每次搞簽證都有種，為什麼我是台灣人？
我在Lima提到辦簽證的事情，Hostal櫃檯先生懷疑地說「大家去Bolivia都不需要簽證啊！」我真是哭笑不得，因為我就是需要！
到Lima第二天，我唯一的行程就是辦簽證。好心的司機先生載著我找路，小凸槌地走到前一條巷道，好加在他好心地在車子裡等我確認是否是正確地址，發現不對勁，他下來問清楚後，我們終於到達目的地- 一看就知道走對了，因為，很多人在外面排隊，哈！也算不幸中的幸運吧！那裡，我遇見一個會西班牙文的英國人（他陪美國人來辦簽證（美國人也要簽證，這讓我舒坦很多！）），我們拿到一張紙上面寫著：準備入出境機票/訂房紀錄/黃熱並注射/表格，我想，好吧，下午得搞定這些事情！
隔天，我把資料準備齊全！九點鐘準備上路，趕赴九點半受理簽證。那個豬頭B司機，自以為厲害，按喇叭要我放棄拼命抓頭看地圖的A司機，短短20分鐘的路，我快要十點才到（而我10:45am要check-in to Cuzco）。
一進辦事處，我遇見昨天那兩個男人，英國老說「We missed hotel booking and photo so need to come back again！」我竊喜地想說「這些我都有準備！」順利地，我掏出所有的文件遞進窗口，等了大概十分鐘，被叫進去和Bolivian Consultant Interview (I think) ，他看看我的資料，邊點頭，我以為很順利然後….他說「Chino？」這時顧不了這麼多，我只好拼命「Si Si」，然後他拿出和昨天不一樣的準備資料，文字足足比昨天的多了一倍！心沉了下來，想說「算了！在Lima就為了耗簽證不值得，辦不成就算了！」但是，既然來了，還是要跟他攪和一下，搞不好有出入，說不定大公司的在職證明、財力證明會發揮功效！
說真的，這位O-Mar先生說的西班牙文，我完全霧煞煞！但是，透過他用力地指”Group III”
，我想他的意思是「你是屬於Group III所以準備資料不一樣，還有你的資料我們必須要fax到玻利維亞，所以需要15-20天工作天」，這些我都ok，畢竟我是月底才要過境。他一副不太想要搭理我的樣子，我硬指著他點每一個要求的細項，然後他一個一個打勾，但過到「Presentar Certificado de Antecedentes Policiales」我就傻眼了，我怎麼苦求，展示我的公司證明/財力證明都沒有用。他看我一直抓頭，嘟著嘴，他還算是個好人地遞給我一顆糖果，我也回贈義美牛奶糖… 希望事情可以有轉圜的餘地。接著，他拿出一個旅行社資料，說一個女生叫做Anna的，意思是要我去找他，好像他會幫我辦妥簽證手續。接著，他撥個電話過去。我那時懷疑，他是不是要我賄絡他，不過我想，我是要給他多少錢才算給他面子？Anyway，我就這樣被趕走了。O-Mar還好心地請他的助理帶我出去，指著那家旅行社的位置要我過去。這時，各位同學，已經十點半了，我可能簽證辦不成，飛機也趕不上！不過，還能怎樣，只好硬著頭皮去找Anna了啊！
走進旅行社，一位Sara小姐接待我，她說「O-Mar要我用英文解釋需要辦理的手續有哪些？」我才恍然大悟，原來O-Mar是好人！我跟他解釋需要清白證明一事，她說她是旅行社也幫不上忙。我說「可以請你幫我打電話給台灣辦事處嗎？」就這樣，好心的她打過去，結果是「台灣辦事處說，他們不受理這種業務，本人必須把護照寄回台灣，請警察局開證明，再寄回來祕魯！」我真是聽了快要吐血。其實一早八點半我就有撥電話過去，因為背包客棧裡面有人提到需要透過辦事處發出確認護照是valid的証明，辦事處先生就說「辦這個業務的小姐十點鐘才會到，而且據說玻利維亞辦事處已經不需要台灣辦事處提出證明，更重要的是，據說已經無法在秘魯辦玻利維亞簽證了！」你說，慘不慘！
該說什麼呢？Should we be proud of being a Taiwanese?
