The National Immigration Agency has launched the "Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program" from February 1 to June 30 this year in order to help migrants who have overstayed (resident) return to their countries as soon as possible. Individuals who come self-report and meet the requirements will be penalized leniently and adopt three measures: No detention, exemption from entry ban, minimum fines. A few days ago, the NIA Nantou County specialized corps accepted a terminally ill migrant worker who had come self-report on her own and worked with the association(官心協會) to help her find medical care and return home.
The female Indonesian migrant worker who overstayed her visa, according to the NIA Nantou County specialized corps, was initially employed as a caretaker. She didn't dare have cervical cancer treatment when she became a disconnected migrant worker because she was frightened of being discovered in the future. Her medical condition has recently gotten worse, and she also misses her home and her kids. Nevertheless, she is unable to pay the fines and airfare to return to Indonesia, so on the advice of her fellows, she turned to the association (官心協會) for assistance.
The Indonesian migrant worker went to self-report accompanied by the association(官心協會)'s director (官宸誼), and with help from the Nantou County specialized corps, the service center, and the association (官心協會), she was able to generate money to pay the fine and purchase airline tickets. The Indonesian female migrant workers were deeply moved as they promptly assisted her in completing the paperwork for her return to Indonesia and simultaneously made arrangements for her to receive medical treatments before going back to her hometown to temporarily stabilize her health.
NIA Nantou County Service Center Helps Disconnected Migrant Worker who Suffers from Cancer to Return Indonesia.Photo provided by NIA Nantou County Service Center
The captain (陳介章) of NIA Nantou County specialized corps stated that the Legislative Yuan has been sent a revised draft of some provisions of the Immigration Act for review. One of these provisions states that the overstay fine will be increased from the current NT$2,000 to NT$10,000 to NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 in order to deter foreigners from overstaying. Also, the maximum control term for entering Taiwan has been increased from three to ten years. NIA make an appeal to the general people, asking them to encourage any foreigners they know who have overstayed in Taiwan to take the chance and self-report before the fines and controls are enhanced.
National Immigration Agency has also set up a special free consultation hotline 0800-024-881 and 049-2246810 of NIA Nantou County specialized corps, which provides multilingual services. Migrant workers and foreigners who have overstayed are welcome to use this hotline for consultation.
