Taiwan is a paragon of democracy occupying a strategic location in Northeast Asia. Its free and open society boasts friendly people and thriving nongovernmental organizations. In Freedom House's latest country report published in March 2021, Taiwan scored 94, making it the second-freest country in Asia behind only Japan. In addition, Taiwan is the most democratic country in East Asia and No. 11 in the world, according to the 2020 Democracy Index published by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The government of Taiwan would like to further demonstrate its commitment to the international community by warmly welcoming international nongovernmental organizations (INGO) to set up local or regional offices, or even global headquarters, in Taiwan. Together, we can implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and promote democracy, security, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and around the world. To help INGOs understand the procedures and regulations for establishing operations in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dedicated a section of its bilingual NGO website to “Setting up an INGO in Taiwan.” The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) has also amended "Directions for Foreign Civil Institutions and Organizations to Apply to Set up and Register Offices in the Republic of China (Taiwan)" in order to streamline the application process for INGOs to set up offices in Taiwan.
According to the MOI, the changes remove many obstacles to foreign INGOs looking to set up offices in Taiwan. For example, authorized foreign INGOs may now establish secretariats and multiple offices in Taiwan, giving them more flexibility in deciding the level and scope of their operations. In addition, offices are now no longer required to report to the local police, in line with the freedom of association and the spirit of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Other regulations that have been loosened include a six-month grace period for a responsible person of a foreign office to obtain an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC). We hope the relaxation of the rules will attract more INGOs from other countries and areas to set up offices in Taiwan, making the best use of Taiwan's abundant resources and free and diverse society, as well as using Taiwan as a base to expand their influence and presence in the region. Interested INGOs are welcome to contact us via email: gbr@mofa.gov.tw
For more information, please visit:
- Setting up an INGO in Taiwan
- Directions for Foreign Civil Institutions and Organizations to Apply to Set up and Register Offices in the Republic of China (Taiwan)
