BestTaiwanThe first-timer's guide to Taiwan

First Time in Taiwan: Arrival-Day Checklist (2026)

Last verified 24 Oct 2026

Quick answer

  • Do four things before you fly: check visa-free status, check passport validity, book a confirmed onward or return ticket, and file the online arrival card.
  • Most visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland enter visa-free for 90 days. Check the BOCA visa-exempt page for your passport.
  • The arrival card is free and must be filed within 7 days before you land, counting arrival day, at twac.immigration.gov.tw.
  • From Taoyuan Airport, the Airport MRT reaches Taipei Main Station for NT$160 in about 39 minutes (Express) or 53 minutes (Commuter).
  • Once in the city, a tap-in, tap-out EasyCard covers the MRT and more. The balance cap is NT$10,000.

The checklist at a glance

When Task Detailed guide
When booking Pick your travel month (heat, rain, typhoons) Best time to visit Taiwan
Weeks before Check visa-free status for your passport Taiwan visa guide
Weeks before Check passport validity; book a confirmed return or onward ticket Taiwan visa guide
Within 7 days of landing File the online arrival card Arrival card guide
At the airport Immigration, baggage, then get connected and sort payment Airport SIM card guide
At the airport Pick up an EasyCard EasyCard guide
Arrival day Ride into the city Airport to Taipei
Landing late What still runs after the last train Late-night arrival guide
First evening Taipei Metro basics Taipei MRT guide
Later in the trip Book the high-speed rail south High Speed Rail guide
Before you fly Install transit, taxi and weather apps Apps for Taiwan · Uber and taxis

Before you fly

  1. Check whether you need a visa. The Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) groups visa-exempt countries by length of stay: 90 days for the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland; 30 days for Singapore and Malaysia; 14 days for Thailand and the Philippines. India, Indonesia and Vietnam are not on the exempt list. The stay starts the day after you arrive and generally cannot be extended. Details and exceptions are in the Taiwan visa guide.
  2. Check your passport. Most visa-exempt nationalities need at least six months of validity on the day they enter. US and Japanese passports need validity for the intended stay.
  3. Hold a confirmed return or onward ticket. BOCA lists this, along with a confirmed seat on the departure flight, as a requirement. Do not arrive with an open-ended plan.
  4. File the arrival card. Foreign visitors without an Alien Resident Certificate, resident visa or diplomatic ID card must submit the Taiwan Arrival Card online, within 7 days before arrival (arrival day counts). It is free and each traveler files their own, whatever their age. Use only twac.immigration.gov.tw. Step by step: Taiwan arrival card guide.

This is the same set of entry requirements the officer will check at the desk. They can change, so recheck the BOCA page before you fly.

At Taoyuan Airport

  1. Immigration. Have your passport, onward ticket and arrival-card confirmation email ready. You do not need to print the card, but an officer may ask to see the email, so keep a copy that opens offline. If you have no device or no verification email, the airport lets you complete the card on a tablet in the Immigration Hall, though that costs time.
  2. Baggage. Collect your bags after immigration.
  3. Get connected and get cash. All three mobile networks sell tourist SIM cards in the arrivals hall; operators, published prices, ID rules and counter hours are in the Taiwan airport SIM card guide. For cash, Bank of Taiwan’s exchange machines and counters in arrivals are covered in currency exchange at Taoyuan Airport, and where foreign cards work is in cash or card in Taiwan.
  4. Pick up an EasyCard if you want one. EasyCard lists sales and top-up machines at Terminals 1 and 2. The maximum balance is NT$10,000, and refunds are restricted, so load small amounts. Rules are in the EasyCard guide.

Getting to Taipei

  1. Take the Airport MRT. Both terminals have a station on level B2. A train leaves about every 7.5 minutes.
Express Commuter
Stops A1, A3, A8, A12, A13 Every station
To Taipei Main Station About 39 min About 53 min
Fare NT$160 NT$160

Last Express to Taipei is 22:58 (Terminal 1) or 22:55 (Terminal 2); last Commuter is 23:37 or 23:35. Landing later than that? Queue taxis run 24 hours on the meter, with expressway tolls extra. The late-night arrival guide goes through each hour. Buses, taxis and HSR are compared in Taoyuan Airport to Taipei.

At the gate, tap one card or phone only. The Airport MRT accepts EasyCard, iPASS and HappyCash, plus contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay cards and phone wallets.

First evening in Taipei

  1. Drop your bags. Taipei Main Station is the end of the Airport MRT line (A1), so check your hotel’s nearest station before you leave the airport.
  2. Use the Metro. Taipei Metro’s English ticket page lists EasyCard, iPASS and iCASH stored-value cards, and says bank cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay, Diners Club, Discover) and phone wallets can also be used. Check that page for how payment works at the gate. Fares, passes and line tips are in the Taipei MRT guide.
  3. Keep the first night light. You will have been through immigration, baggage and a train ride. Eat near the hotel and plan the rest of the trip tomorrow. If you are heading to Taichung, Tainan or Kaohsiung later, the High Speed Rail guide covers tickets and foreigner passes.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming 90 days for every passport. Check yours against the BOCA list.
  • Leaving the arrival card to the airport. It can be done there, but it costs time. File before you fly.
  • Using a look-alike site. The official arrival-card site never asks for payment details.
  • Landing after the last train without a plan. Know the last-train times, and that queue taxis run 24 hours.
  • Loading a large EasyCard balance. Refunds over NT$1,000 cannot be handled at a counter.

Rules change; check the BOCA page and the arrival card FAQ before you fly. Last verified October 24, 2026.

Photos

Immigration hall at Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1 with large TAIWAN lettering
Immigration hall in Terminal 1. Photo taken March 2024. Photo: Meutnake Ah ManHO, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fare gates of the Airport MRT at Taipei Main Station
Airport MRT gates at Taipei Main Station. Photo taken 2017. Photo: MiNe from Taipei, Taiwan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Main concourse of Taipei Main Station with its checkered floor
Taipei Main Station concourse. Photo taken 2021. Photo: Lokseng01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

FAQ

What are the entry requirements for Taiwan?
For visa-exempt passports: a formal passport with six months of validity on the entry date (US and Japanese passports need validity for the stay), a confirmed return or onward ticket, and the online arrival card. Some nationalities need a visa or authorization first, so check BOCA.
When should I submit the Taiwan Arrival Card?
Within 7 days before arrival, including the day you land. It is free, valid for one entry only, and the only official site is twac.immigration.gov.tw.
How do I get from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei?
The Airport MRT is the default. It costs NT$160 to Taipei Main Station, and takes about 39 minutes by Express or 53 minutes by Commuter train.
Do I need an EasyCard on a first trip?
Not strictly. Taoyuan Metro and Taipei Metro also accept contactless bank cards and phone wallets, but an EasyCard is a simple tap-in, tap-out option for public transport and small purchases.

Sources & last verified

Checked against the official sources below on 24 Oct 2026.