detracting from the actual goal of teaching English to non native speakers.

I guess this is why this article pisses me off so much. Not only is it pretentious and uniformed, but he makes all us Saffa teachers look like idiots and it's guys like this that trample on the very flimsy image we already have. The image of not really being native speakers, and therefore not really qualified to teach English within the ESL/EFL environment.
To Cobus Olivier, it's all a laugh. An article in Die Beeld and a jaunt overseas to hoard as much cash as quickly as possible at the expense of good teaching and the image of all Saffa teachers. However, not all of us are here in such a mercenary capacity. Some of us have vested interests in this country, and yes, even the ESL/EFL industry. Some of us have families here and need and wish to make this our home. A home for decades, not a few years.

Bier is wel duur, maar “pool” is verniet. Na ’n paar spelle stap ek laatnag huistoe. Die strate is nou uiteindelik stil. Bo my is die sterrelose hemel. As jy stip kyk kan jy drie sterre sien. Selfs ná middernag is dit veilg om in die hoofstrate af te stap.

Translation: Beer is expensive, but pool is free. After a few games I walk home late at night. The streets are eventually quiet. Above me lies the starless sky. If you look carefully you can see three stars. Even past midnight it's safe to walk in the streets.

How you can say beer is expensive in Taiwan with a straight face, I'll never know. In a bar a Budweiser or Heineken will cost you NT$100 (R20) for a 340ml bottle. However, the same will cost you a paltry NT$45 (R9) a any 7-11. A local micro brew or Taiwan Beer (draft) will go for NT$100 for a 500ml glass, also. Furthermore, this price has been constant for more than five years now. Working 50 hours a week earning anywhere between NT$550 (R120) to NT$700 (R160) an hour, NT$100 for a beer is a Santa Saver.
As to the stars, if I look out of my house on a clear night I can see the Milky way. I can easily see Orion's Belt and a myriad other stars. Two years ago I even saw Mars on its close approach to Earth. And I live smack in the middle of Tainan city. Were I to go out into the counties the view would be very much the same as you would see in SA.
And so, at least he ends his article on one point I'll agree with. It's safe on the streets, even past midnight. But it's far from quiet. Cars are still rushing around, scooters are humming off to their destinations, eateries are open and even whole families are seated at late night restaurants. If you go hungry in Taiwan, it's your own fault. You can find a place to eat any time of the day. This is the island that never sleeps.

For the entire article (in Afrikaans), go here.

Being a South African teacher in Taiwan - Part Three

So, to the heart of the matter. After all is said and done, who is qualified to be an EFL/ESL teacher, specifically in Taiwan, but anywhere really?

The Market in Taiwan

Firstly, the customer is always right, right? Maybe not right, but if the customer doesn't like the product, the customer will take his business elsewhere. I think it's fair to say that in Taiwan the majority of folks think of North America when they think of English speakers. In fact, in most parts of the world the USA has come to epitomise, not only Western culture, but the English language. Other than the erstwhile British Empire, and what now remains of it in the likes of Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, it is arguable that no other country has done more in terms of the spread and usage of the English language. And I think this may have more to do with the American entertainment industry than just mere economic power.
That, and the threat of the PRC hanging over this island and the veil of US military protection (to whatever degree) it is no small wonder that when locals think of English learning they think of America, and by proximity, Canada. The fact that schools often list speakers from Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as native speakers actually argues against the oft made point that Taiwanese are ignorant of the "world outside" their country.
The converse is true, however, in the thought that only blond, blue eyed whites from these countries are genuine native speakers of English.

Be that as it may, usually preference is given to North Americans, and even when "other" English speaking countries are listed the disclaimer; North American accent preferred, is invariably listed. And when one speaks to North Americans of colour, one quickly comes to realise that this preference is actually for; white North Americans.
One can argue about racism, ignorance, prejudice, ageism, national preference and not really get anywhere. The fact remains: commercial schools are selling an image and they are perfectly within their rights to sell whichever image is going to net the maximum amount of dollars.

