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Visa Application Information

National Immigration Agency: One of its central tasks is processing entry, stay, residency, and permanent residency applications of individuals from Mainland China, residents of Hong Kong and Macao, and Taiwanese nationals without household registration in Taiwan, as well as accepting, reviewing, issuing, and referring applications for extended stays, residency, and permanent residency for foreign nationals. All foreign nationals living in Taiwan can consult the Agency about its procedures at local service stations.
 

Visa Types

Visitor Visa

Used for short-term business trips or for working in Taiwan for less than 180 days.

Visa Exemption

Foreign nationals visiting Taiwan who hold passports from the countries listed in the links below can stay 30 or 90 days in accordance with the provisions of their respective countries under the "visa exemption" regulations.
Business Stay For foreign nationals interested in investing in Taiwan, if their business affairs in Taiwan are expected to exceed 30 days, they can submit a "Business Negotiation Certificate," such as an employment or assignment certification letter from their company (vendor), an invitation from a Taiwanese company, or records of business exchanges and transactions (such as letters of credit, fund transfer receipts, or import/export bills of lading) to apply for a Visitor Visa for Business at an overseas mission.

Foreign nationals of the following nationalities must apply for visas in accordance with the "Procedures for Nationals of the Designated Countries Applying for Visitor Visas to the Republic of China" with the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Nationals from the following countries must complete guarantee procedures when applying for an R.O.C. visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Somalia, and Syria.
Nationals from the following countries must submit their applications at designated locations, and the related individual in Taiwan must complete the guarantee procedures: Bangladesh, Ghana, Burma/Myanmar, Nigeria, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Cameroon, and Senegal.
Visitor visa applications are required for participants of international conferences and business exhibitions.
Visitor Visa for Employment For foreign nationals who wish to work for a short period of time in Taiwan (under 180 days), their employers must apply for a "Work Permit Certificate" from the Ministry of Labor. The applicant can use the Certificate in the application for a resident visa for white collar workers at R.O.C. overseas missions.
Visitor Visa for Internship Visitor Visa for Internship According to the provisions in the "Guidelines for Internships for Foreign Students Studying at Schools and Educational Institutions of the Republic of China" published by the Ministry of Education, foreign students studying in universities can apply for internships in schools or education institutions in Taiwan with the proper certification.
Visitor Visa for Learning Chinese Foreign nationals studying Mandarin in Taiwan can apply for a Visitor Visa for Learning Chinese and study at language training centers. The Visitor Visa for Learning Chinese can be extended two times.

Related Link:Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visa Application Information / BOCA VISA

Resident Visa

Resident visa is for foreign nationals who plan to stay long-term in Taiwan and expect to stay for over 180 days

low Chart for Long-Term Residency Visa Application

The "Entrepreneur Visa" provides residency conditions that are more convenient than other countries; it is suitable for foreign entrepreneurs as well as entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Macau. One of the conditions for an applicant applying for the innovative and entrepreneur residency certificate is a high school diploma or above, and the applicant must meet the following conditions:

