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.
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.
taiwan phone plan — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- Taiwan's three major carriers — Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone — offer prepaid and postpaid plans, with budget MVNOs riding their networks.
- Prepaid works with a passport plus a second ID; postpaid contracts effectively require an alien resident certificate (ARC).
- Your choice depends on stay length: visitors buy prepaid, long-term residents can move to a contract or MVNO for lower monthly costs.
Recently updated
- 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.
- Visa
Can I Extend My Visa in Taiwan? Eligibility by Entry Type
Which Taiwan visas can be extended and which cannot — the 60-day visitor visa rule, the 180-day stay cap, visas marked 'no extension', landing and visa-waiver entries, and the separate ARC renewal for long-stay residents.