Taiwan's Digital Nomad Visitor Visa lets foreign remote workers and digital nomads live in Taiwan while working for employers or clients located outside the country. It launched on 1 January 2025 under guidelines issued by the National Development Council (NDC), and targets remote employees, freelancers, and self-employed professionals from visa-exempt countries. Qualification review is handled by the NDC, while the visa itself is issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA). The program is now written into primary law: as of the September 2025 amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals, the maximum total stay was extended from six months to two years.
No specific educational or professional qualifications are required. Eligibility rests on income, bank reserves, and a resume or portfolio evidencing your remote-work background, rather than any designated professional field.
The visa is issued for 6 months with multiple-entry permission. Extensions of up to 6 months each can be applied for at the National Immigration Agency (NIA) before the current stay expires, without leaving Taiwan, on proof of a Taiwan residential address. The maximum total stay is 2 years. The NDC may re-review qualifications for extensions.
Dependants cannot be sponsored under this visa. Spouses, children, and other family members who wish to accompany the holder must apply for their own visas independently through applicable categories.
Tax obligations depend on the length of stay. Foreigners staying fewer than 90 days pay 18% withholding tax on Taiwan-sourced income only. Those staying 91 to 183 days pay 18% withholding tax on all income. Stays of 183 days or more in a taxable year result in tax-resident status with progressive rates of 5% to 40% on worldwide income. Income earned from overseas employers while in Taiwan for 90 or more days requires a tax filing before departure. Holders are not eligible for Taiwan's National Health Insurance, labour insurance, or pension system.
Applicants outside Taiwan submit the printed application form and supporting documents to the nearest R.O.C. overseas mission (embassy, consulate, or Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office), which forwards materials to the NDC for qualification review. Once the NDC confirms eligibility, the mission proceeds with visa issuance.
Applicants already in Taiwan on visa-exempt entry or a non-extendable visitor visa must submit their application at least 10 working days before the current stay expires, at BOCA headquarters or a MOFA regional office.
Processing time: Approximately 5-8 working days via overseas missions; up to 15 working days for domestic applications (including 14-20 working days for NDC qualification review). Rush processing is available at additional cost.
Fee: Single-entry NT$1,600 (approximately USD 50); multiple-entry NT$3,200 (approximately USD 100). Rush processing incurs a 50% surcharge. Fees are non-refundable.
Holders may only work remotely for entities located outside Taiwan. Providing labour or services to Taiwan-based employers or companies is prohibited and requires a separate work permit from the Ministry of Labor. This visitor visa does not provide a path to permanent residency or citizenship; holders seeking longer-term residence would need to transition to a different category such as the Employment Gold Card.