However, this is not the purpose of this post. My purpose is to define who is qualified to actually teach EFL/ESL. I think, by now, we are all familiar with whom the Taiwanese marketplace refers, regardless of morality issues. As it has been suggested that South Africans are somehow inferior wrt to the English language, and that my thread centres around that misconception, I'd like to start there. What follows is based on my own experiences and observations and has no scientific basis whatsoever.

South African English Teachers

Officially, South Africa has eleven official languages. However, to actually implement this would be a logistic and financial nightmare. As a result, the de facto official language is English and is a required subject in all schools through all 12 grades. To matriculate in South Africa and to not be fluent in English you would have to be a complete linguistic moron. Furthermore, you wouldn't be able to function in South African society at any level and would be economically marginalised to the point of starvation.

Of the South Africans found teaching in Taiwan the majority are white South Africans. White South Africans are largely sub divided into two groups; English and Afrikaans. However, other white groups include; Portuguese, Greek, Italian, Russian and other recent (past 100 years) immigrants from Europe. These groups usually speak their native languages at home and English everywhere else. In South Africa you will find fourth or fifth generation Portuguese who still speak Portuguese at home. So, on all South African forms where language is listed, people always list their home language (first language) and other languages.

from an accent point of view the following main accents may be found, which aren't necessarily related to ethnic group as you may find blacks raised in environments where they have distinct British type accents. One most expats may have seen is the black lady who hosts CNN's Focus on Africa show. The main accent types are: Afrikaner, African, Coloured, South African English and Indian. These accents may be either very strong (the minority) or relatively minor withing the general SA English accent. Most people speak with a relatively "flat" accent characterised by a weak "r" (i.e. not rolled in the American fashion) and a more England type "a" pronunciation in words like "can't" rather than the American way. Other than that I think a casual observer might find that the average Saffa tends to speak a brand of English which is a blend of American and British in terms of how some words are pronounced and in terms of which words are used. An example of this may be the use of the word soccer. Here we tend to use the American term and see Football as meaning American Football.

So, when one is looking for a "Native English speaker" in South Africa you are really only looking at white South Africans of British descent, or coloured (SA gvt term to classify people of mixed race) South Africans who speak English and not Afrikaans at home.
That being said, the difference between a SA "Native English speaker" and second language speaker of European descent (not Afrikaners) are zero. Furthermore, the majority of Afrikaners and other South Africans under the age of 30 have learnt English and have spoken it from a very early age, usually at a stage when the mother tongue isn't even ingrained yet. This is due to the fact that most women work and children are left at day care centres and kindergartens (creche) where English is usually spoken anyway.
You may find people from poorer areas where the kids are raised by a grandmother until school going age, which is usually 6/7, and even then the preferred language of instruction is English. This is especially the case among non-whites who openly encourage and want English based education for their kids.
So, in truth, the myth of the heavily accented "Sef Efriken" is so far on the way out as to be almost no existent anymore, especially amongst the younger generation.

North Americans

As far as Americans are concerned, to be honest, there are so many deviations and and localised accents in the States that to advertise that your school teaches American English almost becomes a lie. Canadians seem to have a more standard accent across the board, but even that isn't entirely true. Canadians themselves often enjoy poking fun at folks from New Foundland (Newfies), whom I can only assume are the Canadian equivalent of the heavily accented Afrikaner of years past.
Furthermore, to say that someone who holds a US or Canadian passport is a native English speaker is a bald faced lie. In North America, as is the case in SA, several ethnic and linguistic groups co-exist. Gone are the days of a WASP America. In fact, I've even heard said by Americans that Spanish is fast becoming more widely spoken than English, especially in the South Western US.
I have personally worked with French Canadians that have had great difficulty following an English conversation once it gets past the basics and into an in depth discussion on any topic. One such fellow used to regularly come up to me before class and ask about basic grammar rules.

