Living in Taiwan, explained properly.
ARC, banking, health insurance, tax and housing — written for people who actually have to do it, and sourced from the published rules.
Converting a Taiwan Tourist Visa to a Work Permit: What Is Actually Possible
You cannot work on a Taiwan visitor visa, and a work permit comes from your employer, not from 'converting' your visa. The real steps: work permit, resident visa, then ARC — and when you can do it without leaving Taiwan.
taiwan tourist visa convert to work permit — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- A tourist (visitor) visa never authorises work in Taiwan. Employment requires a work permit obtained by your employer, a resident visa, and an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).
- If you are already in Taiwan, conversion is possible in some cases: a visitor visa valid for 60 days or more that is not marked 'no extension' can be changed to a resident visa, or applied for directly as an ARC if you qualify under the Immigration Act.
- Visa-waiver entries and visas marked 'no extension' or 'prohibited to convert' generally cannot be converted in-country — you must leave and apply for a resident visa at an ROC overseas mission.
Recently updated
- Phone
Taiwan Phone Plans: Prepaid, Postpaid and MVNO Options Compared
How to choose a phone plan in Taiwan as a foreign resident — prepaid top-up plans, postpaid contracts with an ARC, and budget MVNOs, with what each requires and when each makes sense.
- Tax
Taiwan Tax on Foreign Income: When Worldwide Income Is Taxed
How Taiwan taxes the foreign income of residents — the NT$1,000,000 overseas income threshold, the basic income tax that applies above it, and how this differs from the tax on Taiwan-source salary.
- Visa
Taiwan Visitor Visa for Pakistani Citizens: Requirements and the Guarantor Step
Pakistan is on Taiwan's designated-country list, so a visitor visa involves extra steps beyond the standard documents — including a guarantor in Taiwan. Here is what BOCA requires and how the process works.
- Visa
Taiwan Visitor Visa: How to Apply for a Tourist Entry Permit
How to apply for a Taiwan visitor visa for tourism — the documents the Bureau of Consular Affairs lists, where to lodge the application, and how a tourist visa differs from visa-free entry and an extension.
- Phone
Where to Buy a SIM Card in Taipei: Airport, City Stores and Online Pickup
The practical places to buy a SIM card in Taipei — the three carrier counters at Taoyuan and Songshan airports, carrier city stores, convenience-store prepaid, and pre-ordered airport pickup — with what identification each route requires.
- Banking
Sending Money from Taiwan to Another Country: What You Need and How It Works
How to make a bank transfer from Taiwan to another country as a foreign resident — what you need, the counter vs online routes, the requirements banks ask for, and what to confirm before you send.
- Visa
Will Taiwan Extend Visa-Free Entry for Philippine Passport Holders? The Current Answer
Philippine passport holders currently enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 14 days — but it is a trial programme that has to be renewed. Here is the current status, the entry requirements, and how to check before you book.
- Visa
How to extend a visa in Taiwan: step-by-step (visitor visa and ARC)
The exact process for extending a visa in Taiwan: where to go, when to apply, what documents to bring, fees and processing time for both a visitor visa extension and an ARC stay extension.