Visitors to the Republic of China (Taiwan) must obtain a visa or authorization in advance, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries whose nationals are eligible for visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months (except citizens of Japan and the United States who are only required to hold a passport valid for the entire duration of stay).
Taiwan has special entry requirements to current or former nationals of the People's Republic of China (PRC, commonly known as China) who reside or previously resided in Mainland China. Furthermore, nationals of certain countries must follow different requirements for applications of visitor visas.
Taiwan's immigration system separates work rights and rights of abode from visas. Work rights are regulated though Work Permits issued by the Workforce Development Agency, while Resident Certificates issued by the National Immigration Agency control residence rights. Talent Taiwan was created in 2023 to provide a single agency that could provide advice across all such aspects.[1] [2] [3]
See also: National without household registration. Although the ROC has only one type of nationality, not all ROC nationals have the right of abode in Taiwan. Under the Immigration Act, only those with household registration in Taiwan (nationals with household registration, or NWHRs) have the right of abode in Taiwan and can enter Taiwan without prior authorisation. Holding one of the documents listed below is sufficient to demonstrate such status:[4]
ROC nationals without household registration in Taiwan (NWOHRs) are ineligible to receive a National Identification Card and their passport would not contain their National ID number. To enter Taiwan, one must, in addition to a Taiwan passport, hold one of the following documents:
NWOHRs holding documentation listed below can obtain an entry permit on arrival:
Alternatively, they may enter Taiwan with their non-ROC passports without prior authorization if they also have nationalities of a visa-exempt country.
NWOHRs are subject to immigration control while in Taiwan, and can only remain in Taiwan for a limited time authorized by the entry permit or the immigration officer. Those without any of the above-listed documents will be denied entry to Taiwan.
Holders of passports of the following 65 jurisdictions do not require a visa to visit Taiwan for trips shorter than the duration of stay indicated (duration of stay starts from the next day of arrival).[5] Extensions are not possible except for citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom, who may apply to extend the stay from 90 days to 180 days in accordance with the principle of .[6]
Taiwan grants visa-free access to holders of passports of all states with which it has full diplomatic relations.[7]
The visa exemption does not apply for holders of emergency or temporary passports, except for citizens of Japan and the United States. Other visa exempt nationals holding such passports, however, would still be able to apply for a visa on arrival.
Holders of passports issued by the following countries do not need a visa to visit Taiwan for trips less than 90 days:
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Holders of passports issued by the following countries do not need a visa to visit Taiwan for trips less than 30 days:
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Holders of normal passports issued by the following countries do not need a visa to visit Taiwan for trips less than 14 days. They must hold proof of funds and hotel reservation or contact information in Taiwan. Holders of diplomatic and official passports are not eligible and must obtain a visa.
Stateless permanent residents of Brunei holding Bruneian International Certificate of Identity (ICI) with a validity of at least 6 months are also exempt for 14 days. They must also hold proof of funds and hotel reservation or contact information in Taiwan.
Nationals of 
Turkey can obtain a visa on arrival to Taiwan without charge for a stay of up to 30 days.[51]
In addition, holders of emergency or temporary passports with a validity of more than 6 months issued by visa-exempt countries are eligible for visa on arrival for a fee. The duration of stay is 30 days regardless of nationality and cannot be extended. This measure does not apply to holders of emergency or temporary passports issued by Japan or the United States as they are visa exempt.
Visa on arrival is only available at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. For passengers arriving at Taipei Songshan Airport, Kaohsiung International Airport or Taichung Airport, they would be issued a temporary entry permit and will have to apply for a visa at the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) headquarters in Taipei, any of the offices of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan, or the BOCA office at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Passengers without a visa will not be allowed to depart from Taiwan.
Any passenger arriving at a port of entry other than the one listed above will be denied entry.
Permanent residents of Hong Kong and/or Macau may be eligible for an Exit & Entry Permit upon arrival for NT$300 or may apply for an Entry Permit online at no cost to visit Taiwan for less than 30 days.[52]
The requirements are
First time applicants not born in Hong Kong or Macau are also able to apply for Exit and Entry Permit online from 8 February 2017. Unlike those qualified for the no-fee Entry Permit or Entry and Exit Permit on arrival, the applicants are required to pay a processing fee of NT$600. The processing time is 5 business days. These visitors are required to hold their Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards or Macau Permanent Resident Identity Cards, as well as their proof of previous visits to Taiwan, when applying for Exit and Entry Permits on arrival or the no-fee Entry Permits for subsequent visits.