Britain, Australia and New Zealand

I would expect that Australia is the "English" speaking country that is least affected by non-first language English speaking immigrants. I would wager that 95% or more Australians are native English speakers. I would be willing to bet that this is almost true of New Zealand where at least 80% of the population would be native speakers. If anyone has a problem with teachers from these two countries it's probably a question of how strong the Kiwi or Aussie accent is regarding the individual.
But then again, in my experience I've found that Aussies and Kiwi's are just slightly higher on the preferential ladder than Saffa's and sometimes not even. Just further illustrates how silly the situation is...

As far as the Brits and Irish are concerned. Well, I've heard Irishmen with good clear accents and some where this wasn't quite the case. As far as accent differences go, England's the place to see. Some English cities have more deviations than some countries. Apart from some of the London accents, the accents up north are probably the strongest. To my ear at any rate. That's not to say I can't understand the folks from up there (or from Scotland), I just have to pay more attention when they speak.

Dude! What's your freaking point, already??

The fact that some foreigners seem to think that their particular little brand of English is superior or "The Standard" is beyond dispute. However, those anal retentives don't influence Taiwanese MoE policy, hire teachers or make the rules. So who cares?
The problem comes in the door hand in hand with ignorance. Parents perceive and the schools perpetuate the idea that they are teaching the kids 美語 or American English. This in itself is ridiculous as no such thing exists. There is just English. Furthermore, in America, as in any other English speaking country, there are regional variations in language use, slang and accent. This doesn't matter very much and is one of the reasons that English has become the prominent global language. English is adaptable. If you're from Johannesburg, SA you'll be able to understand John from Arkansas and Mr Naidoo from Calcutta. This is not always the case with Chinese. And perhaps due to this, the Taiwanese don't always realise that regional accent differences don't really matter much. And besides native speakers, the reason for learning a language is to be able to communicate. If you have trouble communicating in English with an Afrikaner or a French Canadian you're going to be in a tight spot anywhere.

When you really get down to it, there really is little difference between English spoken anywhere in the world. The major difference lies in American spelling vs British spelling. Other than that, how one pronounces a few vowels isn't cause for rejecting someone as an EFL teacher. If that were so, Taiwan would have to choose one US regional accent type and only hire teachers who can prove they were born and raised in that area. Otherwise the entire argument as to who is qualified to teach English based on origin and accent becomes moot.

For my part, I don't think someone needs to be a native speaker to teach English. I know a guy from Jordan who has been teaching here for over 20 years and some of his students are currently teaching. I know some of them and there is nothing wrong with their English.
However, if one wishes to persist with only Native speakers that will be about as hard to enforce and check as traffic rules are on Taiwan's roads.
Surely an interview and a perusal of a potential employee's qualifications should be enough to see whether an individual is in fact qualified (academically) and able (clear accent) to teach English.

Being a South African teacher in Taiwan - Part Two

In Part One the main thread of the post was dedicated to the silly old Alexander letter. Reason for that being that it was the first glimpse I had of folks who think that South Africans are somehow less qualified to teach English than say, Canadians or Australians, and that South Africa may be perceived as something other than an English speaking country like, the USA or Britain.
The Dragon Recruiters information file I received prior to arrival had one thing right, we are low on the list. The preference is as follows: USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Schools invariably state; North American accent preferred. The preference can change, as some schools prefer Canadian teachers and I have had one or two offers where the school actually preferred South Africans. In the case of the latter the age old reason was given (that is preached high and low in SA) for why foreign shores seek SA professionals; they are hard working and don't complain.

Moving on from the Alexander Flame Fest, that noxious letter wasn't the last I was to see wrt South African teachers and opinions of South African teachers. Here are some excerpts from my virtual living-room, Forumosa (bear in mind that many of these quotes are from Saffa's themselves); After a discussion about this post with a fellow SA teacher, to avoid confusion, I want to stress that the following quotes were not written by me, but are quotes from other people on the web to give readers an idea how some people feel about SA teachers. This includes everything in ITALICS:

English Teachers will soon need gov't licenses in Taibei...

I wasn't aware that the number of teachers had declined; do you have info on this? I live in Jiayi and the number of foreigners has increased over the last five years. Many small cities that were once without big-noses now have several (usually South Africans).