不過，說來也算幸運，或許就跟Lydia說的一樣，生命靈數有七的人，會有貴人相助。辦簽證雖然很苦，但幸運地有英國人幫忙翻譯，有旅行社的Sara幫我做online check-in幫我爭取一些到機場check-in的時間(最後班機還是稍稍delay了將近20分鐘...裡面十班有七班是delay的...了不得!)，我很感激了。
11 則留言:
唉，辦簽證真的痛苦呀~~~
何時才能擺脫這種苦日子呢，老天~~
Mei
我看妳們就去警局求個良民證吧...
唉!我們島國的子民真辛苦
版主的資料令我如獲至寶，
南美局勢謉譎，
近來也為了玻國簽證而煩惱。
可否請教版主，
您提到在秘魯申請玻簽要 15 ~ 20天的工作日，
這是什麼時候的資訊?
謝謝!
Owen 上
Dear Owen,
這是3/3左右的事情,我到波利維亞辦事處,他把台灣歸類為group III, 所以文件必須要傳真到玻利維亞, 祕魯辦事處不處理, 因此辦事的consultant說需要 15-20天. 記得去申請良民證喔!
Good luck.
dear singing,
忘了問你，波利維亞簽證的申請時間為何呢？
Mei
想請問，在秘魯申請波利維亞簽證，需要任何費用嗎
暑假計畫去南美的Karen
Dear Karen,
I still have no clue of the cost cuz my application wasnt completed.
Weired thing was yesterday that i received a mail from the Bolivia office in Lima to request me faxing over my passport copy. I wonder if without police certificate, the application might still proceed. Anyway, will see and keep you posted.
I am just wondering if all the visa applications could be taken care of in ahead of time when in Taiwan? So much trouble. But you are right, I've had problems going to Greece b/c of my Taiwanese passport. It was at that moment that I felt regrettable to be a Taiwanese.
JANET
Dear Janet, 在台灣申請到Bolivia visa需要送到北京辦事處,需要一個月時間,我以為在國外申請會容易一些,但似乎還是困難重重
我聽另外兩個台灣女生,在南美試了三個城市都沒有辦法拿到玻利維亞簽證,所以,看起來,我們和玻利維亞的關係真的是搞砸了
I am doing my travel plans to Bolivia and came across this old post, I am sorry that some of us has underwent a hard time in getting a simple tourist visa...
Our passport is fact called Republic of China not Taiwanese passport, which I have long suspected that might be the reason causing confusions and difficulties in applying for visa in some countries.
Luckily all Republic of China passport has Taiwan printed on the cover, nowadays we can travel to many countries without needing to apply for visa which has made travelling a lot easier and cheaper for us; though occasionally while passing customs/ immigration controls, from time to time people still get questioned because some immigration officers gets confused with People's Republic of China and Republic of china, having that additional "Taiwan" on the cover certainly clear up the confusion.
In truth, "Republic of China" is not well-known, in overseas we are mostly known as Taiwan, Chinese Taipei, and Taipei Representative office (Embassy).
I hope in the future, things will be less confusing for Taiwanese in an international environment.
Hi Paul,
I am really grateful for hearing your comment. Indeed, the situation turns better in the recent years and most of the foreigners recognize us by knowing that we are Taiwanese. However, it remains true that from time to time we are still questioning by the immigration of what passport we hold particularly for those countries with fewer Taiwanese visitors. Or lets say some of the post courier or visa application takes more time because the progress has to route to China.
The common situation at the moment occurs more to the Taiwanese who live abroad. The permit often has the confusion to write China or Chinese Taipei. Often they are not able to write Taiwan.
Hopefully in another few years, this situation would also turn better.
Thank you for the queries. I am pleased to hear that my blog "somehow" is alive :)
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