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Visa information

For those who are accepted to Taiwan Tech, please visit the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visa application.
Website: http://www.boca.gov.tw/
  • Visitor’s Visa: For those who will stay in Taiwan for no more than 6 months.
  • Resident Visas: For those who will study in Taiwan for more than 6 months.
  • Visa free entrance: http://www.boca.gov.tw/ (students from a certain country can enter Taiwan Visa free for 30- 90 days per entry, no extension available.)
  • Alien Resident Certificate (ARC): For those who will study in Taiwan for more than 6 months. Students need to apply for their ARC within 15 days from the day after arrival, otherwise a fine will be apply to the student by visa office. Please visit the National Immigration Agency website for application information: http://www.immigration.gov.tw
  • Resident Visa
    Foreign nationals who have entered the ROC with Visitor Visas for the purpose of pursuing studies must make the necessary visa change into a Resident Visa at the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before the Visitor Visa’s expiration date. (For information on Visitor Visas see http://www.boca.gov.tw/mp.asp?mp=2 Click “Visa” then “Visitor Visa.”)
    Resident Visa holders (or those who obtained a Resident Visa through visa change after entering the ROC on a Visitor Visa) are required to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and Reentry
    Permit at their local office of the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior, within 15 days from the day after their arrival or (for those processing visa change) within 15 days of the issue of the Resident Visa. They may stay in the ROC as long as the Alien Resident Certificate remains valid.
    • Required Documents
    2. Two 2-inch photos taken in the last six months.
    3. Original passport with blank pages and at least six months’ validity and one photocopy.
    4. Admission Notice of NTUST and one photocopy.
    5. Supporting documents or official letters of approval from a competent authority of the ROC, and other relevant documents,as may be required by consular officials.
    • Application Fee
            1. The processing fee for applicants with US nationality: NT$4,800 (USD 160)
    2. The processing fee for applicants of other nationalities: NT$4,400 (USD 132)
    3. An additional charge for visas applied for in the ROC: NT$800 (US$24)
    • Other Key Points
    ​1. Foreigners who come to the ROC with a Visa upon Arrival, with a Visa Exemption, or with a Visa other than a Student Status Visa cannot ask for a visa extension for the purpose of pursuing education. Non-degree students cannot apply for a Student Status Visa.
    2. Foreign nationals who have entered the ROC with Visitor Visas for the purpose of pursuing studies must make the necessary visa change into a Resident Visa at the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before the Visitor Visa’s expiration date.
    3. Resident Visa holders (or those who obtained a Resident Visa through visa change after entering the ROC on a Visitor Visa) are required to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and Re-entry Permit at their local office of the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior, within 15 days from the day after their arrival or (for those processing visa change) within 15 days of the issue of the Resident Visa. They may stay in the ROC as long as the Alien Resident Certificate remains valid.
    4. If Alien Resident Certificate holders need to leave and re-enter the ROC within the valid period of their ARC, they should apply for a Re-entry Permit while applying for their ARC.
    For more details, please contact the Bureau of Consular Affairs,Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    Address: 3rd-5th Fl., No.2-2 Chi-Nan Road, Sec. 1, Taipei
    Tel: (02) 2343-2888
    Visa Inquiry Hotline: (02)2343-2885; (02)2343-2895
    Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.~ 5 p.m., Monday to Friday
    Alien Resident Certificate
    For international students, the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) serves as their temporary ID card which can prove their resident status in Taiwan. It is a very important document, and we advise you to take good care of it and pay attention to its expiration date!
    Moreover, whether you have entered Taiwan with a Resident Visa or obtained a Resident Visa through visa change within Taiwan, please remember to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and Re-entry Permit at your local office of the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior, within 15 days from the day after your arrival or (for those processing visa change) within 15 days of the issue of the Resident Visa.
    • Required Documents
    1. Application Form
    www.immigration.gov.tw Click “English”, then click “Application Form” on the left
    2. Alien Resident Certificate (except for first-time applicants)
    3. 2-inch photo (2 photos for first-time applicants; 1 photo for applicants for ARC extension.)
    4. Original Passport and Resident Visa and one photocopy of each.
    5. Original Student ID Card or Enrollment Verification and one photocopy.
    (New students could use NTUST admission as verification, and the National Immigration Agency Service Office will grant an ARC with one month’s validity in the beginning. When students complete their registration and receive their student ID cards, they should extend their ARC to one year’s validity.)
    • Application Procedure
    When applying for an ARC, please input this link (https://reurl.cc/Ylz1kx) to access National Immigration Agency Online Application System for Foreign Students. And, you have to create an account in the system and upload required documents to apply for your ARC.
    • Payment
    NT$1,000 (Valid for one year)
    • Other Points to Note
    1. Resident Visa holders (or those who obtained a Resident Visa through visa change after entering the ROC on a Visitor Visa) are required to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and Re-entry Permit at their local office of the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior, within 15 days from the day after their arrival or (for those processing visa change) within 15 days of the issue of the Resident Visa. They may stay in the ROC as long as the Alien Resident Certificate remains valid.
    2. If Alien Resident Certificate holders need to leave and re-enter the ROC within the valid period of their ARC, they should apply for a Re-entry Permit while applying for the ARC.
    3. Over-staying foreigners who did not apply for an ARC extension will have their residence terminated by the authorized agency, and they may be expelled from Taiwan.
    4. Applicants requesting ARC reissue due to the loss or damage of their ARC must pay NT$500 for the reissue processing.
    5. If there is any change to the information originally used to apply for the ARC (for example, a new passport number, a change of address, etc.), the student must report the change to their local office of the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior, within 15 days from the date of the change. Failure to promptly report such changes can result in serious problems later on!
    6. Master’s and Ph.D. students please note: If the oral defense exam for your thesis is scheduled in July, it is possible that you will not receive your diploma before July 31. In this case, please contact your department office before July 15 to make necessary arrangements for the extension of your ARC. If you have any questions about how to deal with this situation, please come to the Office of International Affairs.
    For more details, please contact the National Immigration Agency (NIA)
    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): 0800-024-111