Students study in Taiwan will need a valid Visitor Visa or Resident Visa, and someone who is planning to stay over 6 months, need to apply for an ARC (but need to have Resident Visa first).

In case you come from Visa-exempt counties whose in which its citizens are allowed to stay 6 months legally. But if you planning to stay over 6 months, we still recommended you apply for the Resident Visa. Otherwise, you may need to leave Taiwan or be required to go through the application procedures again before you're allowed to apply for ARC.

Students outside of Taiwan who meet the requirement for a student's Residents Visa are advised to apply for the Resident Visa from Taiwan overseas Embassies and Missions.

Application who enter Taiwan on a Visitor Visa which qualifies for the Resident Visa must need to apply for a Resident Visa 8 working days before the duration of expires.

Before Arrive

Apply for the Student's Resident Visa

• Applications who have entered Taiwan with visas for the purpose of pursuing studies must change into a Resident Visa at the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the visitor visa expiration date.
• Those who enter Taiwan without a visa or with a landing visa and those who enter Taiwan on a Visitor Visa, not for the purpose of undertaking studies may not apply for a Resident Visa or an extension of the duration of stay on the ground of undertaking studies. Those not enrolled as full-time students may not apply for a Resident Visa on the ground of undertaking studies.
• Those who enter Taiwan on a Resident Visa or get a Resident Visa after having arrived in Taiwan must apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) at local service centers of the National Immigration Agency. or Online Application National Immigration Agency. The former must apply within 15 days from the next day of arrival, and the latter must apply within 15 days from the Resident Visa issuance date. Duration of stay is noted on the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).

Required Documents

a. Application form: click https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw. Fill out the application form online and print it out. Make sure the application form shows a Bar code on it. Sign the application form.

b. Two-color passport size photos.

c. Passport and one photocopy of the passport.

d. Original and one photocopy of health certificate: within 3 months, by one of the local hospitals designated by the Centers for Disease Control of Ministry of Health and Welfare of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) or a foreign hospital (Health Certificate for Resident Application). Health certificates issued by foreign hospitals must be authenticated by a R.O.C. (Taiwan) overseas mission. Visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control at https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En for health checkup items and the list of designates local hospitals.

e. Original and one photocopy of admission permit or record of enrollment, registration, and transcript.

f. Original and one photocopy of the highest education diploma and transcripts: for diplomas and transcripts not in Chinese or English, a Chinese- or English-translation version is required. (must be verified by Taiwan Overseas Mission).

g. Original and one photocopy of proof of financial support: Bank statements or records of remittance provided by the application or his/her relatives within the third degree of kinship (grandparents, parents, and siblings), the scholarship certificate must indicate the duration and the exact amount of the scholarship.

h. Other supporting documents: the purpose of visiting Taiwan, consent by parents and the guardian in Taiwan, guarantee letter, language ability certificate... etc.

Application Procedure

Application outside of Taiwan who meet the requirements of Student Resident Visa are advised to apply for the visa from Taiwan overseas mission.

Applicants who enter Taiwan on a Visitor Visa which qualifies the Resident Visa for the purpose of undertaking studies must apply for a Resident Visa within 8 days before the duration of stay expires. May apply to the Bureau of Consular Affairs or any its office in Taiwan.

Working days

Processing of Resident Visa application inside Taiwan takes 8 working days. Applicants are advised to apply before 8 workdays the duration of stay expires. The application will be turned down and the fee not refunded in the event that required documents are not submitted in full within 7 days after the applicant is informed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Fees

Please refer to "Standard Fees for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Visas in Foreign Passports".

Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Taipei

Address: 3~5F., No. 2-2, Sec. 1, Jinan Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel: +886-2-2343-2888
For Visa inquiries: +886-2-2343-2885, +886-2-2343-2895
Service hour: Mon. to Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
e-mail: post@boca.gov.tw
website: htttp://www.boca.gov.tw/

Other information

Residents Visas for Foreign Students (Full-time Ph.D., Master’s, Bachelor’s program, or senior high school students and below) 

Upon Arrive

Entering Taiwan with Resident Visa, and wish to change ARC and Re-entry permit

• The Alien Resident Certificate(ARC) serves acts as an identification card for international students living in Taiwan. So, it is very important that you keep it properly and pay attention to its expiry date.
• The students shall apply for a resident visa at an overseas Taiwan embassy before applying through the Student Online Application System for an Alien Resident Certificate(ARC) within 15 days after arriving in Taiwan.

ARC sample

Online application system

"Students Online Application System" and click "Foreign Student and overseas Chinese Student"

Qualification

Any student with foreign nationality but not yet approved for naturalization in Taiwan may hold an admission permit/notice or certificate of enrollment and registration to fill out an application.

