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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: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Iraq, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria (Link)
  • 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 15 days from the day after arrival at the National Immigration Agency. 
Applying for an Alien Resident Certificate after Arrival in Taiwan

ARCThe 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 the ROC 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, Ministry of the Interior, within 15 days from the day after your arrival. (Currently 30 days due to the ongoing pandemic). Foreigners who have legally and continuously resided in Taiwan for five years and for more than 183 days each year, may apply for a Permanent Alie Residence Certificate.
 
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 Accommodation
  • Campus Dormitory: Head to the "Student of Office Affairs" to apply for it.
  • Apartment: Upload 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. Over-staying foreigners who did not apply for an ARC extension will have their residence permit terminated by the authorizing agency and may be expelled from Taiwan.
  2. If your ARC card gets lost or damaged, you have to apply for re-issuance of the ARC with the National Immigration Agency (processing fee: NT$500)
  3. 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 the change to the National Immigration Agency within 15 days from the date of the change. Fines will apply if you fail to inform the NIA about the changes. 
  4. 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.
  5. To check the validity of your Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), please visit this website.
 
Local Office of 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
E-mail: boi@immigration.gov.tw