Since 1 January 2017, Hong Kong and Macau residents are able to apply for double-entry Entry Permits online, providing that they are entering Taiwan by cruise for at least one portion of their trip.[54]
Since 12 January 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ROC started to implement the e-Visa Program. Citizens of the following countries can apply for a single-entry e-Visa to visit Taiwan for less than 30 days. The fee for each application is NT$1,632.[55] [56] On 7 October 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ROC further expanded the list of countries eligible to apply for an e-Visa.[57] [58]
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Nationals of the following countries may apply for a single-entry e-Visa for a maximum stay of 30 days if they are travelling with an approved tour group:[60]
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Also, all foreign nationals except Chinese nationals who are invited by the Taiwanese government to attend international conferences, sports events, trade fairs or other activities organized, co-organized or sponsored by Taiwanese government agencies or certain NGOs are also eligible for an e-Visa. Such applicants must obtain an e-code from their host organizations in Taiwan prior to applying for an e-Visa.[61]
Nationals of the following countries are eligible for a business e-Visa if they have obtained recommendations from the local Taiwan External Trade Development Council since 1 June 2017.[62]
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Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing the code "TWN" on the back of the card can enter Taiwan visa-free for business trips for up to 90 days.ABTCs are issued to nationals of:[63]
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ABTCs are also issued to nationals of China and permanent residents of Hong Kong; however, Chinese nationals residing in mainland China are subject to entry restrictions and cannot use the card to enter Taiwan. Chinese nationals permanently residing in Hong Kong are also ineligible and are required to obtain an Exit and Entry Permit.
Nationals of the following countries can apply for a no-fee Travel Authorization Certificate online for multiple visits to Taiwan, for a duration of no more than 14 days each visit during the certificate's 90-day validity period, if they have never been employed as a guest worker to Taiwan and have met the additional requirements listed below:[64]
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They are required to hold a residential or visitor visa (including Visa Waiver Registration Certificates issued by Japan to Indonesian nationals, and e-Visas), or a residential certificate (including permanent residency) issued by the following countries. The visa can be either valid or expired, but it must not have expired for more than 10 years prior to the date of arrival in Taiwan. Holders of work permits as well as visas marked "void", "cancelled" or "cancelled without prejudice" are not eligible. In addition, travelers utilizing the scheme must also hold a return or onward plane or ship ticket and will be required to present it to the immigration officer.
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1 – excluding holders of entry visas bearing the remark FL (migrant worker), X (others), or P with “Special permission from MOFA” (visa and eVisa for “Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian Countries (Project Kuan-Hong)” ever issued), as well as holders of resident cards with “migrant worker” (移工) as the purpose of residence.
2 – requires electronic visa that is still valid by the date of arrival.
3 – requires visa or visa waiver (for Indonesian e-passport holders) together with proof of record of entering Japan or confirmed onward ticket to Japan.
4 – requires visa together with proof of record of entering South Korea.
Frequent visitors to Taiwan from these countries can also receive multiple entry visas with validity of two to five years.[65]
From 1 June 2017, nationals of these countries who have received a Taiwanese visa (other than a work visa) in the last 10 years are eligible for online registration.
As all Filipino nationals were exempt from visa requirements on 1 November 2017, they were no longer able to register for the certificate from that day onwards. All certificates were also no longer valid for entry since 31 October 2017. Passengers entering Taiwan prior to 1 November 2017 were still allowed to stay for up to 30 days, while those entering Taiwan on or after that day can only stay for up to 14 days.[66]
The period of stay for nationals of all countries was shortened from 30 days to 14 days from 1 August 2018.
In 2018, the passing of the "Act for Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals"[67] created the Taiwan Employment Gold Card. In addition to being a visa, the Gold Card contains an open work permit and residence permit allowing a holder to reside and work in Taiwan for up to 3 years.[68] [69] [70] All foreign nationals, including permanent residents from Hong Kong and Macao, are eligible to apply.[71] The card aims to attract experienced professionals in the fields of Science and Technology, Education, Culture and Arts, Sport, Law, Architecture, and others beneficial to Taiwan's economy. Applicants must pass a skill qualification procedure involving the submission of documents to validate their claims.[72] [73]
Also created with the passing of the "Act for Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals" in 2018, was the Employment Seeking Visa. The Employment Seeking Visa allows applicants with work experience having a salary more than double the minimum wage in Taiwan (a salary of more than NT$47,971 in 2020),[74] and those who just graduated from a "Top 500" university to acquire a six-month multi-entry visitor visa.[75] [76]
Chinese nationals with residency (hukou) in mainland China (including those who are non-permanent residents of Hong Kong or Macau and have relinquished their hukou in mainland China) require prior approvals from the Taiwanese government and are required to hold an Exit and Entry Permit prior to traveling to Taiwan.[77] As of August 2016, Mainland residents can only visit Taiwan as a part of a pre-approved tour group unless they qualify for one of the exemptions:
