Taiwan Visa Policy

Familiarize yourself with the visa policy of Taiwan and discover Taiwanese visa requirements for your nationality.

Visa Policy for Taiwan

On this page, you can find about the visa policy and requirements that your nationality needs to meet to travel to the island of Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC).

Taiwanese visa policy is the set of travel regulations, laws, and requirements that a foreign citizen is subject to according to their nationality.

All travelers to Taiwan, whether they need a visa or not, must hold a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months. An exception applies to citizens of Japan and the United States, who must have a passport valid for the entire stay in the country.

Taiwanese visa rules currently state that around 60 countries are exempt from visas.

The visa policy for Taiwan states that the majority of visa-exempt citizens may enjoy a visa-free stay of between 14 and 90 days, depending on nationality.

Because of reciprocal agreements, citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom are also able to extend their visa-free stay up to 180 days.

However, more than 180 nationalities require a visa to travel to Taiwan. This may be obtained in advance either through a government diplomatic office or through an online application.

Citizens of less than 5 countries are able to obtain a visa on arrival to gain entry to the ROC. This travel document is only available at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Passport holders from around 20 countries are able to apply for a Taiwanese electronic visa online, which eliminates the need to get a paper travel document from an embassy or consulate of Taiwan.

All other nationalities must apply for a visa at a Taiwanese diplomatic government office.

Below you will find a complete list of visa regulations to travel to Taiwan from your country of residence.

Tourist Visa Policy for Taiwan

Although Taiwan’s visa policy states that a citizen from a visa-exempt territory can travel to the Republic of China visa-free for purposes of tourism, it also states that individuals from more than 180 countries need to apply for a Taiwanese tourist visa.

Nationals of around 20 countries are able to apply for a Taiwanese tourist eVisa through a simple online application. This electronic visa for tourism permits holders a single entry to the ROC and allows a stay of up to 30 days.

An approved Taiwan eVisa for tourism is usually processed quickly and sent to the applicant via email, eliminating the need to visit a Taiwanese visa in person to submit an embassy application.

A tourist visa on arrival for Taiwan is available to travelers from under 5 countries, and it may only be obtained by eligible passengers arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Furthermore, there are over 160 countries whose citizens must apply for a tourist visa from a Taiwanese government office in advance of travel. This involves the citizen having to make an appointment several weeks before the trip and supplying a range of supporting documents.

Find below further information about Taiwanese tourist visa requirements for your nationality.

eVisa

A Taiwanese eVisa is an electronic visa, introduced in 2016, that facilitates the process of obtaining travel authorization for Taiwan. It can be obtained exclusively online and eliminates the need to submit an embassy visa application in person.

An approved Taiwanese visa online is issued as a single entry eVisa which allows the holder to enter the ROC once for a short stay up to 30 days. The majority of eligible citizens can apply for a Taiwanese eVisa for purposes of tourism or business.

Taiwanese visa requirements state that all citizens who are eligible for a visa online must hold a passport a with a minimum validity of 6 months from the intended date of entry to Taiwan, containing between one or two blank pages.

The protocol of applying for a Taiwanese eVisa involves pre-registering an online application. It is necessary to complete this simple form with basic personal data, passport and travel information, as well as provide differing supporting documentation depending on the purpose of the visit.

Once the traveler submits the form and it is correctly processed, a copy of the approved eVisa for Taiwan will be sent to the traveler’s email address.

Those eligible for an eVisa who wish to stay in Taiwan for longer consecutive periods must go to an embassy or consulate in order to obtain the correct type visa.

Below you will find a complete list of all the countries for which an eVisa for Taiwan is available.

Bahrain
Burkina Faso
Colombia
Dominica
Ecuador
Hong Kong
Kiribati
Kuwait
Mauritius
Montenegro
Oman
Panama
Peru
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Solomon Islands
Swaziland
United Arab Emirates

Taiwan eVisa Info

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Taiwan eVisa Conditions

Although most eVisa nationalities do not need to provide extra supporting documentation for an online visa to be approved, citizens of a select few Asian countries must provide proof that they are traveling with an approved tour group in order for an online visa for Taiwan to be approved.

Additionally, applicants from a few other territories in Asia are only able to able to obtain a business eVisa if they have a recommendation from the local Taiwan External Trade Development Council.

Furthermore, all foreign passport holders, whether they are usually eligible for an eVisa or not, are able to obtain a Taiwan eVisa if they receive an invitation from the Taiwanese government to attend certain events on the island.

This includes sporting events, international conferences, and trade fairs, among other activities, that are either organized, co-organized or sponsored by Taiwanese government agencies, or select non-profit organizations.

In order to apply for an eVisa to attend such events, the applicant must first obtain an e-code from a host organization in Taiwan, which they must then supply on the online form.

However, please note that this option is not available to People’s Republic of China passport holders.

Visa on Arrival

Taiwan visa policy currently states that there are a couple of nationalities that can apply for a visa on arrival.

In accordance with the established laws, citizens who are nationals of these eligible countries can obtain a visa on arrival at one designated port of entry in Taiwan , as well as emergency and temporary passport holders issued by visa-exempt countries.

