Taiwan visa for Indian Passport holders

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Preethika and I are off to Taiwan in less than 2 weeks from now and we are super excited about it. We picked Taiwan because we found a good deal during the Air Asia Big Sale last August (yes, 9 months ago!) and it is almost time for us to start packing our bags. Given our weak Indian Passport, we started looking at the Taiwan visa process for Indian passport holders last month 50 days in advance. To our surprise, we found that the Taiwan visa for Indians is actually free for up to 14 days, under certain circumstances. Here’s some more information.

Taiwan visa process for Indians

The official Taiwan website states that Nationals of Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam can apply online for a ROC Travel Authorization Certificate assuming they fulfil one of the following two requirements.

Requirement 1: If you have at least one of the following documents issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, any of the Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, or the United States:

  1. Valid resident or permanent resident card or status
  2. Valid entry visa (electronic visa must be printed out)
  3. Resident card or visa that has expired less than 10 years prior to the date of arrival in Taiwan

Now, if you read the above requirement correctly, you will realize that almost every Indian passport holder may be able to travel to Taiwan visa-free.

Why?

In simple English, this requirement states that if you have travelled to Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, any Schengen country, UK or the US in the last 10 years (even if that visa isn’t valid currently, especially in cases like the Schengen visa where the visa duration is rather short), you are eligible to enter Taiwan for 14 days once (single entry) without paying any fee!

This is awesome, isn’t it? 🙂

Assuming you aren’t eligible under Requirement 1, here’s the next condition.

Requirement 2: This is for people who’ve been to Taiwan (also called the Republic of China) in the last 10 years. If you’ve received a visa to enter Taiwan or have held a resident card at any point in the last 10 years without any record of immigration irregularities or law violations in Taiwan, you are eligible for the Travel Authorization Certificate.

This worked out beautifully for us since our trip duration is only for 8 days and I hold a valid US visa and both Preethika and I have travelled to Europe multiple times in the past 10 years.

If you haven’t travelled to any of the above-listed countries, or your trip is going to last longer than 14 days, you will have to go through the full-fledged visa process.

You will have to submit a Taiwan online visa application, pay the visa fees (₹3,300 for single entry and ₹6,600 for multiple entry visa) and submit documents such as a covering letter stating purpose of travel, financial documents, a No Objection Certificate or NOC from your employer, that you are allowed to go on this trip amongst others.

Please find here the full list of documents required for Taiwan visa processing.

Given that Taiwan is visa-free for Indians and Air Asia runs their Big Sale often, we are surprised that us Indians don’t consider Taiwan as a vacation destination, say, like Cambodia for example (Planning a trip to Cambodia? Check out the Cambodia visa process for Indian passport holders).

Check out how we enjoyed our seven days in this country. Read more about Taichung and where we stayed in Taipei.

If you have your reasons, we’d love to hear your side of the story! Do let us know in the comments below.

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Taiwan visa for Indian citizens


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34 thoughts on “Taiwan visa for Indian Passport holders”

  1. Hi I have Japan single entry visa which is expired already. My passport also have not much pages left. Can I use my cancelled passport where my Japan visa is there for online visa
    Please reply me on manojs 911 gmail com
    Regards

    Reply
  2. Thanks so much Narayanan! I’m travelling in a months time for about 10 days and this piece of information was really useful especially since I couldn’t find clarity anywhere else!

    Reply
  3. Hello
    I have traveled to Taiwan for studying Mandarin for 2 months at National Cheng Kung University, Tainan. Am I eligible for ROC ?
    Though, TAC is multiple entry but we cannot stay more than 14 days continuously, however what should I do if wish to stay for 20 days ? Should I travel to the nearest country and fly back again to Taiwan.

    Reply
  4. Hi , I am Suresh here and holding Indian passport with Valid US Visa (B1/B2) and just want to check ,so i can apply online taiwan visa ?

    Reply
    • Hi Suresh. You can just apply online for the ROC travel authorisation certificate – provided your trip is less than 14 days and single entry. Hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
  5. Hi,
    I had a UK Tier 2 Visa and it expired in 2012. Can I use it to get travel authorisation certificate .. one of the clauses stated that work permits are not included . If you have some idea pls respond
    Frank

    Reply
  6. Hi,

    I have a south korean tourist visa on my passport where I vacationed last year, but I do not have a stamp since I was issued a immigration slip. Am I still eligible to apply for the travel authorisation or should I go through the consulate visa route. Also, I have a voided (consular decision) thailand study visa.. will that affect my entry by any chance ?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Please check if South Korean visa is in the consideration set. If yes, then yes, this would work.

      No, your voided Thai visa will not be held against you.

      Reply
  7. Myself along with my family planning to visit Taiwan in the coming year April-May. It will be a 7 days trip. While checking the visa requirements for Indian citizens, I could see that person’s having US visa can directly apply for free Visa. I am having US B2 visa, so I think I can apply for free VISA. But my family doesn’t have this, so they have to apply for Tourist Visa.

    I am the only person who is working in my family. When we applied for tourist visa for other countries like Singapore, I was the primary applicant and was showing the bank statements, ITR and other financial proofs.

    In case of Taiwan, how we need to proceed since I am eligible for free VISA and rest 4 need to apply for tourist visa? Who will be the primary applicant? and how to produce the financial information of my non-working family members?

    Also, how can we apply for tourist VISA? Are we go to New Delhi and to submit documents or is there any embassy available in South India?

    Reply
    • Hey Khushi,

      So here’s what you have to do. Get your permit first, and then write a long long covering letter mentioning your permit and the fact that you are the one who is sponsoring the trip, and then explain source of funds, job etc and then request for visa for the others.

      Where in South India do you stay? We got it here in Chennai.

      Reply
  8. Hey i am travelling to taiwan in december with my husband and 3yr old kid. Me and my husband have travelled to schengen countries before, so we can apply for ROC but my daughter havent travelled to any of the countries mentioned. So how do we go about for her visa?

    Reply
    • Hi Ankita: Apply for the free visa for the both of you first, and then write a covering letter mentioning and attaching your visas and request for her visa. This should be easy.

      Reply
  9. Thanks Narayanan. This is helpful. I asked one of a local visa agent and he told me that your UK visa, which has been expired since 2 year wont work and I was about to pay him to get mine done, but then i came across this beauty. Thanks again.

    Reply
  10. Hi Mr Narayanan, I need to travel Taiwan on 90 days business trip. Can I submit in Chennai itself or need to go New Delhi only ?

    Reply
    • Not sure about work visas. The best thing for you to do would be to write to the Taiwanese Embassy here in India.

      Reply
  11. Very useful article. can you clarify my doubt? I have an expired south korea visa on my previous passport. Can I apply for the Authorization certificate online with my current passport?

    Reply
    • Thank you Monish. Not sure about South Korean visa. The best thing for you to do would be to check the Taiwan visa website mentioned in the blog post for more information.

      Reply

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