How to apply for a Taiwan student visa

If you have accepted a place at a university in Taiwan, you will normally need permission to enter and remain in the country for your studies. The correct process depends on your course length, study type, nationality, and where you apply.

For most international students taking a full-time degree lasting more than six months, the main entry document is a Resident Visa for Foreign Students. After arriving, you must apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), which becomes your main residence document.

A Resident Visa and an ARC are different documents. The visa allows you to enter Taiwan for long-term study. The ARC records your continuing permission to live in Taiwan.

Taiwan student visa routes

Mandarin-language students follow a separate process. Some students who enter on a Visitor Visa specifically for studying Chinese may later apply for residence after completing at least four months of study and registering for another three months or more. Institution, attendance, and weekly study requirements also apply. Check the official Mandarin study guidance.

Taiwan student visa application process

1. Accept your place: Obtain the official admission document issued by your university.
2. Confirm the correct visa route: Check the course length, study type, and nationality rules with your university and the Taiwan representative office responsible for your country.
3. Prepare authenticated documents: Academic records and other overseas documents may need authentication. Documents not in Chinese or English generally need an authenticated translation.
4. Complete the application form: Fill in Taiwan’s online visa application form, print the form with its barcode, sign it, and attach the required photographs.
5. Submit your application: Students applying from outside Taiwan normally submit their documents to a Taiwanese embassy, consulate, or representative office. The online form does not replace this submission step.
6. Pay the application fee: The amount depends on your nationality, visa type, and where you apply.
7. Complete any additional checks: You may be asked to attend an interview or provide additional or corrected documents.
8. Receive the decision and prepare to travel: Check the visa details carefully and do not assume that university admission guarantees visa approval.
9. Apply for your ARC: After entering with a Resident Visa, apply for residence within 30 days through the National Immigration Agency’s student system.

Do not assume you can enter Taiwan as a visitor and change to student residence later. If you enter visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with a Visitor Visa issued for another purpose, you may not be able to switch after arrival. Check the correct study route before traveling using the BOCA guidance for full-time foreign students.

Taiwan student visa requirements

Full-time degree students are commonly asked for:

• A signed visa application form with a barcode
• Two recent color passport photographs with a white background
• A passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages
• A copy of the passport information page
• An official admission permit
• A health certificate issued within the previous three months
• The highest relevant diploma and academic transcripts
• Proof of sufficient financial support
• Chinese or English translations where required
• Authentication of relevant overseas documents
• Any additional documents requested

Taiwan’s official guidance says financial evidence should show enough money for at least six consecutive months of living needs. It does not give one universal minimum for every applicant. If a relative provides the funds, evidence of the family relationship may also be required.

For the Resident Visa application, BOCA currently requires two 45 mm by 35 mm color photographs with a white background, taken within the previous six months. The later ARC application has its own photograph requirement: a recent two-inch photograph meeting Taiwan’s national ID specifications. Follow the instructions for each application separately.

Taiwan student visa costs

The standard charges are:

If you apply from outside Taiwan, the Taiwan representative office will confirm the currency and amount you need to pay. Fees may vary depending on your nationality and application type.

Visa and ARC fees can change. Check the latest BOCA visa fee schedule and NIA student residence guidance before budgeting or applying.

Taiwan student visa processing time

Processing times for applications made outside Taiwan depend on where you apply. Your application may take longer if you need an interview, document authentication, or additional evidence. Contact the Taiwan representative office handling your application for a current estimate.

As a guide, official processing estimates are eight working days for Resident Visa applications made in Taiwan and five working days for complete student ARC applications. Allow extra time if documents are missing or further checks are needed.

Apply as early as your circumstances allow and avoid making non-refundable travel arrangements before the visa is issued.

Visas for dependants

A spouse or child is not added automatically to a student’s visa. Eligible family members must make separate residence visa applications.

In general, the student needs an ARC or another qualifying residence document valid for more than six months. Family members may need authenticated proof of their relationship, such as a marriage or birth certificate, as well as health documents. Requirements differ for spouses and children under 18, so check the official spouse guidance and minor child guidance before applying.

Working while studying in Taiwan

International students generally need a work permit before starting a job. Foreign students formally enrolled at a Taiwanese university or college may apply. Students taking language courses normally need to have studied for at least six months before becoming eligible.

Outside the winter and summer vacations, permitted working hours must not exceed 20 hours per week. The statutory 20-hour limit does not apply during those vacations, although work-permit conditions and other employment laws still apply. Check the official student work guidance before accepting work.

If your visa is refused

Taiwan’s authorities may refuse a visa without providing a detailed reason, and application fees are normally non-refundable. University admission does not guarantee that a visa will be issued or that entry will be permitted.

If your application is refused:

• Read any notice or request for documents carefully
• Contact the Taiwan representative office that handled your application
• Tell your university promptly, especially if the decision affects enrollment
• Ask whether missing or incorrectly authenticated documents can be corrected
• Get qualified immigration advice if your circumstances are complex

After arriving in Taiwan

Apply for your ARC within 30 days from the day after arrival. You will normally need your passport, Resident Visa or qualifying study Visitor Visa, recent admission or enrollment evidence, photograph, and proof of your address in Taiwan.

Once you have an ARC:

• Check its expiry date and conditions
• Apply for an extension within the three months before it expires
• Report a change of address within 30 days
• Keep your enrollment and residence records current
• Contact your university before changing or leaving your program

After graduating from a degree program in Taiwan, international students may apply to the National Immigration Agency to extend their residence for one year. A further one-year extension may be available, allowing up to two years in total. Approval is not automatic.

Foreign graduates who earned a Taiwanese associate degree or higher and receive approval for this extended residence may work during the approved period without applying for a separate work permit. Regulated professions may still require professional qualifications or registration. Check the current NIA residence guidance and Workforce Development Agency rules before relying on this option.