Taiwan Startup TerraceTaiwan Startup Terrace

1. A passport with validity for at least six months;

2. Visa application form (Please access the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs to fill out the application form and print the application form with barcode. The application form must be signed by the applicant in person to confirm the contents provided therein are true).

3. The application form must be pasted with two "2x2" photographs. Photographs must be taken within the last six months, in color and with a white-color background

4. Other supporting documents according to the purpose of entering Taiwan.

Except for the passports of USA and Japan (it requires only that the validity of the passport is longer than the days of stay), the passports of the applicants for visas to enter Taiwan should be valid for at least six months. In the event of emergent cause (such as emergency rescue), please contact the nearby representative office of Taiwan or the Section of Visa of the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Those who enter the Republic of China on a resident visa should apply an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) and Re-entry Permit at the local county(city) service center of National Immigration Agency of Ministry of Interior where the residence is located within fifteen days from the next day of arrival.

The expiration of residence is the validity as stated in the alien resident certificate.

Those who enter the Republic of China not on a resident visa but subsequently get a resident visa on application after having arrived in our country must apply for alien resident certificate within fifteen days from the issue date of the resident visa.

This type of visa was created by the government in 2015 and is intended to attract foreign entrepreneurs to Taiwan. To apply for the visa, you have to comply with at least one of the conditions listed by the government. Once you find the condition that works in your case, you can go to the “Foreign Professionals Application Platform” to start the application process.

Entrepreneur Visa” applies not only to foreign entrepreneurs, but also applies mutatis mutandis to entrepreneurs in Hong Kong and Macau. Foreign nationals who apply for entrepreneur shall have the education of senior high school or above and shall satisfy the following requirements:

1. An individual applicant should comply with at least one of the following criteria:

(1) The applicant has secured investment from a domestic or overseas venture capital enterprise, or obtained funding of at least NT$2 million from a government-approved international fund-raising platform

(2) The applicant has received approval to reside at a central or local government-approved international innovation park, or in an incubator facility that is approved by central or local government and is either directly run by the MOEA, operated in collaboration with the MOEA, or has been rated by the MOEA as a first-class incubator facility within the past three years, or other incubator facility that is approved by the authority

(3) The applicant has been awarded a patent either in Taiwan or overseas, or can demonstrate other evidence of professional expertise

(4) The applicant has won an award in a leading domestic or overseas business start-up or design competition, or has received approval to the project of encouraging overseas entrepreneurs to invest in Taiwan from government.

(5) The applicant who once stationed or is now stationing accelerator facility that is approved by related government institutions

(6) The applicant has ever been shortlisted or awarded in significant domestic or foreign film festivals.

(7) The applicant has ever been granted above NT$3 million subvention for startup or related project by central government, or has ever been granted above NT$1 million subvention for startup or related project by local government.

(8) The applicant possesses such other innovation capability as may be specified or recommended by the central competent authority.

(9) The applicant has already established an enterprise with the amount of investment at least NT$1 million in Taiwan that meets the official criteria for designation as a business start-up with innovation capability, and been serving as the legal representative, manager or director of that enterprise.

2. A group applicant:

(1) The applicant who has not yet established an enterprise in Taiwan shall meet with at least one of Items (1) – (8) under Paragraph 1 above

(2) For the applicant who has already established an enterprise in Taiwan that meets the official criteria for designation as a business start-up with innovation capability, the members of the team or group shall be serving as legal representative, executive officers or managers of the enterprise, and the members of the team or group shall have invested a combined total of at least NT$1 million in the enterprise

Starting from July 1, 2023, the Entrepreneur Visa will be fully applied online. Please apply online

at the “Foreign Professionals Application Platform” https://coa.immigration.gov.tw/coa-frontend/four-in-one/entry/. After filling in the registration information and receiving the account verification email confirmation, log in to the platform to apply and follow-up case payment, replacement documents, downloading certificates or receipts, etc.

As long as any item stated in the conditions of “who has not yet established an enterprise in Taiwan” of the application qualifications under “Examination Directions of Entrepreneur Visa Qualification for Foreign Nationals” is satisfied, the entrepreneur visa may be applied.

After the applicant has passed the application for entrepreneur visa and has obtained the resident certificate, the spouse and minor child (under 20 years of age) may apply for dependent residence by law.

Meet at least one of the criteria below and apply to the Ministry of the Interior, yet each extension may not exceed two years :

1.The sales revenue of the business for the most recent year, or the average for the most recent years, is at least NT$3 million.

2.The operating expense of the business for the most recent year, or the average for the most recent three years, is at least NT$1 million.

3.Employ at least 3 full-time Taiwanese nationality employees.

4.The business has made contributions to Taiwan's development that affirmed by competent authority.