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Taiwan,
ROC, Visa Information |
Commonly
asked questions regarding visa requirements for
foreigners entering or living in Taiwan. These rules
apply to most foreigners however there are some
different stipulations depending on which country
you are from. Visa regulations change regularly
in Taiwan so we suggest that you check out some
of the links provided below to ensure you get the
most up to date information.
If
you are planning travel to Vietnam or China
you may want to check out some information
regarding the visa requirements for these
countries.
Vietnam
Visas / China
Visas
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What
about my visa?
(Download
application forms here)
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Where
are the visa offices?
(maps
and directions)
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Taiwan
Visa Information for Foreigners
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Taiwan
Visa Office Locations Overseas
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are some of the more common visas offer for entry into
Taiwan. We have explained the visa procedures in a simple
point form for easier understanding. We have tried to
keep this information as up to date as possible but we
still do rely upon feedback from our customers. If you
find incorrect information on our site or have any other
information that you feel should be added please e-mail
us. If you require more detailed explanation of visas
and requirements it is best to visit the
National
Immigration Agency website. |
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A
visa exempt entry is valid for 30 days. Your passport
is stamped at Taoyuan International Airport or
Kaohsiung International Airport or International
harbors upon arrival in Taiwan.
- The
30 day duration of stay starts from the next
day after your arrival.
- This
is a non extendable so it can't be used if you
plan to apply for an ARC, study visa, etc.
- A
visa exemption is given to citizens of the following
countries. (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei
Darussalam, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy,
Japan, Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands , New
Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA)
Requirements
for a visa exempt entry:
- Your
passport must be valid for at least six months
beyond your expected date of departure.
- You
must hold a ticket showing departure from Taiwan
within one month.
- No
criminal record.
- No
fees are charged.
Extension of a visa
exempt entry
- You
can not extend your stay for any
purpose if you entered Taiwan on a visa exempt
entry.
Fees
for a visa exempt entry:
- There
are no fees charged for this kind of entry into
Taiwan
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A
landing visa is valid for 30 days. It
is issued at Taoyuan
International Airport or
Kaohsiung International Airport upon arrival.
- The
30 day duration of stay starts from
the next day after your arrival.
- This
is a non extendable visa so it can't
be used if you plan to apply for an
ARC, study visa, etc.
- A
30-day landing visa is given to citizens
of the following countries. (Nationals
of Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland
and USA citizens whose passports expire
within 6 months)
Requirements
for a Landing Visa:
- Your
passport must be valid for at least
six months beyond your expected date
of departure (except for US citizens).
- You
must hold a ticket showing departure
from Taiwan within one month.
- No
criminal record.
- A
completed visa application form. (Printable
PDF file here:( Visa
Application Form Download)
- Two
2 inch photographs taken within the
last 6 months.
Extension
of a landing visa:
- A
landing visa can not be
extended for any purpose.
Fees
for Landing Visa:
- A
landing visa fee is NT$ 1,200 plus a
handling fee of NT$ 800. US citizens
with less than 6 months on their passports
shall be charged a special handling
fee US$100 or NT$3,600 plus a handling
fee of NT$ 800.
- An
additional charge of NT$800 or US$24
shall apply to applications for visas
upon arrival at the ports of entry in
the ROC.
- The
charged fees are not refundable when
the issued visas are invalidated or
canceled.
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A
visitor visa can only be issued at an
overseas Taiwan representative office.
This type of visa is valid for stays of
up to 90 days and can be extended in Taiwan
with the proper reasons and documentation,
see extension of a visitor visa.
- The
duration of stay starts from the next
day after your arrival. This type of
visa can be issued for 14,30,60 and
90 day stay.
- This
type of visa is issued to applicants
who wish to stay for less than six months
in Taiwan to engage in one of the following
activities: 1)
transit, 2) sightseeing, 3) visiting
relatives, 4) visiting with a letter
of invitation, 5) study or training,
6) business, 7) technical assistance,
8) medical treatment, or 9) other legitimate
activities.
Requirements
for a Visitors Visa :
- Application
must be done at an overseas Taiwan representative
office.
