Resident Visa

Disclaimer and Important Notice
- People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong and Macau passport holders cannot apply for a visa and must apply for an Entry Permit instead. Information about Entry Permits can be found here: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch/cat/13.html
- Applicants who have resided in or visited Afghanistan, Malawi, Mozambique, Pakistan, Madagascar or the DR Congo for four weeks or longer in the past year must follow the polio vaccination recommendation from the World Health Organization.
- Once all the necessary documents have arrived at our office, it takes us on average 3 to 5 working days to process a visa application. During busy times and in special cases it can take significantly longer. Depending on our availability, express service may sometimes be available upon previous consultation with our office. Please do not send us the express fee without consulting as beforehand. Some applications (for example if the purpose of stay is religious work) have to be sent to Taipei. Such cases can take several months to process.
- The list below contains all the documents that are usually needed for a visa application. However, our consular officer can always request more documents if necessary. For example, depending on the case we may ask for a copy of a Swiss/Liechtenstein resident permit for reference.
- The ROC has the right to refuse applications for visas without providing any explanation for such decisions; the visa application fee is not refundable.
- As indicated below, some documents need to be legalized. Legalizations can require their own application procedure, fee and application form. Please check here to find details on how the legalization process works at our office.

General Information about Resident Visas

A Resident Visa allows you to enter Taiwan and stay for 30 days. Within these 30 days you need to contact the local bureau of the National Immigration Agency (NIA) and apply for an Alien Residency Certificate (ARC). Your resident visa will be canceled when you get your ARC. The ARC allows you to enter and exit the country unrestricted as often as you want during its duration. Since the purpose of resident visa is to simplify obtaining an ARC, and since Resident Visa are only valid for a short time anyways, we only issue Single Entry Resident Visa. If you have important reasons why you absolutely must exit Taiwan during your application for an ARC, please contact our office.

A list of NIA offices including addresses and phone numbers can be found at https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/2990.html.

Foreign nationals who need information concerning visas, residency, employment, education, tax payment, and health insurance in Taiwan, please refer to the NIA Information for Foreigners Website.

How to apply for a Single Entry Resident Visa

Visa applicants need to hand in all of the following documents:

On-line Application Form. Please fill out the form online, print it out and sign it. The form is not complete without a handwritten signature.
Original Passport (please make sure you have signed your passport and its remaining validity is more than six months. At least one free page is required)
A passport-sized picture (4.5cm x 3.5cm color photos with a white color background. The facial image size should be in between 3.2 cm – 3.6 cm. The photo must have been taken within last six months.)
A prepaid registered envelope addressed to you so we can return your passport with the visa (CHF 5.80, Swiss Post).
Fee (https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/621.html) paid to us in cash or by bank transfer. The fee for a Single Entry Resident Visa is CHF 63.- (US Citizens: 177.-).
A flight booking confirmation
A proof of financial support (for example: bank account statement, scholarship award letter, employment statement)
Further documents depending on your purpose of stay:

8a) For Study in Pursuit of Degree/ as an Exchange Student:

1.) An admission letter by the university or school in Taiwan

2.) Your student ID or study confirmation from your university or school in Switzerland

3.) a Health Certificate filled out by a doctor and that needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html), the Health Check-up must have been completed within the last three months.

4.) a letter of approval issued by the Ministry of Education or the city/county Bureau of Education (only necessary for students below University level, for example senior high school students, etc.)

8b) For Internship:

1.) an internship confirmation letter, from the employer in Taiwan

2.) an approval letter, issued by the relevant government agency ( e.g. Permit issued by Ministry of the Interior/ Ministry of Economic Affairs/ Ministry of Health and Welfare. Before you apply for your visa, please inform your Taiwanese counterpart to contact the relevant Ministry.)

8c) For Employment:

1.) a work permit/approval letter from the Ministry of Labor in Taiwan (Before you apply for your visa, please inform your Taiwanese employer to contact the Ministry of Labor in Taiwan and apply for a work permit for you)

2.) Employment statement, from the company in Taiwan (also an employment statement from the company in Switzerland when the work involves contract performing.)

8d) For Joining Family as a foreign spouse of an R.O.C. (Taiwan) citizen who has a household registration in Taiwan:

1.) The Original Household Registration Transcript, issued within the last 3 months from the Household Registration Office in Taiwan. The Household Registration Transcript must show the marriage registration, the foreign spouse's name in his/her country's native language and his/her nationality.

