This is a plain-English summary, not legal or medical advice. Entry and visa rules change — always confirm on the official sources linked below before you book or fly. Last reviewed: July 23, 2026.
Quick answer: Most Western passport holders can enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 90 days (some Southeast Asian nationalities get shorter trial periods), everyone must file a free online Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) before landing, and Taiwan runs on the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$) with excellent, cheap public transport led by the EasyCard and High Speed Rail — but always double-check exact rules on the official government links below before you fly, since policies change year to year.
Visa & entry
Taiwan’s visa-free program is broad: as noted by the National Immigration Agency’s affiliated sources, as of June 2026, passport holders from many countries can enter Taiwan without a visa and stay up to 90 days, with the full list maintained by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (boca.gov.tw). Some nationalities have shorter or trial arrangements — for example, nationals of Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines have a trial visa-free entry program extended from August 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026, and this kind of trial scheme is reviewed regularly, so it may be renewed, shortened, or expanded by the time you travel.
Regardless of nationality, from October 1, 2025, all traditional paper-based arrival cards were replaced by the online Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC), which is free of charge, must be completed entirely online, and can be submitted on the official TWAC website (https://twac.immigration.gov.tw) within a set window before arrival. That window was recently extended — as of June 2026, the TWAC can be completed online up to 7 days before arriving in Taiwan, up from the previous 3 days. The NIA has also warned that foreign travelers must complete registration only through the official TWAC website, as fraudulent copycat sites have appeared online. TWAC applies to foreign nationals entering with a visitor visa or under the visa-exemption program, Hong Kong/Macao residents with a multiple entry permit, mainland Chinese residents with a multiple-entry tourist permit, and nationals without household registration who lack a Resident Certificate.
Practical entry tips repeated across current guides: carry a passport valid well beyond your stay, keep at least two blank visa pages, and be ready to show proof of onward travel and accommodation, since even with a visa-free passport, entry is not automatic — immigration officers can refuse entry if they suspect illegal work, overstaying, or other violations, though tourists with onward tickets and a clear purpose have no issues in practice. Visa-free entry is strictly for tourism, business visits, social events, and similar activities — it does not allow employment in Taiwan. Rules and durations shift often, so always verify your specific nationality’s terms on boca.gov.tw and immigration.gov.tw before booking flights.
Getting around
Taiwan’s cities and intercity network are easy to navigate without a car. The workhorse for city travel is the EasyCard: a stored-value contactless smart card issued by EasyCard Corporation, the dominant transit payment provider in northern and central Taiwan, first introduced in 2002 for the Taipei MRT and since expanded to cover almost every form of public transport plus a huge range of retail uses. It works on MRT systems, buses, local trains, YouBike rentals, taxis, convenience stores like 7-Eleven, and over 10,000 retailers nationwide, and using it for transit typically earns you around a 20% discount compared to cash payments, plus an automatic NT$8 transfer discount if you tap from MRT to bus (or vice versa) within one hour. Cards cost NT$100 plus stored value and are sold at every MRT station in Taipei, Taoyuan, and Kaohsiung, at service counters or vending machines, as well as convenience stores.
For longer trips, Taiwan’s High Speed Rail (HSR) connects the west coast from Taipei to Kaohsiung in a couple of hours, but note that the EasyCard is not accepted for reserved HSR seating or most long-distance buses — for HSR you must purchase separate tickets in advance or at the station. Some newer EasyCard-linked bank credit cards allow tap-and-go HSR access, but plan on booking standard HSR tickets online or at stations. Conventional Taiwan Railway (TRA) trains, city buses, the Taipei/Kaohsiung/Taichung metros, YouBike bike-share, and even ferries all link up smoothly, making a car largely unnecessary for most itineraries.
Money & costs
Taiwan’s currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$/TWD). Cash is still important: Taiwan’s payment environment is highly developed but cash is still king in many situations — traditional night markets, local food stalls, old streets, and some taxis are cash-only, while department stores, convenience stores, large restaurant chains, and some modern beverage shops accept credit cards and e-payments. Broadly, cash is accepted everywhere, and credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, JCB, and UnionPay are widely accepted in hotels, department stores, and chain restaurants, while mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and LINE Pay are increasingly common in cities.
For cash, most Taiwan ATMs accept international cards including Mastercard, Cirrus, Maestro, Visa, Plus, and UnionPay, and are practically everywhere — in 7-Eleven and FamilyMart stores, banks, metro stations, shopping malls, and airports. When withdrawing, always decline dynamic currency conversion: always choose to be charged in TWD, not your home currency, since selecting your home currency applies dynamic currency conversion with a poor exchange rate and extra fees. On arrival, Taoyuan International Airport has several 24-hour currency exchange booths operated by the Bank of Taiwan and Mega Bank. Also note that import/export of TWD is limited to TWD 100,000 per person. A comfortable daily budget is easy to keep modest thanks to cheap transit, street food, and convenience-store meals, though hotels and HSR travel will be your biggest line items.
Best time to visit
Taiwan has a distinct seasonal rhythm. Spring (April–June) brings pleasant weather, while autumn (October–December) offers cool air, golden foliage, and conditions perfect for sightseeing — these shoulder seasons are generally considered the best times to visit for comfortable temperatures and fewer weather disruptions. Winter (December–March) is mild, around 13°C, with cheaper flights and fewer crowds, making it a good budget option, especially outside the Lunar New Year rush. By contrast, summer (July–September) is hot, humid, and typhoon season — still doable, but pack light and stay flexible. If your trip falls in typhoon season, build a buffer day or two into your itinerary in case of flight or HSR disruptions, and monitor local weather advisories as your dates approach.
Emergencies & safety
Taiwan uses a split emergency-number system rather than one universal line: Taiwan uses two separate emergency numbers: 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance. As the Taipei City Police Department confirms, additional key numbers include an Anti-Fraud hotline at 165, and the Foreign Affairs Service Station at (02) 2556-6007 or (02) 2331-3561 ext. 3064/3065. For domestic violence or sexual assault, call 113. If you don’t have a working SIM card, dialing 112 and pressing 0 will connect you to police, though this route involves a transfer delay compared to dialling 110 directly and is used most often by people stranded in mountain areas. There’s also a general foreigner assistance line: a 24-hour toll-free foreigner service hotline at 0800-024-111.
On overall safety, Taiwan is considered very low-risk for violent crime, though in crowded areas such as night markets or festivals, pickpockets are a known problem. Natural hazards are worth planning for: Taiwan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, resulting in frequent earthquakes, though it is rare for them to cause much damage thanks to extremely strict building codes. Hikers should also take basic precautions, since Taiwan is home to several venomous snake species, and hikers are advised to make noise on trails, wear long trousers, and avoid overgrown paths. Visitors without Taiwan’s National Health Insurance should carry travel insurance, since travellers and short-stay visitors without NHI coverage are responsible for the full cost of care, and anyone not covered is strongly advised to hold a valid travel insurance policy.
Official sources
- National Immigration Agency (NIA) – Ministry of the Interior
- Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) official portal
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, MOFA – Visa-Exempt Entry
- Taiwan Tourism Administration
- Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation
- Taiwan Railway Administration
- EasyCard Corporation
- American Institute in Taiwan – Local Emergency Numbers
AI-assisted and web-researched, reviewed against official sources on July 23, 2026. Rules and prices change — verify on the official links above. See our Editorial policy.