You're right about the South African thing though, some I've met can barely speak English. That just shows how stupid the schools are.

Sorry, nothing personal against you Alleycat.
It's just that I recently discovered another school that has 8 S.A teachers. 5 of them could barely hold a conversation in English - Another S.A teacher translated from Afrikaans so other people could understand what they were saying. In meetings they speak Afrikaans, and when the boss says that he can't understand, they say "Oh, we'll speak slower for you" , and then they changed to simple English.
I am not saying that it is all S. Africans, as Alleycat is obviously a class act and a top notch English speaker, but there are some, usually hiding away in small towns. In these small towns they make a tiny salary and are happy, but is this acceptable?????
If I were a parent of one of the kids at the English school where they teach I would not be happy. Actually they didn't even pass the required test for their school, but the boss was greedy and needed a foreign face.

I had better add that many South Africans are excellent English teachers and I am glad to count some of them as friends, but even my S.A friends admit that there are many out there spoiling it for the rest of them.

SA Citizens Getting a Hard Time.

What I want to know is: has anyone had any similar experiences or know the reasons for the treatment that South Africans (I really hope its not only me) seem to be receiving at the moment? Is there some devious South African ring conniving to send terrible teachers to Taiwan and sabotage the spread of the English language in Taiwan?
There seems to have been a decision taken in the dank halls of power that South Africans are no longer welcome in Taiwan and every effort should be made to root them out and send them back to darkest Africa where they belong (interminable rant deleted for brevity)...Every South African I know who has been trying to get an ARC has encountered obstacle after obstacle in what used to be the simple process of getting an ARC and work permit to teach English in Taiwan.

I am hiring teachers for several Taipei schools. Recently, we were handed a memo from the Dept. of Education that didn't say we couldn't hire South Africans, but said to "use great caution" in hiring South Africans because of the unusually high number of fake diplomas that have recently turned up among them. I'm afraid the source of all the trouble is the actions of a few bad eggs. We ourselves would like to hire some South Africans, but have run into various snags.

Could it be that South Africans accent is not the preferred accent that Taiwanese parents want their children to speak? Finally, could it be that there is not much understanding of South AFRICA by some people who think it is a backwards poor African country when in fact we all know it is not.

Who Can Teach English?

When a job requires a NATIVE English speaker is it acceptable for people who are let's say Afrikaans, Tongan, any other language speakers to apply? :?:
If the teacher does not have a good level of English is it just tough luck for the school? I have a South African friend who told me that many Afrikaans speakers in Taiwan have difficulty conducting a conversation in English and yet are English Teachers.

The South African folks who teach in Taiwan can be classified into two groups:
English native speakers
Afrikaans native speakers
Schools in South Africa, at least when I was in high school, were arranged like this:
If, like me, your native language is English-both parents are of British descent-then you were placed in the system with English as your first language and Afrikaans as your second.
If, your native language is Afrikaans-your parents are of Dutch or French ancestry-then you were placed in the system with Afrikaans as your first language and English as your second...

Give these guys a break. The Taiwanese government does not understand, and, as long as they don't, any South African passport holder with a degree has every legal right to be here teaching English. Besides, "times are tough" in South Africa. Taiwan is a fascinating country and an economic opportunity for them, as it is for me and some of you.
Yes, I am not happy that although I am a native speaker and speak clearer than many Americans, Canadians, Englishmen, Australians, New Zealanders (the order of preference among hirer's), I am still, because of my SA passport, ranked with Afrikaners in the job hunting game.
Thank god, however, I am out of that racket.

I find it really difficult to believe some South Africans have trouble speaking English. It's our official language. If there are, however, surely, during the interview, you would be able to tell, even if the person is an Afrikaner, whether he or she is able to speak with enough fluency to teach English.

And that things have recently become complicated in getting teachers from S.A. My S.A colleague suggested that this may be the problem. He said 70% of his countrymen that he has met in Taiwan have appalling English. Obviously, from your reply, this is not the case at all.
Yes, it is easy to tell from a conversation on the telephone, however there are some agents who don't allow contact - this makes me more than a little suspicious.
Back to entry complications - S.A people now require a local guarantor before a visa will be issued even for a tourist. Is this because S.A did the dirty politically on Taiwan or is it because of some other problems?

