Passport and visa regulations
Nationalities
| Passport required | visa required | Return ticket required | |
| Germany | Yes | no | Yes |
| Austria | Yes | no | Yes |
| Switzerland | Yes | no | Yes |
| Turkey | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other EU countries | Yes | no | Yes |
Passport information
Generally required, must be valid for at least 6 months for single entry, at least 18 months for multiple entries (visa for one year).
Visa information
Attention: Since March 19, 2020, only foreigners with a Taiwanese permanent residence permit (ARC/APRC, Blue Card MoFA) or a “business visa” for work purposes are allowed to enter the country. Exceptions are possible in special cases, please contact your local Taipei representative. A visa is generally required. Citizens of the following countries listed in the table above do not require a visa for stays (visit purposes) of up to 90 days (non-extendable) provided they have no criminal record, have a valid return ticket and sufficient funds and come to international Airports or at seaports Keelung, Hualien, Taichung, Kinmen Shuitou Harbour,
Note on the visa
EU citizens and Swiss who wish to stay in Taiwan for more than 90 days must complete the visa application online at the Consular Affairs Bureau. Turkish nationals can apply for a visa for stays of up to 30 days from the Bureau of Consular Affairs upon immigration at Taiwan Taoyuan Airport. If you arrive via Taipei SongShan Airport, Taichung Airport or via Kaohsiung International Airport, you can only apply for a “temporary entry permit”, which you then have to present to the branches of the Consular Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to obtain a visa to apply. etc
- Thembaprograms: Offers ultimate guide to duty-free shopping in Taiwan, China. Also includes import and export regulations, as well as embassy and telecommunication information about this country.
Costs
Germany, Austria Single entry: €43. Multiple entry: €86. Switzerland single entry: 51 CHF. Multiple entry: 103 CHF. Express issuance (issuing within 24 hours): plus 50% of the visa fee. The fees vary according to nationality and must be requested on a case-by-case basis.
Visa types and costs
Single and multiple entry visas (the latter usually only for business trips).
Validity
Single entry visa: Usually three months from the date of issue for stays of up to 60 days. Multiple entry visa: 3 or 6 months or 1 year from date of issue for stays of up to 60 days. It can be entered as often as you like.
Transit
Travelers who otherwise require a visa and who fly on to a third country on the same day with the same aircraft or the first connecting flight, have valid papers for the onward journey and do not leave the transit area of the airport do not require a transit visa. (The airline on which the traveler flies must be informed of his name, flight number and destination. The minimum transfer time is 60 minutes.) In person or by mail to the Taipei Missions or Economic and Cultural Bureaus.
Application required
Tourist Visa: (a) 1 Application Form (must be completed online and then printed https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/). (b) 2 recent color passport photographs. (c) Passport that is still valid for at least 6 (or 18) months upon entry. (d) Fee (Corporations also by personal check). (e) confirmed flight reservation/travel agent confirmation. (f) If applicable, proof of sufficient financial means for the duration of the stay. (g) Hotel reservation or invitation from Taiwan, if applicable. Additional multiple visa (business trips): (h) Letter of secondment from your own company with information on the purpose and duration of the trip and confirmation of the assumption of costs. (i) Letter of Invitation from Business Partner in Taiwan.
Temporary Residence
Inquiries to the Taipei representations or economic and cultural offices (see contact addresses).
Processing time
Normally 3 days; at least 1 week for postal applications. 2-6 months for foreign applicants.
Documents required upon entry
(a) Confirmed return or onward travel tickets. (b) Sufficient Funds. (c) Visas for third countries, if applicable.
Entry with children
German: Machine-readable children’s passport (visa is required) or your own passport (entry without a visa). Austrians: Own passport. Swiss: Own passport. Turks: Own passport. Note: The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents. Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Entry with pets
An import permit from the Bureau Of Animal And Plant Health Inspection And Quarantine in Taipei is required for dogs and cats (processing time: approx. 6 weeks). The application should be in English and must be accompanied by a rabies vaccination certificate (1 month to 1 year old), 4 color photos of the animal, a health certificate and an official quarantine certificate issued by the official veterinarian of the country of origin. Dogs and cats must be identifiable by a microchip. Dogs and cats from Germany, Austria and Switzerland without the required documents must be quarantined for 21 days.
