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.
eSIM in Taiwan: Local-Carrier eSIM vs Travel eSIM, and What a Phone Number Buys You
How eSIM works in Taiwan — getting a real local eSIM from Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile or Far EasTone versus a data-only travel eSIM, the registration and device requirements, and why the local number matters.
taiwan esim — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- An eSIM is a digital SIM installed by QR code — no physical card — and Taiwan's three major carriers all offer eSIM on prepaid and monthly plans.
- A local-carrier eSIM comes with a real +886 phone number and requires in-person registration with identity documents; a data-only travel eSIM needs no registration but gives you no number.
- Because Taiwanese banking OTPs, delivery and government verification key off a local number, an eSIM with a number is worth more than a data-only one if you are staying.
Recently updated
- Banking
Online Banking in Taiwan: Setting Up and Using Internet and Mobile Banking
How online banking works in Taiwan for foreign residents — what you need to register, English-language availability, mobile apps, transfers and security, and how to get started after opening an account.
- Banking
ATM Withdrawal in Taiwan: Using a Foreign Card at Taiwanese Machines
How to withdraw cash from an ATM in Taiwan with a foreign card — which machines accept international cards, network logos, currency selection, and the limits and fees to expect.
- Visa
Which Countries Do Not Need a Visa for Taiwan? The 90, 30 and 14-Day Lists
Taiwan grants visa-exempt entry to around 60 nationalities, split into 90-day, 30-day and 14-day tiers. Here is who is on each list as of August 2026, the conditions everyone must meet, and what to do if your country is not on it.
- Banking
Using a Credit Card in Taiwan: Acceptance, Fees and When Cards Do Not Work
How credit cards work in everyday Taiwan — where international cards are accepted, contactless and mobile payments, foreign transaction fees, and the local services that still need a Taiwanese card.
- Visa
How Long Does It Take to Get a Taiwan Visa? What the Published Guidance Actually Says
How Taiwan visitor visa processing time works: why there is no single published number, what each overseas mission publishes, the application flow, and how to plan so timing never becomes your problem.
- Visa
Taiwan Visa Run: What Re-Entry Does and Does Not Reset
What a visa run in Taiwan actually achieves: how visa-free stays work, what re-entry does and does not reset, why back-to-back runs can be refused, and the proper alternatives.
- Visa
Taiwan APRC: Permanent Residency Requirements, Documents and What Gets It Revoked
How to get Taiwan's Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC): the five-year residence rule, the 183-day test, financial proof, the application window, and what can cancel it.
- Visa
Can Foreigners Work in Taiwan? The Legal Routes in 2026
Yes — but only with a work permit. Who applies, the white-collar work permit route, the Employment Gold Card for specialists, the salary threshold, and what working without a permit means.