To obtain a Taiwanese visa on arrival, it is necessary for eligible travelers to enter the country through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, as it is the only airport on the island that offers this application option.

Once there, they must wait in line in an immigration queue to be handed an application form, which they will then need to complete with personal, passport, and travel details. Emergency and temporary passport holders must pay a mandatory fee before the visa on arrival can be approved.

An approved visa on arrival allows a maximum stay of 30 days in Taiwan, regardless of the traveler’s nationality.

Browse the list below and discover if a visa on arrival for Taiwan is available from your country of origin.

Macau
Turkey

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Temporary Entry Permit on Arrival

Eligible travelers arriving at Taipei Songshan, Kaohsiung International, or Taichung airports cannot obtain a visa on arrival, but they may be issued a temporary entry permit. However, once inside the country, they are obliged to obtain a visa from a government office.

This may be applied for from the Taipei Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA), the BOCA office in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, or any of the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices.

Any of these passengers who do not obtain a visa while in the country will not be permitted to depart from Taiwan.

Any visa on arrival citizen wishing to enter Taiwan through another airport not mentioned above without applying for a visa in advance will be denied entry.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

Although Taiwan’s visa policy states that there are up to 65 nationalities that do not require a visa for short stays, citizens of up to 160 countries need to apply for a visa from the closest Taiwanese embassy or consulate in advance, no matter the duration or purpose of the visit.

Nationals of these countries must request an appointment at a Taiwanese government diplomatic office several weeks before their trip. This is because the process of obtaining the approved visa can take up to 2 weeks or longer.

When attending the approved consular interview, the applicant must provide the passport with which they will intend to travel and the completed visa application form.

All Taiwanese embassy visa applicants must have a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months, containing between one or two blank pages.

When completing the form, the applicant must choose the type of Taiwanese visa they require depending on the purpose of the visit, whether a student visa, tourist visa, business visa, work visa, or other visa option.

A travel document from an embassy may be issued as either a single or multiple entry visa. The length of stay allowed will depend on the visa required and nationality of the citizen.

Check the list below to find out if an embassy visa to travel to Taiwan is required for your nationality.

Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cuba
Curacao
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Isle of Man
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Martinique
Mauritania
Mayotte
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
New Caledonia
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Pakistan
Palestinian Territory
Papua New Guinea
Pitcairn Islands
Puerto Rico
Reunion
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Timor Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United States Virgin Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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Taiwan Embassy Permit for Chinese Citizens

In accordance with the visa policy established in 2016, Chinese citizens who are residents in Mainland China, regardless of whether or not they have permanent residence in Hong Kong or Macao, must go to a government office to apply for an entry and exit permit for Taiwan.

Chinese citizens that are residents of a territory outside of mainland China are able to request travel permission through the online application.

The requirements established for Chinese citizens to visit Taiwan and obtain such a permit will be to provide a valid passport or have the document known as a “Mainland Resident Travel Permit” issued by the Chinese authorities.

If Chinese citizens are traveling through Taiwan in transit, a travel permit is not required as long as they do not pass through Taiwanese immigration control.

Visa not Required

Taiwan’s visa policy states that citizens who are nationals of around 65 countries can enter the country without obtaining a visa.

In accordance with the visa rules, Taiwan visa-exempt citizens can stay in the country between 14 and 90 days, depending on nationality.

The period of visa-free stay granted cannot be extended, with the exception of Candian and British passport holders, who can extend the visit up to 180 days because of reciprocal agreements.

Chinese citizens with a relative in Taiwan are also able to enter the ROC and reside on the island without prior authorization

Taiwanese visa law also states that any visitor wishing to pass through Taiwan to a third destination will not need a transit visa, as long as they do not go through immigration control.

If a visa-exempt citizen wishes to stay for a longer period than that permitted for their nationality, they must go to a Taiwanese embassy or consulate before traveling and obtain the corresponding visa.

Find below a full list of the countries whose citizens do not require a visa to travel to Taiwan.

Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Belize
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Monaco
Nauru
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Palau
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Cyprus
Romania
Russian Federation
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
San Marino
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tuvalu
United Kingdom
United States
Vatican City

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Visa Not Required for Residents of Hong Kong or Macau

Chinese nationals and British (Overseas) citizens who are permanent residents of Hong Kong and/or Macau, do not need a visa for Taiwan, but they are required to have an entry/exit permit.

To be eligible for this visa exemption, the traveler must:

Have been born in Hong Kong or Macau, or have entered Taiwan at least once as a permanent resident of Hong Kong or Macau SAR, and have proofs of previous visits.
Hold either a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport, British National (Overseas) passport, or a Macao Special Administrative Region passport valid for at least 3 months from the intended arrival date in Taiwan.
Not hold passports issued by other countries or have additional nationalities.

Travelers who meet these requirements are either able to apply for an Exit & Entry Permit upon arrival in Taiwan, or online in advance, to receive an approved permit for a stay of up to 30 consecutive days.

An online authorization for Hong Kong and Macau residents may be issued as a double-entry permit, as long as the holder is planning to enter Taiwan by cruise ship at some point in the journey.

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