As of May 2016, Mainland resident visitors applying from mainland China are subject to a daily quota imposed by Taiwan of 14,600 persons per day, with half of the quota available to individual tour applicants. Those who applied from Hong Kong, Macau or a third country are not subject to a quota.[80] It was reported that the Chinese authorities also has an unofficial "soft cap" on the numbers of individual and group tourists, ranging from 40% to 50% of the Taiwanese quota.[81]
All Mainland residents cannot travel to Taiwan on their passports when departing from mainland China and must hold a Travel Permit to and from Taiwan (Chinese: 往來台灣通行證), colloquially known as Mainland Resident Travel Permit (Chinese: 大通證), issued by the Chinese authorities. The current card-type version of the permit is similar to the design of the Two-way permit while older version is a pink, passport-like travel document. Permits must have the appropriate valid exit endorsements (similar to exit visas) on them for the holder to depart from mainland China. Although travelling with the Mainland Resident Travel Permit is not mandatory when departing from Hong Kong, Macau or a third country, the Exit and Entry Permit itself is not a travel document but a de facto entry visa, and is usually tied to the document number of Mainland Resident Travel Permit or the Chinese passport, hence the travelers are still required to carry the travel document they used to apply for the Exit and Entry Permit when travelling to Taiwan.[82]
Since January 2016, Mainland residents are no longer required to hold a Mainland Resident Travel Permit if they depart from airports in Chongqing, Kunming or Nanchang and are only in transit through Taiwan to a third country. Otherwise, the Mainland Resident Travel Permit with exit endorsement is also required for transit through Taiwan if departing from mainland China, but the Exit and Entry Permit is not required if the passengers do not pass immigration control in Taiwan and only remain airside.[83]
From 28 March 2017, mainland Chinese residents are able to apply for the Exit and Entry Permit online if they are residing in a third country.[84]
Although the aforementioned restrictions do not apply to former nationals of China with Mainland residency as well as Hong Kong and Macau residents who have relinquished their hukou, they also face entry restrictions and are required to apply for an Exit and Entry Permit unless they meet the following requirements:
If the requirements are met, they may enter Taiwan according to the visa requirements of the nationality they have acquired, or as residents of Hong Kong and Macau as listed above. However, documentation supporting the change in nationality or residence status, such as a naturalization certificate or a Home Return Permit,[85] is required.
Taiwan has special entry requirements for nationals of certain countries. Nationals of countries mentioned below may only visit Taiwan when one of the following requirements is met:[86]
In addition, those who are visiting Taiwan on business must be interviewed by a Taiwanese consular officer, and their sponsors in Taiwan must submit a guarantee to the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Taiwan.
Countries marked with * may also apply for tourist visas, and they are not required to submit a guarantee from their Taiwanese sponsors when applying for business visas.
The list of the countries is as follows:
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In addition, the requirements also apply to holders of Indian Identity Certificates.
As of 2024, nationals of the following 18 countries are eligible to apply for the Taiwanese working holiday visa (named as "Youth Mobility Scheme" for British and Canadian citizens) through Taiwanese diplomatic missions of their countries of nationality, if they are ordinary residents in their country of nationality and are within the age limits.[87]
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Most visitors arriving to Taiwan on short-term basis were from the following countries of residence:
| Country / territory | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,732,549 | 3,511,734 | 4,184,102 | 3,987,152 | 2,874,702 | ||
| 1,898,854 | 1,895,702 | 1,627,229 | 1,634,790 | 1,421,550 | ||
 Hong Kong[89] | 1,540,765 | 1,474,521 | 1,389,529 | 1,276,039 | 1,105,223 | |
| 1,054,708 | 884,397 | 658,757 | 527,684 | 351,301 | ||
| 561,365 | 523,888 | 479,452 | 458,691 | 414,060 | ||
| 528,019 | 474,420 | 431,481 | 439,240 | 394,326 | ||
| 425,577 | 407,267 | 393,037 | 376,235 | 364,733 | ||
| 383,329 | 196,636 | 146,380 | 137,177 | 118,467 | ||
| 292,534 | 195,640 | 124,409 | 104,812 | 104,138 | ||
| 290,784 | 172,475 | 139,217 | 136,978 | 99,698 | ||
| 189,631 | 188,720 | 177,743 | 182,704 | 171,299 | ||
| Total | 10,739,601 | 10,690,279 | 10,439,785 | 9,910,204 | 8,016,280 | |
| Source: Tourism Bureau, Taiwan[90] | ||||||
Andorra
Australia
Canada
Chile
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
Israel
Japan
Liechtenstein
Marshall Islands
Monaco
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Palau
Paraguay
San Marino
Switzerland
Tuvalu
United Kingdom
United States
Belize
Dominican Republic
Malaysia
Nauru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Singapore
Philippines
Thailand
Bahrain
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Burkina Faso
Colombia
Dominica
Ecuador
Kiribati
Kuwait
Mauritius
Montenegro
Oman
Panama
Peru
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Solomon Islands
United Arab Emirates
Cambodia
India
Indonesia
Myanmar
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Mexico
Papua New Guinea
Ireland
Afghanistan
Algeria
Cameroon
Gambia
Ghana
Iraq
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
Somalia
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Hungary
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Poland
Slovakia