Taiwan language course visa (studying Mandarin Chinese)

The admission certificate must come from a Chinese language centre affiliated with a university or institution accredited by the Ministry of Education, which publishes an updated list of centres. Students must attend at least 15 hours of classes per week, Monday to Friday. Applicants admitted to the Chientan Overseas Youth Language Center also need a recommendation from the Overseas Community Affairs Council.

Apply at a Taiwan mission with the online form (barcoded and signed), two photos, the passport (copy the photo page and any earlier Taiwan visa), the admission certificate, a study plan describing your motivation, and proof of stable finances such as bank balance statements or foreign remittance receipts. Original documents are returned after processing.

Students who have studied Chinese in Taiwan for four months and plan to continue for another three months or more can apply directly to an NIA service centre for an ARC. For the resident visa for studying Mandarin, the language centre's certificate must show four months completed and registration for at least three more, attendance of at least 15 hours a week with absences not exceeding a quarter of class hours, transcripts, a study plan, a health certificate and funds for at least three consecutive months.

People who entered visa-free, with a landing visa or with a visitor visa for another purpose, and those already residing in Taiwan for other purposes, cannot convert to a visa for studying Chinese. If updated or additional documents are not provided within two weeks of a request, the visa is not issued and the fee is kept. Some designated nationalities may not be accepted for this visa.