2.) A Marriage Certificate, issued within the last three months and legalized twice: first by one of the chancelleries of state in Switzerland (Staatskanzlei/ Chancellerie d'Etat) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check here: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html)

3.) a Health Certificate filled out by a doctor and that needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html) the Health Check-up must have been completed within the last three months.

4.) A Certificate of Good Conduct (Strafregisterauszug), issued within the last three months and legalized twice: first by one the Federal Chancery of Switzerland (Bundeskanzlei/ Chancellerie fédérale) and second by either our office or another a R.O.C. (Taiwan) representative office second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check here: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html) If the applicant is not Swiss, the document has to be issued by the country of origin and has to be legalized by the Taiwanese Representative office in that country.

8e) For Joining Family as a foreign spouse of a foreigner who lives in Taiwan (Family members of white-collar workers exempt from item 3, 4)::

1.) A Valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) in R.O.C. (Taiwan) of the foreign spouse

2.) A Marriage Certificate, issued within the last 3 months and legalized twice: first by one of the chancelleries of state in Switzerland (Staatskanzlei/ Chancellerie d'Etat) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check here: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html)

4.) A Certificate of Good Conduct (Strafregisterauszug), issued within the last three months and legalized twice: first by one the Federal Chancery of Switzerland (Bundeskanzlei/ Chancellerie fédérale) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check here: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html) If the applicant is not Swiss, the document has to be issued by the country of origin and has to be legalized by the Taiwanese Representative office in that country.

8f) For minors under the age of 18 joining their parents or grandparents (Family members of white-collar workers exempt from item 7): :

1.) If the parent or grandparent is an R.O.C. citizen: The Original Household Registration Transcript of the parent or grandparent, issued within the last 3 months from the Household Registration Office in Taiwan.

2.) If the parent or grandparent is not an R.O.C. citizen: A Valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) in R.O.C. (Taiwan) of the parent or grandparent

3.) Proof of the parent's marriage (original). If the document is not Taiwanese, it needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html).

4.) Original birth certificate. If the document is not Taiwanese, it needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html).

5.) If the parents are divorced: proof of custody. If the document is not Taiwanese, it needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html).

6.) If joining grandparents who are R.O.C. (Taiwan) citizens having household registration: letter of authorization signed by the applicant's father, mother or legal guardian.

7.) a Health Certificate filled out by a doctor and that needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html), the Health Check-up must have been completed within the last three months. (Not necessary for minors under the age of 6)

8g) For Religious Work:

Important Notice: Resident Visa for Religious Work cannot be completed in Switzerland. Your entire application, including your passport, has to be checked by our office and will then be sent to the relevant office in Taiwan. On average, a religious work visa takes 2 months to complete.

1.) a Health Certificate filled out by a doctor and that needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html), the Health Check-up must have been completed within the last three months.

2.) One photocopy of the certificate of registration of the inviting religious organization or corporation in Taiwan

3.) Original and one photocopy of highest education diploma and transcripts, needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html)

4.) Original and one photocopy of letter of invitation, issued by the inviting religious organization, with person-in-charge's signature and the organization's seal, and contain the following: a) proof that the inviting organization is a legally registered, non-profit and properly operational entity; b) the reason for inviting the visa applicant; c) the visa applicant's name, nationality, date of birth, religion, intended period of stay as well as religious activities and activity dates in the R.O.C. (Taiwan); d) the list of foreign religious personnel who are invited by the same religious organization and still stay in the R.O.C. (Taiwan) as well as the types of visas they hold; e) Affidavit pertaining to the content of the letter of invitation.

5.) Original and one photocopy of the applicant's certificate in religious work, needs to be legalized twice: first by one of the chanceries of state of Switzerland (Staatskanzlei, https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/post/124.html) and second by either our office or another R.O.C. overseas representative office (a legalization at our office requires its own application form, fee and processing time, you'll need to apply for the legalization in addition to applying for the visa. For details check: https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ch_en/cat/13.html)

6.) Original and one photocopy of the applicant's credentials, issued by the religious organization to which the applicant belongs, signed by the person-in-charge, and containing the following: a) the applicant's name, nationality and religion; b) the chronicle of more than 2 years of religious work prior to the time of visa application.

8h) For Investment:

1.) Original and one photocopy of proof of investment issued by the Investment Commission, Ministry of Economic Affairs, please check: https://www.moeaic.gov.tw/businessPub.view?lang=en&op_id_one=1

8i) For Entrepreneur:

2.) Documents requested by the Investment Commission, Ministry of Economic Affairs. Please check: https://www.moeaic.gov.tw/businessPub.view?lang=en&op_id_one=6

Resident Visa

Share

Share