I find that some South Africans are very critical of the "Afrikaner" accent. Grammatically there might be nothing wrong with some body's English, but it could still be viewed as inferior because of the accent.

However, anyone matriculating from a South African high school without being able to speak near fluent English is not going to be able to function other than as a day laborer, as all business, public and private, is conducted nowadays almost entirely in English. I, therefore, cannot understand how a graduate of a South African university, be it UCT or RAU, is unable to conduct a conversation in near perfect English.
Even I have railed against the influx of Afrikaners, but considering how bad our economic situation is and, yes, the reverse discrimination (sometimes called affirmative action) in South Africa, I cannot with a good conscience denounce anyone who has a legal right to be in Taiwan. Can you?

A great deal has been made on some expat forums and blogs on the whole issue, "Should South Africans be allowed to teach English?" It also seems to be a thread that comes up every once and awhile. But if we start questioning the ability or legality of one nationality to teach English, what of the others? Who, then, are indeed "qualified" to teach English? And so, to Part Three we go...

On being a South African teacher in Taiwan - Part One

I was unfortunate enough to be recruited by Dragon Recruiters (Kaohsiung based racket) on coming to Taiwan, but I was equally fortunate to land a good first boss. That was no thanks to DR, just blind luck. While still in The Republic, DR head boy, Steven, sent me a file filled with "info" about Taiwan and teaching here. I can't say it was very helpful and it was filled with bile about Taiwan and, the first indicator that I would be perceived as less than adequate, that SA English teachers aren't as highly regarded as we might like. His case was built around the "fact" that SA is a little country and that not much is known about it in Taiwan. This may be true, and in fact the popular opinion is that SA is populated by animals and backwards natives running around in skins. This opinion is a generalisation, but the idea is relatively spot on concerning how SA is perceived.

This basic misconception leads to a bigger problem, especially to one in, or hoping to enter, the Taiwanese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teaching market. I started out in Cishan, which is a little mountain village out in Kaohsiung County, and had little or no contact with other foreigners. My first year in Taiwan revolved around my school and my house and trying to figure out where I was going wrong with my Chinese studies (it later became apparent that few folks - especially the older ones - understood me, because the primarily spoke Taiwanese). After the first year I moved to Tainan and shortly after the move I came across this gem. Here are some highlights:

Why You Should Not Hire South Africans To Teach In Your School.

I am Frank, of HIGHER STANDARDS TAIWAN ASSOCIATION. We are a new, but fast growing group, made up of highly educated people of both Taiwan and Foreign membership. We are a think-tank organization dedicated to improving all areas of life in Taiwan. Recently, there has been growing concern among the general public over the large number of South Africans teaching in our schools.

This is not a good thing for two very important reasons.

Firstly, South Africans are not native speakers of English. Most South Africans speak the AFRIKAANS language which is a mongrel form of the Dutch language...Their accent is absolutely terrible and most North Americans say they have tremendous difficulty in understanding the South Africans...Our children in Taiwan are learning a form of English which is absolutely unacceptable to real English speaking people.
Also, these Afrikaaners have absolutely no grammer skills. It is at the level of a grade six elementary school child in a real English speaking country.
Why do you hire these people considering there are many top Taiwanese students graduating from our universities with better accents than the Africaaners and far superior skills in grammer. Is it because the Africaaners have a white face?
There are many students from our universities here in Taiwan, with majors in English, unable to find an English teaching poisition because the South Africans are crawling all over the Island begging for jobs.
No, your first choice for a good English teacher must be one with a North American accent, either from the United States of America or Canada. The economic and military power of North America dictates the world and their language also dictates the world. Your second choice for teachers must be those from Britain, New Zealand and Australia. You must try to get real teachers.