- Your
passport must be valid for at least
six months beyond your expected date
of departure. Note: If you have less
than six months on your visa but more
than 3 months you can apply for a 14
day visitors visa.
- A
duly completed visa application form.
(Printable PDF file here:( Visa
Application Form Download)
- Two
2 inch color photographs taken within
the last 6 months.
- An
incoming and outgoing airline ticket.
- Proof
Of Residence: some proof of residence
or domicile in the applicant's home
country (e.g. driver license, bank statement,
water bill, electricity bill, gas bill
or telephone bill)
- Documents
verifying the purpose of visit. (See
visa documentation page)
- Other
relevant documents. (See
visa documentation page)
Extension
of a Visitor Visa:
- A
visitor's visa can be extended by simply
leaving Taiwan. You can leave Taiwan
for any amount of time and when you
return you will get an automatic 30
or 60 day extension upon your reentry
to Taiwan depending on if your original
visa is 30 or 60 days.
- A
visitor's visa can also be extended
in Taiwan twice for a maximum stay of
180 days.
- Visitor
Visa holders whose visas bear no such
remark as "no extension will be
granted" may apply at the nearest
city/county police headquarters for
a maximum of 120 or 90 days of extensions.
- In
order to extend your visa in Taiwan
you must have a good reason as well
as the appropriate documentation supporting
your reason. Some of the reasons include:
1) transit, 2) sightseeing, 3) visiting
relatives, 4) visiting with a letter
of invitation, 5) study or training,
6) business, 7) technical assistance,
8) medical treatment, or 9) other legitimate
activities
- The
required documentation is determined
by the Foreign Affairs Police Service
and depends upon your reason for extending
your visa. (See
visa documentation page)
- It
would be best if you submitted your
application for extension several days
before the actual date it expires, just
in case you are missing some required
documentation.
- If
you have come to Taiwan with a visitor
visa and want to change it to a resident
visa, you usually have to leave Taiwan
and apply outside of the country. There
is word that this law is changing and
you should be able to do this within
the country in the very near future.
Fees
for visitor Visa:
- Single
Entry Visitor Visa: NT$1,200 per application
if applied for in the ROC; US$36 per
application if applied for overseas
or equivalent currency of that country.
- Multiple
Entry Visitor Visa: NT$2,400 per application
if applied for in the ROC; US$72 per
application if applied for overseas
or equivalent currency of that country.
- An
additional charge of NT$800 or US$24
shall apply to applications for visas
upon arrival at the ports of entry in
the ROC.
- If
visa applications are denied, the application
fees charged are not refundable. The
charged fees are not refundable when
the issued visas are invalidated or
canceled.
- Rush
handling requires an additional 50%
charge over the rates stipulated according
to the different types of visa applied
for.
- An
additional charge of NT$800 or US$24
shall apply to applications made in
the ROC by visitor visa holders who
apply for a visitor visa or a resident
visa.
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Resident
visas can only be issued at an overseas
Taiwan representative office to people
who wish to stay in Taiwan for an extended
period of time. This is the visa required
prior to applying for an ARC.
- Resident
visas can be issued to applicants who
want to stay for more than 6 months
and whose reason for staying in Taiwan
includes one of the following:
1) joining family, 2) study or research,
3) employment, 4) investment, 5) medical
treatment, 6) missionary work, or 7)
other legitimate activities. Within
15 days of your arrival of Taiwan with
a resident visa you must make an application
for an A.R.C card.
Requirements
for a Resident Visa:
- Your
passport must be valid for at least
six months.
- A
duly completed visa application form.
Printable PDF file here:( Visa
Application Form Download )
- One
color photograph taken within the last
6 months.
- Supporting
documents or official letters of approval
from a competent authority of the ROC
such as a letter employment authorization
if your visa is for work purposes.
(See
visa documentation page)
- Other
relevant documents. (See
visa documentation page)
- Health
Certificate if applicable.
- If
the individual has entered Taiwan on
a visitor visa and qualifies for the
Employment- based resident visa, the
applicant can get a resident visa without
leaving Taiwan. However this provision
does not apply to blue collar foreign
workers or those who enter Taiwan with
landing visas or under the visa-exemption
program.
