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.
Getting a Credit Card in Taiwan as a Foreigner: What Issuers Look At
Can foreigners get a Taiwanese credit card? The practical answer — what issuers weigh (residence, income, local credit history), why new arrivals are often declined, and the realistic path to a card.
taiwan credit card foreigner — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- Foreigners can get a Taiwanese credit card, but issuers weigh local residence history, stable income and a local credit record — so new arrivals are often declined at first.
- A foreign card works at most Taiwanese merchants, which is why many newcomers simply keep using one from home.
- Building a local record — an account, an ARC-linked debit card, then a credit card — is the realistic progression.
Recently updated
- Visa
Taiwan Resident Visa: The Entry Step That Leads to an ARC
The Taiwan resident visa (居留簽證) is the document that lets you stay long term and convert to an Alien Resident Certificate. Here is who needs one, how it differs from a visitor visa, and the step to the ARC after arrival.
- Visa
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.
- 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.