Taiwan
Taiwan visa guide
- 17 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Taiwan work
Taiwan runs its own visa and immigration system. Visas are issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by Taiwan's overseas missions, which are usually called Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices or Missions; residence, extensions and permanent residency are handled by the National Immigration Agency (NIA). Nationals of more than 50 countries, mostly in Europe, North America and Oceania, can enter without a visa for 90 days, a few others for 30 or 14 days.
Everyone else needs a visa before travelling. There are three main routes: the eVisa, a single-entry permit for 30 days issued online to nationals of a short list of countries; the visitor visa for stays of up to six months (tourism, family visits, business, Mandarin study, treatment, job seeking); and the resident visa for stays longer than six months (work, degree studies, joining a spouse, investment, entrepreneurship). Within 30 days of arriving on a resident visa you must apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) at the NIA.
Highly skilled professionals can bypass the employer-sponsored route with the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, a combined visa, open work permit, ARC and re-entry permit valid for one to three years. Under the published fee table a single-entry visitor visa costs US$50 and a single-entry resident visa US$66 when applied for abroad; fees are not refunded if a visa is refused.
Paper visa applications go to the Taiwan overseas mission (usually a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or Mission) responsible for the applicant's place of residence, after the form has been completed on BOCA's online system. Before every trip, all travellers should complete the NIA's online arrival card within the seven days before landing.
Which visa do I need?
Short trip of up to 30 days for tourism, business, a family visit, a conference or a sporting event, with a passport from an eVisa country: eVisa. Longer visits of up to 90 days per entry, or a passport that the eVisa does not cover: visitor visa at a Taiwan mission (tourism, visiting relatives, business, medical treatment, studying Chinese, employment seeking).
Job offer: the employer obtains a work permit, then you apply for a resident visa. Senior professionals without a job offer: Employment Gold Card. Degree studies: student resident visa. Married to a Taiwanese citizen: spouse resident visa. Investment of at least US$200,000: investment resident visa. Start-up founders: entrepreneur visa. After five years of residence: permanent residency (APRC). Working holiday and digital nomad visas exist but are limited to certain nationalities.
Visa types for Taiwan
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Visitor Visa for Tourism Purpose
Travellers who are not visa-exempt and cannot or do not want to use the 30-day eVisa apply for a visitor visa for tourism at a Taiwan overseas mission.
Maximum stay: 14, 30, 60 or 90 days per entry as stated on the visa; 60- and 90-day visas without a "no extension" remark can be extended at the NIA up to six months in total - Family and friends visit visa Visitor Visa for Visiting Relatives
People visiting a relative who is a Taiwanese citizen or a legal resident apply for a visitor visa for visiting relatives, proving the relative's status in Taiwan and the family relationship.
Maximum stay: As stated on the visa; 60- or 90-day visas can be extended up to six months in total - Medical treatment visa Visitor Visa for Medical Treatment Purpose
Patients travelling to Taiwan for treatment apply for a visitor visa for medical treatment with a diagnosis and treatment proposal from a Taiwanese medical institution, proof of funds and a return ticket.
Maximum stay: As stated on the visa; 60- or 90-day visas can be extended at the NIA, and hospitalised patients can receive further extensions
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Visitor Visa for Business Purpose
Business travellers who are not visa-exempt apply for a visitor visa for business purposes at a Taiwan mission, supported by a company assignment letter, an invitation and evidence of trading relations.
Maximum stay: As stated on the visa (14, 30, 60 or 90 days per entry) - Entrepreneur and start-up visa Resident Visa for Entrepreneur (Entrepreneur Visa)
Founders who want to set up or run a start-up in Taiwan apply for the Entrepreneur Visa online through the National Immigration Agency's Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform.
Validity: Resident visa valid three months - Investor visa Resident Visa for Investment
Foreign investors and representatives of foreign corporations with an approved investment in Taiwan of at least US$200,000 can apply for a resident visa for investment.
Validity: Resident visa valid three months; stay as stated on the ARC
Study and training
- Student visa Resident Visa for Foreign Students (degree and senior high school programmes)
Full-time degree students (bachelor's, master's and PhD) and eligible senior high school students apply for a resident visa for foreign students at a Taiwan mission after receiving an admission permit.
