Know before you go: Taiwan

Quick answer: Most passport holders from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea can enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 90 days, but everyone must file the free online Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) before flying and should reconfirm the current rule for their own nationality; getting around is easy with an EasyCard and the High Speed Rail, and the safest, driest travel months are October–November and March–April.

Visa & entry

Rules vary by passport, so treat the summary below as a starting point, not a guarantee. Travelers from most of Europe, the Americas (including Canada and the United States), Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand can explore Taiwan for up to 90 days without a visa. A trial visa-free scheme also covers some other nationalities, but Taiwan continues a trial visa-free program for certain other countries, and this program may change, so always double-check before travel.

Whatever your nationality, entry has become fully digital. As of October 1, 2025, paper arrival cards have been officially decommissioned, and every foreign national, including those on the 90-day, 30-day, or 14-day visa-exemption programs, must complete the digital Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) before border control. Submit it online up to 7 days before flying; paper cards no longer exist, and doing it in advance avoids a slow kiosk queue at the airport.

A few practical checks before you fly: your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Taiwan. If you are not visa-exempt, you must complete Taiwan’s official online visa application system, print and sign the form, and submit it with supporting documents to an authorized Taiwan diplomatic mission within 30 days of completing the online form. Visa-free entry is generally not extendable for most nationalities, though UK and Canadian citizens entering under the 90-day visa exemption may be granted an extension up to a maximum of 180 days upon application. Because policy details shift, always verify your exact entry requirements on the official Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) and National Immigration Agency websites shortly before departure.

Getting around

The workhorse of Taiwan travel is the EasyCard, a reloadable smartcard. It covers MRTs, city buses, TRA local trains, YouBikes, and even a late-night 7-Eleven run, handling it all without breaking a sweat. An EasyCard costs TWD 100 as a non-refundable deposit, plus whatever funds you load onto it. Buy or top up cards at any MRT station’s service counters or vending machines, or at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, and OK Mart, many of which are open 24 hours. Fare-wise, using an EasyCard for MRT and bus rides gives you around a 20% discount compared to cash payments. Note that the card doesn’t work for reserved seats on trains or for the High Speed Rail (HSR).

For cross-island trips, the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) links Taipei to Kaohsiung in a few hours and is booked separately via the THSR website or app. If you’re basing yourself in one metro region for a while, look at TPASS, a monthly unlimited-ride pass; for example, the Taipei City, New Taipei City, Keelung City and Taoyuan City combination costs NT$1200 and covers the Taipei Joint Bus System plus Taipei and New Taipei Metro. Short-term visitors sticking to Taipei sightseeing might instead prefer a Taipei Metro multi-day pass or the Taiwan Fun Pass bundles for tourists, which are distinct products aimed at short stays rather than daily commuting.

Money & costs

Taiwan’s official currency is the New Taiwan Dollar, normally written as NT$ or TWD. Note denominations include NT$100, NT$200, NT$500, NT$1000, and NT$2000. Card acceptance is good in cities but not universal: cards are accepted in hotels, department stores, and chain restaurants, but many small eateries, street vendors, and transport options are still cash-only. A sensible rule of thumb is approximately NT$1,000 to NT$3,000 per person per day as a practical starting amount for small purchases and cash-only expenses.

ATMs are everywhere. The majority accept Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, Plus, Maestro, JCB and UnionPay cards, and they are practically everywhere, in 7-Eleven and FamilyMart stores, convenience stores, banks, metro stations, shopping malls, and airports. When withdrawing, always choose to be charged in TWD; selecting your home currency triggers Dynamic Currency Conversion, which gives a poor exchange rate with extra fees. Travellers report that Cathay United Bank ATMs, often found inside 7-Eleven stores, work well with foreign cards and are known for not charging extra ATM fees. US dollars are rarely accepted for everyday purchases, so since shops, restaurants, taxis and attraction counters do not normally accept US dollars, exchange them for New Taiwan Dollars or use an accepted card.

Best time to visit

Taiwan’s climate splits sharply between a hot, wet half of the year and a cooler, drier half. October is generally the best single month: the rains have stopped, typhoon risk has dropped to roughly 10%, and Taipei runs 22 to 28°C. March and April are the runners-up as pleasant shoulder-season months, though spring can bring more rain than autumn.

Avoid, or at least plan flexibly around, the peak of typhoon season. Taiwan sits in the western Pacific storm track and averages three to four typhoon warnings a year; the season runs May to November, but July, August and September take roughly 75% of it, with August alone near 30%. Winter (December to February) is a reasonable alternative: December to January is comparatively comfortable, around 20°C in the daytime, and it’s the offseason with fewer crowds and better deals. Keep a close eye on forecasts if you travel in late summer, since a typhoon warning does more disruption than the rain itself, as local governments declare an official typhoon day and offices, schools and most shops close.

Emergencies & safety

Taiwan uses separate numbers rather than one universal hotline. Taiwan uses two separate emergency numbers: 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance. If you have no SIM card or signal, you can still dial 112 and follow the instructions to be put through to the police “110” or fire department “119,” and 112 comes with instructions in both Chinese and English.

Other useful numbers: the Anti-Fraud hotline is 165, the Foreign Affairs Service Station in Taipei can be reached at (02) 2556-6007, and the domestic violence and sexual assault helpline is 113. There is also a 24-hour toll-free foreigner service hotline at 0800-024-111. On general safety, travellers without National Health Insurance are responsible for the full cost of care, so anyone not covered by NHI is strongly advised to hold a valid travel insurance policy. Petty crime is low overall, though in crowded areas such as night markets or festivals, pickpockets are a known problem. Always confirm these numbers before you travel, since local services do update them.

Official sources

• Bureau of Consular Affairs, MOFA: Visa-Exempt Entry
• Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online portal
• National Immigration Agency, Taiwan
• Taiwan Tourism Administration
• Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) official site
• Taipei Metro (TRTC) official site
• Central Weather Administration, Taiwan
• American Institute in Taiwan: Local Emergency Numbers