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Visa & ARC information

If you wish to study or work at Taiwan Tech, you will have to apply for a visa at a Taiwan R.O.C. representative office in your home country. Please visit the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details on the visa applications.

  • Visitor’s Visa: If you plan to stay in Taiwan for no more than 6 months.
  • Resident Visa: If you plan to stay in Taiwan for more than 6 months.
  • Visa Application for Students from Designated Countries: Students from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Iraq, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria will need to apply for the visa through a special process. 
  • Visa-free entrance: If you plan to stay in Taiwan for no more than 3 months. Nationals from certain countries can enter Taiwan visa-free for 30 - 90 days per entry (no extension available.)
  • Alien Resident Certificate (ARC): If you will stay in Taiwan for more than 6 months, you have to apply for an ARC within 30 days from the day after arrival at the National Immigration Agency. 

Applying for an Alien Resident Certificate after Arrival in Taiwan

The Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) serves as a temporary ID card for foreign residents in Taiwan to prove their resident status in Taiwan.
Foreign nationals are permitted to stay in Taiwan as long as the Alien Resident Certificate remains valid, please pay attention to its expiration date!
You have to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate at your local office of the National Immigration Agency within 30 days from the day after your arrival.

Required Documents
1. Passport 
3. 2-inch photos (2 photos for first-time applicants; 1 photo for applicants for ARC extension)
4. Resident Visa
5. Certificate of Enrollment
6. Proof of Residence

  • On-Campus: Coordinate with the Office of Student Affairs
  • Off-campus:  Prepare your tenancy agreement

Online Application 
Please access the National Immigration Agency Online Application system for Foreign Students. You have to create an account in the system and upload the required documents to apply for your ARC.
Fees: NT$1,000 (Valid for one year)

Important Information

  1. If the remark on your visitor visa is 'FS', please apply directly to the National Immigration Agency's Online Application system for an ARC. Fees: NT$3,200 (first-time application).
  2. Over-staying foreigners who did not apply for an ARC extension will have their residence permit terminated and may be expelled from Taiwan.
  3. To check the validity of your ARC, please check the date of expiry.  
  4. If your ARC card gets lost or damaged, you have to apply for re-issuance through the National Immigration Agency's Online Application system. (processing fee: NT$500)
  5. If there is any change of information that was used to apply for the ARC, e.g. a new passport number, change of address, etc., you have to report it through the National Immigration Agency's Online Application system within 30 days from the date of the change. Fines will apply if you fail to inform the NIA about the changes. 
  6. For Master’s and PhD students: If the oral defense exam for your thesis is scheduled in July, you may not receive your diploma before July 31. Please contact your department office before July 15 to make necessary arrangements for the extension of your ARC. For any questions, please inquire with the Office of International Affairs.
  7. Entering Taiwan with a visitor visa for tourism purposes (remark 'P'), you cannot change to a study visa (remark 'FS' or 'FR') while in Taiwan. To reside in Taiwan for the purpose of study, you must leave the country and apply for a study visa.
  8. If you plan to leave Taiwan within 30 days of arrival, please notify the Taiwan R.O.C. representative office that you require a Multiple Entry visa when applying. If you hold a Single Entry visa and leave before obtaining your ARC, you will need to reapply for a visa at the overseas Taiwan R.O.C. representative office to return. It is advisable to wait until you have your ARC before departing.
  9. Students with a visa remark of 'FR' must change their status to foreign student status (remark 'FS') at the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the validity of their visa. For detailed application requirements, please contact the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 02-2343-2888. After obtaining a new visa, you can apply for an ARC. 

  1. A foreigner who enters Taiwan with Visa-Exempt Entry, Landing Visa, or some other type of visa not related to the purpose of study is not permitted to apply for a resident visa or for an extension of their stay on the grounds of undertaking study.

Local Office of the National Immigration Agency (NIA) Google Map Link
Address: No.15 Guangjhou Street, Jhongjheng District, Taipei City
Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. through the lunch hour, from Monday to Friday
Main Telephone Line: (02) 2388-9393
Automatic Answering Telephone Line: (02) 2370-2797
NIA 24-hour Information Hotline (Chinese, English, Japanese): 1990
E-mail: boi@immigration.gov.tw