Fees
for Resident Visa:
- Single
Entry Resident Visa: NT$2,200 per application
if applied for in the ROC; US$66 per
application if applied for overseas
or equivalent currency of that country.
Multiple Entry Resident Visa: NT$3,000
per application if applied for in the
ROC; US$90 per application if applied
for overseas or equivalent currency
of that country.
- An
additional charge of NT$800 or US$24
shall apply to applications for visas
upon arrival at the ports of entry in
the ROC.
If visa applications are denied, the
application fees charged are not refundable.
The charged fees are not refundable
when the issued visas are invalidated
or canceled.
- Rush
handling requires an additional 50%
charge over the rates stipulated according
to the different types of visa applied
for.
- An
additional charge of NT$800 or US$24
shall apply to applications made in
the ROC by visitor visa holders who
apply for a visitor visa or a resident
visa.
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An ARC or Alien Resident
Certificate is applied for by foreigners holding
a resident visa with the plans to reside in
the ROC for a long term (over six months)
- The
more commonly accepted reasons for residing
for such a long term can be for 1) joining
family, 2) study or research, 3) employment,
4) investment, 5) medical treatment, 6) missionary
work, or 7) other legitimate activities
Requirements for an
ARC:
- It
is required that if you hold a resident visa,
you must apply for an Alien Resident Certificate
(ARC) within fifteen days of your arrival
to Taiwan at the nearest Foreign Affairs Police
station. If you do not do this it could result
in a fine or even possibly a delay in your
departure from Taiwan.
- A
passport with at least six months validity,
preferably longer.
- A
valid work permit (if the resident visa is
work-based).
- Two
color photographs taken within the last 6
months.
- A
duly completed visa application form. Printable
PDF file here:( Visa
Application Form Download )
- The
original and one photocopy of the passport,
including the resident visa. The original
will be returned after verification.
- Employees
or investors: The original and
one photocopy of the official letter of approval
issued by the competent authority, and the
employment certificate. The original will
be returned after verification.
- Students:
The original and one photocopy of the student
card or the enrollment certificate issued
by a university or college accredited by the
Ministry of Education.
- Missionaries:
The original and one photocopy of an official
letter of approval from the religious institution.
- Dependents:
Relationship documents, such as a birth certificate,
a marriage certificate, a transcript of household
registration, an Alien Resident Certificate,
etc.
| Other
points to to know about an ARC |
- If
you are staying in Taiwan with an ARC you
must go to the nearest Foreign Affairs Police
station to apply for an Exit Permit and Reentry
Permit before your departure from Taiwan.
Check
here for an example of a re-entry permit.
- If
you have been in Taiwan for over 90 days,
you must provide an income tax certificate.
You can get these certificates from the National
Tax Administration/Foreign Affairs Division
at Chung Hwa Road, Section 1, #2, Taipei,
Tel: 2311-3711.
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| Other
Visa Information Links |
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Although
we have tried our best to provide you with all the information
you need about visas the link below can provide you
with more accurate and up to date information on visas
and other information about laws and regulations of
living and working in Taiwan.
| National
Immigration Agency Ministry of the Interior |
The
most comprehensive site for information for foreigners
about ROC visas, visa application forms, taxes,
life style...etc. |
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Bureau
of Consular Affairs
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Information
of the issuance of ROC visas, visa application forms,
frequently asked questions...etc. |
| Taiwan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Information
of the Department of foreign affairs, embassies
overseas, ROC information, general statistics, other
related links, and etc. |
| National
Police Administration |
Information
for foreigners, related laws and regulations, employment,
education, tax, health insurance...etc. |
| Immigration
Office National Police Office |
Information
about immigration policies and application forms
for an ROC ID number...etc. |
| Ministry
of Education |
ROC education system, education resources, contact
details of schools, general statistics...etc. |
| Bureau
of Employment and Vocational Training |
Information
on working in Taiwan and applying for work permit,
and etc. |
| Ministry
of Finance Q & A |
Information
about taxes and Income Tax Guide for Foreign Taxpayer
as well as VAT refund...etc |
| National
Network of Foreign Spouses |
If
you are a foreigner living in Taiwan and married
to a Taiwan citizen this web site is very informative. |
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