Maximum stay: Duration of the ARC, renewed during studies - Language course visa Visitor Visa for Studying Chinese and Resident Visa for Studying Mandarin Chinese
Students of Mandarin at language centres affiliated with universities accredited by Taiwan's Ministry of Education apply first for a visitor visa for studying Chinese, with at least 15 hours of classes a week.
Maximum stay: Visitor visa stay as granted, extendable at the NIA; residence (ARC) possible after four months of study
Work
- Work visa Resident Visa for White Collar Workers
Foreign professionals hired by a Taiwanese employer need a work permit, which the employer obtains from the competent central authority, and then a resident visa.
Maximum stay: Validity of the ARC, linked to the work permit - Skilled worker visa Taiwan Employment Gold Card
The Taiwan Employment Gold Card combines a resident visa, an open work permit, an Alien Resident Certificate and a re-entry permit, valid for one to three years.
Maximum stay: One, two or three years, as chosen - Job seeker visa Visitor Visa for Employment-Seeking Purpose
Foreign professionals who want to look for work in Taiwan can apply for a visitor visa for employment-seeking purposes.
- Digital nomad visa Digital Nomad Visitor Visa
Taiwan's digital nomad visitor visa lets remote workers stay in Taiwan while working for employers or clients abroad.
- Working holiday visa Working Holiday Visa (Working Holiday Scheme)
Taiwan has working holiday arrangements with 17 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Maximum stay: Depends on the bilateral arrangement; under the German scheme, 180 days per entry, extendable by up to 180 days, one year in total
Family
- Spouse and partner visa Resident Visa for Foreign Spouses of ROC (Taiwan) Citizens with Household Registration
Foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens who have household registration in Taiwan apply for a spouse resident visa with an authenticated marriage registration, a police certificate, a health certificate and the Taiwanese spouse's recent household registration showing the marriage.
Validity: Resident visa valid three months; stay per ARC
Residence
- Permanent residence Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC)
Foreign nationals who have lived in Taiwan legally for five consecutive years, with at least 183 days of residence each year, can apply to the National Immigration Agency for an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate.
Validity: Permanent, but may be revoked if average residence falls below 183 days a year over the last five years
Online travel permits
- e-Visa ROC (Taiwan) eVisa
Taiwan's eVisa is an electronic, single-entry visa issued online to nationals of a short list of about 20 countries, some with passport-type or prior-visa conditions.
Maximum stay: 30 days, single entry, not extendable
Fast-track and priority services
- Fast-track and priority visa services Rush handling of visa applications (BOCA and overseas missions)
Taiwan's visa fee rules provide for rush handling: in view of the urgency of a case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an overseas mission can assign staff to process an application immediately or issue the visa earlier than the standard processing time.
Processing time: Faster than the standard time, at the discretion of the mission or BOCA
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Taiwan?
Not if your country is on BOCA's visa-exemption list: more than 50 nationalities, mostly in Europe, North America and Oceania, get 90 days, a few others 30 or 14 days. Nationals of about 20 eVisa countries can apply online for a 30-day eVisa; everyone else needs a visitor or resident visa from a Taiwan mission.
Where do I apply for a Taiwanese visa?
eVisas are applied for online. All other visas are lodged in person at the Taiwan overseas mission responsible for your place of residence; BOCA's website lists the missions and the countries each covers. The application form is first completed on BOCA's online form system and printed with its barcode.
Can I get a landing visa on arrival in Taiwan?
Only in limited cases. Landing visas are reserved for nationals of visa-exempt countries who travel on emergency or temporary passports, and BOCA states that nationals of eVisa-eligible countries cannot obtain one.
How much does a Taiwanese visa cost?
Under the BOCA fee table, applications made abroad cost US$50 for a single-entry and US$100 for a multiple-entry visitor visa, and US$66 or US$132 for a single- or multiple-entry resident visa. Missions may collect the equivalent in local currency. Fees are not refunded if the visa is refused.
Do I need to fill in an arrival card?
Yes. Within the seven days before arriving, complete the online immigration arrival card on the National Immigration Agency's website (twac.immigration.gov.tw).
Do foreign documents need to be authenticated for Taiwan?
For resident visas and residence applications, documents issued abroad must be authenticated by a Taiwan overseas mission, and documents not in Chinese or English need an authenticated Chinese or English translation. This is normally done at the Taiwan mission responsible for the country where the document was issued.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.