Taiwan Visa Guide 2026: Who Needs One, Who Doesn't, and the Arrival Card

Taiwan's visa-free list is broad for a country its size. United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and most European Union nationalities can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. A number of other nationalities, including Singapore and Malaysia, get a shorter 30-day visa-free allowance. Taiwan has also extended a trial visa-free entry program for Thailand, Brunei and the Philippines covering stays of up to 14 days, running through July 2026 at the time of writing — check the current status before booking if you're traveling on one of these passports, since trial programs can be adjusted or made permanent.

If your nationality isn't covered by any of these arrangements, you'll need to apply for a visa through a Taiwan representative office in advance; this cannot be arranged on arrival.

Regardless of visa-free status, every visitor must complete the Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online, within three days before landing. This is a straightforward digital form covering passport details, flight information and a Taiwan contact address, not a visa application or a payment — but it's a hard requirement, and arriving without having completed it can cause delays or complications at the immigration counter. Complete it through Taiwan's official immigration portal rather than a third-party site charging a service fee for something free to do directly.

Passports should be valid well beyond the planned stay, and immigration officers can ask for proof of onward travel, so keep a return or connecting flight itinerary accessible rather than only in email.

This is the detail that trips up travelers combining a multi-stop Asia itinerary: Taiwan, mainland China and Hong Kong each run their own, entirely separate immigration systems. A visa-free allowance or visa for one does not extend to either of the others. If your trip includes more than one of these, treat each as its own entry requirement from the start, with its own arrival card or visa process, rather than assuming one covers the trip.