Entrepreneur Visa The entrepreneur visa provides residency conditions that are more convenient than other countries; it is suitable for foreign entrepreneurs as well as entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Macau. One of the conditions for an applicant applying for the innovative and entrepreneur residency certificate is a high school diploma or above, and the applicant must meet the following conditions:
If the applicant is an individual, he/she must meet at least one of the following conditions:
  • Acquired over NT$2 million in business investments from a domestic/overseas investment business, or an international funding platform recognized by the government.
  • Obtained acceptance into an innovative entrepreneurship park or an incubation center operated directly or in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), or an incubation center evaluated as excellent by the MOEA within the past three years.
  • Acquired overseas or domestic patents.
  • Participated in and received awards from domestic or overseas entrepreneur or design competitions, or successfully applied for participation in government-promoted projects for foreign entrepreneurs in Taiwan.
  • Established a new business in Taiwan that meets the innovative capabilities criteria, served as the person in charge of the business, and invested over NT$1 million.
If the applicant is a team, the team falls into one of the two following categories, and must meet at least one of the following conditions:
  • Has not established a business in Taiwan
    • Acquired over NT$2 million in business investments from a domestic/overseas investment business, or an international funding platform recognized by the government.
    • Obtained acceptance into an innovative entrepreneurship park or an incubation center operated directly or in collaboration with the MOEA, or an incubation center evaluated as excellent by the MOEA within the past three years.
    • Acquired overseas or domestic patents.
    • Participated in and received awards from domestic or overseas entrepreneur or design competitions, or successfully applied for participation in government-promoted projects for foreign entrepreneurs in Taiwan.
  • Has established a business in Taiwan
    • A team member must have established a new business in Taiwan that meets the innovative capabilities criteria; served as the person in charge or the director, supervisor, managing director, or manager of the business; and invested over NT$1 million.
Resident Visa for Investment Foreign nationals who wish to invest over US$200,000 in Taiwan may apply for an “investment certificate” from the Department of Investment Review, MOEA, then apply for an investment resident visa with one of the R.O.C.'s overseas missions or with the Bureau of Consular Affairs after submitting the certificate along with the visa application form, original and photocopy of their passport, and other documents.
Resident Visa for White Collar Workers For foreign nationals who wish to work in Taiwan (for over 180 days), the Taiwanese employer is required to apply for a "Recruitment Approval Letter" with the Ministry of Labor (http://www.mol.gov.tw/) on behalf of the applicant. The applicant is then required to submit the recruitment approval letter, visa application form, original and photocopy of their passport, and other documents to one of the R.O.C.'s overseas missions or to the Bureau of Consular Affairs to apply for a Visitor Visa for Employment.
Taiwan Employment Gold Card The Taiwan Employment Gold Card is a combined visa, work permit, and residence permit. The card gives you the right to stay and work in Taiwan for 1 to 3 years, and you can apply online without sponsorship. It comes with open-work rights, so you can work for any companies in Taiwan or start your own business. 
Resident Visa for Internship According to the provisions listed under the "Guidelines for Internships for Foreign Students at Schools and Educational Institutions of the Republic of China" published by the Ministry of Education, international students studying in local universities can apply for internships at schools or education institutions in Taiwan with the proper certification.
Resident Visa for Learning Chinese Foreign nationals studying Mandarin in Taiwan can apply for a Visitor Visa for Learning Chinese and study at language training centers. The Visitor Visa for Learning Chinese can be extended two times. After studying for a period of 4 months and registering for another 3 months, the applicant can apply for a Visitor Visa for Learning Chinese at various offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Resident Visas for Foreign Spouses of Foreign Nationals If a foreign investor wishes to bring his/her family (spouse) to Taiwan, he/she can follow the provisions listed under "Description of Visa Application Procedures for Foreign Spouses Joining Legal Residents in Taiwan" and submit the visa application form, original and photocopy of the spouse’s passport, original and photocopy of the marriage certificate, Alien Resident Certificate, Permanent Resident Certificate, the original and photocopy of a qualified health certificate, and other documents to one of the R.O.C.'s overseas missions or to the Bureau of Consular Affairs to apply for a resident visa.
Resident Visas for Underage Children of Foreign Nationals If a foreign investor wishes to bring his/her family (underage children) to Taiwan, he/she can follow the provisions listed under the "Description of Visa Application Procedures for Minors Under 20 Years of Age Joining Legal Residents in Taiwan" and submit the visa application form, original and photocopy of their passport, original and photocopy of their birth certificate, original and photocopy of the parents' marriage certificate, Alien Resident Certificate, Permanent Resident Certificate, original and photocopy of a qualified health certificate, and other documents to one of the R.O.C.'s overseas mission or to the Bureau of Consular Affairs to apply for a resident visa.

Related Link:Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visa Application Information / BOCA VISA

Permanent Visa

Foreign nationals who have invested or have been hired and qualify for permanent residency may apply for the Plum Blossom Card to obtain permanent residency to be exempted from the 183-day residency per year restriction.