Guidelines for Online Application for Entrepreneur Visa and Resident Visa, and Extension of Residence or Change of Registration for Foreign Nationals and Residents of Hong Kong and Macau
- Date：
- Source：Residency Section 2
- Hit：217
(I) Review Directions of Entrepreneur Visa Qualification for Foreign Nationals.
(II) Article 5 of the Foreign Passport and Visa Act.
(III) Articles 22, 23, 23-1, and 31 of the Immigration Act (hereinafter referred to as "the Act").
(IV) Article 10 of the Regulations Governing Visiting, Residency, and Permanent Residency of Aliens.
II. Applicable Subjects:
(I) Individuals who meet the qualifications stipulated in the Review Directions of Entrepreneur Visa Qualification for Foreign Nationals.
(II) Foreign spouses, minor children under the age of eighteen (18), and children aged eighteen (18) or older unable to live independently due to physical or mental disabilities of foreign applicants under the preceding subparagraph (hereinafter referred to as "foreign family members").
III. Required Documents:
Provide a color, uncovered, clear facial features, and white background photo taken within the last six (6) months (following the same specifications as a national ID Card photo), along with the following color scanned electronic documents:
(I) Applicants for Entrepreneur Visa and Resident Visa:
1. A passport valid for at least six (6) months.
2. Proof of the qualifications stipulated in the Annex of Point 5 of the Review Directions of Entrepreneur Visa Qualification for Foreign Nationals; for team applicants, a letter of intent from the entrepreneurial team should be additionally provided.
3. Hong Kong or Macau residents should additionally provide the following documents:
(1) Proof of permanent residency in Hong Kong or Macau (passport or permanent resident ID card valid for at least three (3) months).
(2) A guarantee letter signed by the guarantor personally, along with the guarantor's original and photocopy of the national ID card (original will be returned after verification); If the guarantor is not a blood relative within the second degree or spouse, an employment certificate of the guarantor should be provided additionally.
(3) A recent Hong Kong or Macau police criminal record certificate issued within the last five (5) years (valid within three (3) months).
(4) Health examination certificate (valid within three (3) months, conducted in accordance with the list of health examination items specified by the central health authority for residence or settlement).
(5) Applicants who apply during their stay period must also submit their entry and exit permit (to be returned upon issuance).
(6) A personally signed confirmation of Hong Kong or Macau residency.
(7) Declaration Form for Residence and Registered Permanent Resident Application for Residents of Hong Kong and Macau.
(II) Applicants as foreign family members for residency:
1. Those holding valid resident visas with valid passports or travel documents, upon approval of entry by the National Immigration Agency (NIA) of the Ministry of the Interior, or those holding Alien Resident Certificates (ARCs) applying to change their residence status.
(1) A passport with a remaining validity of at least six (6) months (applicants for extension of residence and change of residence status should submit their ARC).
(2) Proof of relationship: such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, ARCs, resident visas indicating family relationships, etc.
(3) Applicants who are children aged eighteen (18) or older unable to live independently due to physical or mental disabilities: Attach a diagnosis certificate. The document should sufficiently prove their condition, such as paralysis, inability to care for oneself, or the need for complete assistance in daily life. Alternatively, a Barthel Index score assessed by a physician should be thirty (30) points or below.
2. Those entering the ROC holding a duration of stay of sixty (60) days or more, and without restrictions prohibiting extension or other limitations endorsed by the visa-issuing authority:
(1) A passport valid for at least six (6) months and a visitor visa.
(2) Proof of relationship: birth certificate, marriage certificate, Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), etc. If the relationship with the relative, spouse's name, and ARC number have already been annotated in the visa note field based on the code table, it is considered verified by the overseas mission and exempt from submitting verified birth and marriage certificates from the overseas mission. The submission of the identification documents of the sponsoring relative is sufficient for the application.
(3) Applicants who are children aged eighteen (18) or older unable to live independently due to physical or mental disabilities: Attach a diagnosis certificate. The document should sufficiently prove their condition, such as paralysis, inability to care for oneself, or the need for complete assistance in daily life. Alternatively, a Barthel Index score assessed by a physician should be thirty (30) points or below.