Application

1. Foreign and overseas Chinese students who wish to attend school in Taiwan may apply through the online registration and certification system with an admission permit/notice or certificate of enrollment and registration provided by the attending school within 15 days after arriving in Taiwan.

2. After acquiring a residence permit upon arriving in Taiwan and getting enrolled, the foreign and overseas Chinese students who need to extend their stay in Taiwan due to academic requirements shall apply for a residence permit renewal online within 30 days before the residence permit expires.

3. After acquiring a residence permit upon arriving in Taiwan and getting enrolled, the foreign and overseas Chinese students who need to change their residence permit content shall apply for a residence permit alteration online.

Inquiry

Inquiry for Application Progress
After filling out and submitting an online application form, the foreign and overseas Chinese students may receive a set of confirmation numbers composed of 12-digit numbers. By gaining access to "application progress inquiry" under "progress inquiry", the students may key-in the conditions for inquiry so that the system will generate the relevant information automatically for the applicant to keep track of the progress.

Inquiry for Priority
After filling out and submitting out an online application form, the foreign and overseas Chinese students may receive a set of confirmation numbers composed of 12-digit numbers. By gaining access to the "priority" section, the students may select from a wide range of services provided by the system to keep track of the progress.

Online Payment

After the online application is reviewed and approved by the National Immigration Agency, please make your payment for the residence permit within 5 working days, with application content and price listed below:

1. Price of a one-year residence permit for foreign students: NT$1,000.

2. Price of a two-year residence permit for foreign students: NT$2,000.

3. Price of a three-year residence permit for foreign students: NT$3,000.

4. Price for alteration or re-issuance of residence permit: NT$500.

The system provides multi-payment options such as "international credit card", "ATM online", "virtual account payment", "e-government payment platform", and "payment at the four major convenience stores in Taiwan". Regarding the payment option of "International Credit Card", this platform does not support China UnionPay and American Express, and only JCB, VISA, MasterCard credit cards are used for online payment. After the payment is completed, no refund will be made.

Please be informed that all the payment made at convenience stores takes 2 to 3 business days for the whole transaction process to complete and to confirm that the payment is received. Thank you for your patience.

E-residence Permit and Receipt Download

After the application is reviewed and approved by the National Immigration Agency and after the payment is made, foreign and overseas Chinese students who file the application will receive an e-mail automatically sent by the system informing that the e-residence permit and receipt are ready for download. By signing in to the system, the foreign and overseas Chinese students are able to download their e-residence permits and receipts from "e-residence permit download" and "receipt download" in the "download section". Take the e-receipt to the service station in exchange for the IC card as a residence permit.

Notices

1. Resident Visa holders (or ones who obtained Resident Visa within ROC by visa change) are required to apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and Re-entry Permit at the local office of the Ministry of Interior National Immigration Agency on the next day upon arrival or within 15 days of the issue of your resident visa.

2. Visa extension should be applied for at least 1 month earlier before the expiry date.

3. A foreign national who applies for changing his/her domicile during the period of his/her residency, he/she shall apply for registering the change within 15 days, or the over-due penalty will be NTD$2,000 - 10,000.

4. If you will continue your enrollment at NTUE, you shall apply for an extension within 30 days before your period of residency expire.

5. Graduates seeking employment in Taiwan are required to provide a graduation certificate to extend their period of stay. The maximum extension is 6 months, starting from the month of graduation. If students have postponed their graduation, they are required to provide documentation to keep or extend their ARC. Students will be granted a maximum extension of 1 year, according to their academic situation.

6. For students who are holding ARC for pursuing study in our university will have no reason to stay in Taiwan in the case of expulsion from school or temporary suspension of studies as a result of the loss of student identity. Given the above circumstance, your ARC will be invalid 15 days upon our report to the National Immigration Agency. Therefore, you shall be leaving Taiwan ASAP or you will be imposed a penalty.

Overstay

Overstay within 30 days (30th day excluded) but still enrolled: pay the fine and the application fee for the ARC extension

Overstay more than 30 days (30th day included) and still enrolled: pay the fine and leave the country in 7 days to apply for a new visa to re-enter Taiwan

Overstay fine:

1-10 days: NTD$2,000

11-30 days: NTD$4,000

31-60 days: NTD$6,000

61-90 days: NTD$8,000

Over 91days: NTD$10,000

Resources

"Notices for the submission of online application for foreign and overseas Chinese student residence certificate extension or modification"

National Immigration Agency

website: www.immigration.gov.tw
Address: 100台北市中正區廣州街15號
Taipei service office Office hour：Monday to Friday 8:00~17:00
Information for Foreigners in Taiwan Domestic Landline: (02) 2388-9393、0800-024-111
Overseas:+886-2-2388-9393、+886-0800-024-111
Email: boi@immigration.gov.tw

  Visa Information 
  Extension of ARC