Do I Need a Visa for Taiwan? Visa-Free Countries and Days (2026)

Last verified 24 Oct 2026

Visa-free tiers at a glance

BOCA groups visa-exempt countries by the number of days allowed. The page was last updated on 2026-07-17, and the count starts on the day after you arrive.

Honduras is listed separately at 90 days. The full list has more countries than this table shows, and some carry footnotes, so read it on the source page: BOCA Visa-Exempt Entry.

Status of specific passports

The Thailand and Philippines arrangement has an end date, so check whether it has been renewed if you travel after July 2027.

What you need at the border

1. A formal passport (ordinary, official/service or diplomatic). Emergency, temporary or other informal documents are not accepted for visa-free entry, except US emergency passports.
2. Six months of validity counted from the date you enter. US and Japanese nationals only need validity for the intended stay.
3. A confirmed return or onward ticket, or a ticket plus a visa for the next destination, and a confirmed seat on the departure flight.
4. The online arrival card, completed within seven days before you land. See the Taiwan arrival card guide.

Holders of Thai, Philippine and Brunei passports must also show proof of hotel booking, host or sponsor contact details and sufficient travel funds.

Immigration officers can still refuse entry if they decide you are otherwise ineligible.

If your country is not on the list

• India, Indonesia, Vietnam (and Laos, Myanmar): BOCA points to the National Immigration Agency’s online Travel Authorization Certificate. The BOCA page does not give fees or validity, so check the application site.
• Emergency or temporary passport from an eligible country: apply for a visa at a Taiwan overseas mission, or get a landing visa on arrival. The US is excluded because US emergency passports are already accepted visa-free.
• Longer stay or other purpose: apply through BOCA’s eVisa system or at an overseas mission. BOCA mentions the eVisa specifically for Omani passport holders who want more than 14 days.

Landing visa details

A landing visa is only for emergency or temporary passports from visa-exempt countries (not the US). BOCA states:

• 30 days, not extendable
• Visa fee NT$1,600 plus an NT$800 handling fee (BOCA says citizens of countries with reciprocal agreements get the visa free of charge)
• Passport valid at least six months with blank pages
• Available at Taoyuan, Songshan, Taichung and Kaohsiung airports. Only Taoyuan has a BOCA office in the airport; at the other three you get a temporary entry permit first and apply for the visa afterward.

Staying longer

The visa-free stay cannot be extended and cannot be converted into a visa-based stay, with two main exceptions:

• Situations that stop you leaving, such as severe illness or a natural disaster.
• Certain white-collar professionals with a qualifying work permit. Applications must be submitted within 8 working days before the permitted stay expires.

Canadian and UK passport holders can extend to 180 days. BOCA publishes this in a separate notice (PDF); this guide has not summarised its conditions, so read it before relying on it.

Overstaying carries penalties. The National Immigration Agency explains them on the page BOCA links.

Common mistakes

• Assuming 90 days for everyone. Singapore and Malaysia are 30 days, and Thailand and the Philippines are 14.
• Passport expiring within six months. Six months of validity on the entry date is a listed requirement for most nationalities.
• No onward ticket. A confirmed return or onward ticket (or a ticket plus a visa for the next destination) is a listed requirement.
• UK passports without British Citizen status. BOCA limits the exemption to British Citizen holders.
• Working on a visa-free entry. Activities that need a permit still need one. Tourism, business meetings and exhibitions do not.

Rules change. Check the BOCA visa-exempt page before you fly, then see our first-time visitor guide for the rest of your preparation.

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