The second reason for not hiring a South African deals with culture and apartheid. Apartheid is a very offensive policy to any civilized man. In short, it states that all colored races are inferior or lower than the white man and, therefore, they must live separately. The Chinese people were considered colored, under Apartheid, and not allowed to mix with the Africaaners...Yet these same South Africans are here teaching your children.
Because of decades of Aparthied, the South Africans became extremely dishonest, cunning, devious, not to be trusted. In front of you, they are so honest, so kind, so generous, so considerate, but this is just a cover, they are merely sucking for their jobs. All South Africans in Taiwan declare they never supported Aparthied, but by the very fact that they ran away from South Africa proves that they did support Aparthied and they are now on the run.
They are afraid to live in South Africa because the black people are hunting them down for their activities during the years of Aparthied.

Already, in Taiwan there are stories going around of a South African MAFIA. Most South Africans are not of good character despite their wonderfully friendly exterior.
We strongly advice you not to renew contracts with South African teachers and not to hire any more.
Why should parents pay such high tuition fees to a school for a third rate South African teacher that can barely speak proper English.
This is the very first step towards solving this Africaaner problem here in Taiwan. We will follow this up aggressively.

I think any person in a foreign country reading something like this would feel less than welcome and not entirely thrilled. However, the originator of this gem calls himself Frank Alexander, which is definitely not a Taiwanese name. Once you get away from the venom, this is actually an interesting article. With a name like Frank Alexander, this laddie is surely a foreigner (unless he is a Taiwanese posing as one). What makes the article interesting is his abysmal English and poor grammar (kinda like a sixth grader, right?) whilst all the while raging against allegedly bad South African (and particularly, Afrikaner) grammar and English usage.
Additionally, if Frank A is in fact a Taiwanese posing as a foreigner, what of his other position? That of the superior language abilities of Taiwanese graduates? Anyone who has taught here for any amount of time will surely know that graduating from a Taiwanese Uni (or indeed, even passing the GEPT or TOEIC examinations) hardly guarantees any form of linguistic ability. Unfortunately too much is made of passing tests and writing ability, and almost no attention is given to actual listening and speaking ability. If Frank is indeed a poser (as I suspect the moron was), his argument is self defeating.
*edit* That is not to say that I haven't met many Taiwanese with good to excellent English language abilities. However, the majority of them aren't language teachers and cash in on this ability in other professional capacities.

Although, I should say, at the time I didn't find anything funny in it.

More to come...

Teaching English

My birthday (May 30) fell on a Wednesday, which is a particularly busy work day, so it didn't even feel like a birthday. That being said, I'm 32 now. Feels strange. As a child I'd always wanted to be an international sports person. I was never going to be big enough to be a Springbok rugby player (although, in recent years there have been players smaller and lighter than me, but that's where natural talent takes over - something I also didn't have oodles of) but had dreams of perhaps being a decent middle to long distance runner.
As things turned out, I was just middling (didn't practice nearly as much as I should of) but the potential was there. So then, as I hit 32 I realise, had I gone down that route I would now be at the end of that kind of career. Moving on to new things, as it were. Funny how at 32 I find myself in that position anyway.

