Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office Reviews

Incredibly kind and helpful staff. When I contacted TECRO, I was asking for a Taiwanese flag for my collection. I quickly received a reply and it was very helpful and professional. Unfortunately, the first time the flag never showed up so it was most likely the Post Office at fault. About a month later I contacted them again and I almost immediately got a response and they offered to send me a new flag and that they were sorry the original one never showed up. 11/10 service, I love Taiwan!

Called for questions last year, the staff was very polite and explained in detail. I am very grateful to the staff at the office for their care.
service.

Lady on the phone was idiotic . I second that . I called this morning asked about how to apply passport. First she told me to call back thirty minutes. I called back she told me to call back 40 minute . Because she is extremely busy. Third times I called she told me call back after 4pm. This is terrible and not acceptable. It s shame that Taiwan government employees is so unprofessional .

Courteous, quick, and friendly service just like in Taiwan!

Lady on the phone (authentication department) was super unpleasant. I called to clarify an email she sent me because the instructions were unclear/seemed inaccurate. A couple "highlights":

- While I was explaining why I was calling, she kept interrupting saying, "Sir STOP. Listen to me. It's very simple. Just follow the email I sent you."
- When she finally understood my question she said, "Okay so then you can do X instead. It's in the email". It was not.

It's sad because I really love Taiwan (where my family is from) but she was the worst. Giving two stars because at least she responded to my email quickly.

My Bad TOCFL Test Experience

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***Although this incident happened in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, I feel compelled to write about my experience on this page in order to warn others about taking the TOCFL test. I will try to keep this review short and sweet.

I signed up for the TOCFL test through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, California. Irvine Chinese School was the testing venue. My test was at 1:50 PM. I showed up to the Irvine Chinese School at 1:00 PM. A volunteer at the front entrance, near the stairs told me that I could not go into the classrooms until 1:50 PM. At 1:45 PM, I felt that something was wrong so I went into the classroom. They had already started the test without me. Fortunately, the proctor allowed me to retake the first part of the test after everybody was done. The volunteer (Caucasian male) who gave me the wrong instructions should be removed.

During the test, the testing environment was really loud because of the children next door. The children next door were talking extremely loudly and banging the walls. I was unable to concentrate and hear the listening portion of the test. In addition, the test takers themselves were being disruptive after they finished their listening sections. The testing environment at Irvine Chinese School felt like a zoo It made me wonder how the TOCFL test would be accredited in the eyes of other organizations/governments

After this horrible experience at Irvine Chinese School, I wrote a letter to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles and asked for a refund and/or a retake. They refunded me by sending me a check, but did not process my test scores! It was incredible. I drove 80 miles (129 kilometers) in total to take the TOCFL test at the Irvine Chinese School, which happened to be a school full of loud, disruptive children, and this is the treatment that I get? Okay They could have at least processed my test scores

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office went the extra mile of conducting an investigation into my complaint, which I am very thankful for, but their conclusion of their investigation was somewhat insensitive and insulting. They concluded that it was apparently my fault for not voicing my concerns during the test and indirectly faulted me.

Directly taken from the investigation notes that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles had sent me, the Irvine Chinese School proctor (Surname: Yeh) invalidated my concerns by saying verbatim: I am PRETTY SURE that those students went to restroom in a quiet and polite manner after the listening section completed. The proctor assumed that the students taking the test were well-behaved, even though she was not in the room when the disruption took place. What kind of justice is this?

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office interviewed a few students who took the test with me. In the email that they sent me, the students all stated that the noise was not a big problem for them. I would like to add that the students who took the test with me were most likely raised in a Chinese-speaking environment-I was not. The fact that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office used excerpts from their interview to invalidate me is very hurtful and insulting. I was not raised in a Chinese-speaking home so I do not think that it is wrong of me to want to take the TOCFL in a quiet, civilized environment.

In the light of my experience, I would strongly urge other students of the Chinese language to reconsider taking the TOCFL. If you do decide to take it, do not go to the Irvine Chinese School. Save yourself the time, money, gas, and headache. May I suggest that the New HSK test (Mainland China) might be another option?

Lady on the phone was idiotic. She kept talking over me then laughed at me as if I was dumb when she was the one with poor English or listening skills. I called to find out if any documents needed to be authenticated via their office for working in TW or if U.S. Dept of State authentication was enough. She replied by saying "You want us to authenticate your FBI check?" I said "No, I'm ASKING if I NEED it authenticated or not." She said "Yes, you do that's what I just asked you but you said NO! Hahaha hehehe" Idiot. Want is not need. And want indicates a Request whereas I was asking a Question not making a request. Learn how to use English properly and learn how to be professional. Also, she said one "cannot go there on the 90 day no-visa tourist stay and start working, it's not gunna work" when I asked if job search/interviews were okay. Job searching is not working and obviously properly documents would be filed or I wouldn't be calling to find out the answers she never gave. In the end she said each employer is different and there are no set TW requirements. The fee is $15. She went on and on about mail in steps even though I was planning to walk-in. She gave me no walk in or appointment information.

Warm reception and wonderful services. It s a place which reminds me of my motherland Taiwan.