Having spent six years in Naval Intelligence and the last four and a half years teaching English in Taiwan (ironically not much different from my previous profession, as the level of English I'm confronted with on a daily basis is basically the same) I find myself at a cross-roads. I really have to give some thought about my future and were I'm heading with all this. Serious teaching in Taiwan (for foreigners) is somewhat of a contradiction in terms. It is possible to teach English at elementary, junior high and senior high schools, but in all honesty, it's not much different from the Buxiban gigs. Sure, you don't have to clown around and act the entertainer quite as much, but EFL teaching is as far removed from "real" English teaching as a jog in the park is from running a marathon. Also, it seems you have less flexibility and you're actually able to make more money with more freedom teaching buxiban.
The other alternative is getting a University job. Now I know guys who have these jobs. They sound awesome. Paid vacations. Few hours a week. Tertiary level students (which implies a higher standard - but the reality is quite different). However, before you're even considered you need an MA and it's best to have a PhD or D Litt et Phil. Also, the Taiwanese Ministry of Education doesn't recognise any degrees done by correspondence. Therefore, for purposes of teaching at a university in Taiwan, UNISA (Ironically an internationally recognised university with highly rated Professors - some of which are at the top of their fields internationally - and courses, as well as some distinguished Noble Prize winning alumni. Amongst them, Nelson Mandela.) is out.
In any event, if normal school teaching in Taiwan (for foreigners) is way removed from the realms of anything considered normal teaching, teaching EFL at a university is even further removed. So far in fact, it approaches the realm of sheer fiction. The Taiwanese education system is terribly flawed at every level and is particularly Confucian bound towards studying and passing tests (know the answer, but not the why) which are all of the multiple choice variety. In my opinion, South African students have a valid point in calling such tests monkey puzzles, as opposed to multiple choice. Also, at university level, students are expected to pass (seeing as they passed the entrance examinations in their final year of senior high) and regardless of cheating, class attendance and an actual grasp of the material, are passed. Especially in English courses, which are not considered all that important, apart from the fact that they are generally so remedial as to be absurd. It is hard to grasp how someone who has spent more than a decade studying a language still has a problem answering a simple question such as, "Hello. What's your name?" or "What day is today?" My favourite is asking an "advanced student, "When is your birthday?" I have encountered third year "English Major's" who have had difficulty with these questions...

So, a university job? I don't think I even want one. So, as far as teaching as a profession is concerned, I have two options. One, stay in Taiwan. Two, leave.
With option one, it seems the best avenue is finding a reputable small private language school that's dedicated towards actual language learning (as opposed to baby sitting), cares about it's students, teachers and Taiwanese teaching assistants. Seems easy enough, right? Wrong. In Taiwan this is about as hard to find as the proverbial needle in a haystack.
With option one there is also the alternative of going to work for one of (the few in southern Taiwan) adult centred language schools. This is actually not a bad option as most of the students are serious (they've grown up and realised that their pay and job prospects in an ever shrinking local job market that has become increasingly competitive can be bettered enormously by simply being English proficient) and wish to improve on a base they already have.

As for option two... Well, there are possibilities. Once I've finished my teaching accreditation (post graduate certificate in education - PGCE) through UNISA the field is open. Ironic that the Taiwanese MoE doesn't recognise it, but Canada, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand do. Then I'll be able to teach in any of those countries, and qualified South African teachers are rather in demand. Another irony, as Taiwan isn't overly keen on us, and are slanted towards Canadians and Americans, even if they're from Quebec (French speakers) or first language Spanish speakers. It's an oddity within the Taiwanese mind, which is not always particularly logical. I have worked with French Canadians and Spanish speaking US citizens that have needed to ask me to explain grammar to them before they've gone into a class to educate to future leadership of this glorious isle. Have a laugh. I often do.

That said, some other options do remain. Once may Chinese improves beyond the proficiency level of a five year old there will be more commercial opportunities back home as well as in Taiwan/China. There are also other opportunities I'm loath to discuss, as they're still in the "I'm thinking about it" stage.

Remember the halcyon type school described above? The kind where language teaching is actually taken seriously and they genuinely care about students and teachers alike, as opposed to being money grubbers content with whitey acting the clown and entertaining the wee ones? Well, it seems by pure chance, some friendly contacts and divine intervention that I've found one. I've been for an interview (which went well) and will be observing some teaching tomorrow and doing a demonstration of my abilities on Tuesday. If all goes well I'll be starting at one of the truly good language schools at the end of August and thus end a four and a half year career of what can only be described as glorified baby sitting.

With all that said, I must say that I have had some wonderful students over the last few years. Hard workers that take it seriously and like to have a bit of fun. Little boys and girls that play the games and learn and who have improved enormously in the time I've taught them. These little gems have made it more than worthwhile. And the fact that I've been able to live and experience a different lifestyle and culture as made it all a wonderful experience.
It's just that when you start reaching a certain age you start wondering, "What am I doing and where am I going?" There comes a point where playing sticky ball games with 5 year olds, making funny faces and being pointed at for being an oddity in a monochrome society isn't enough anymore.