(4) Health examination certificate (valid within three (3) months, conducted in accordance with the list of health examination items specified by the central health authority for residence or settlement):
A. Applicants from visa-exempt countries (excluding those from visa-exempt trial countries) are exempt from this requirement.
B. Children aged six (6) or below may submit a "vaccination certificate" instead.
C. Health examination certificates obtained overseas must be verified by the overseas missions. If the examination items are incomplete, individuals must supplement the unexamined items domestically.
(5) Criminal Record Certificate:
A. According to Subparagraphs 1 and 2 of Paragraph 1 of Article 23 of the Act, foreign family members applying for residency through family reunion, where the familial relationship existed before entry into the ROC, are exempt from submission.
B. The applicant's home country criminal record certificate issued within one (1) year, and it must not exceed the validity period stated on the certificate. The term "home country criminal record certificate" refers to a nationwide record from the applicant's country of origin. For example, if the applicant is a U.S. citizen, the home country criminal record certificate must be issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). If the applicant is a Vietnamese citizen, the criminal record certificate should be the Vietnamese "Bản Kê Khai Tư Pháp số 2" (Judicial Record No. 2).
C. The criminal record certificate must include records from the last five (5) years.
D. Applicants who were previously granted residency in ROC and reapply for residency cases by entering with a visitor visa within three (3) months of leaving the ROC are not required to submit a criminal record certificate from their home country.
(III) For individuals under the preceding two subparagraphs born in mainland China and originally holding Chinese citizenship, in addition to providing supporting documents according to Article 7 of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, proving residence overseas for more than four (4) years (such as passport entry and exit records and a certificate of entry and exit issued by the competent authority at the place of residence), one of the following proof documents should be submitted:
1. The original certificate verified by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) proving that the individual is not registered in mainland China.
2. The original certificate of cancellation of mainland China household registration verified by the SEF.
3. The document certifying the loss of mainland China citizenship, verified by the overseas mission.
4. Other documents sufficient to prove the loss of mainland China citizenship.
(IV) Applicants for residence extension:
1. Valid Residence Visa (Must be returned upon collection).
2. A passport valid for at least six (6) months.
3. Proof of the following conditions for business operations in the ROC (foreign family members exempted):
(1) Annual average gross revenue of at least NTD 3 million in the past year or over the past three (3) years.
(2) Annual average operating expenses of at least NTD 1 million in the past year or over the past three (3) years.
(3) Employment of three (3) or more full-time ROC employees.
(4) Other operational achievements deemed sufficient for review and recognized by the competent authority for the intended business of contributing to domestic economic development.
(V) Applicants requesting registration of information changes:
1. Valid passport and Resident Visa.
2. Applicants are required to submit proof documents for the change within thirty (30) days from the date of occurrence, such as a new passport or a new address lease agreement, to apply for a change registration. Applicants applying for a replacement ARC due to loss should also provide a Declaration of Nationality or a police report and are exempt from submitting the original valid ARC.
IV. Application Procedure:
(I) Applicants log in for the first time to the NIA "Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform" (hereinafter referred to as “the Platform,” accessible via the website: https://coa.immigration.gov.tw/coa-frontend/four-in-one/entry/) system using an account or certificate.
(II) Applicants should choose to apply either "Within the Territory of the Republic of China" or "Outside the Territory of the Republic of China" on the Platform and make the payment during the application process.
(III) Upon qualification approval by the Department of Investment Review of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, foreign applicants must, within six (6) months, print the "Passport Verification Notice" on the Platform and submit the original passport with a remaining validity of at least six (6) months for verification at the overseas missions. For applicants already in the ROC, they must visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its regional offices in Central, Southern, Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan, and Eastern Taiwan for passport verification. Upon successful passport verification, the resident visa will be issued by the overseas missions or the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its regional offices in Central, Southern, Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan, and Eastern Taiwan. Failure to verify the passport within six (6) months will result in the rejection of the application.
(IV) Foreign family members submitting documents for the first time via the Platform may choose between a "one-year" or "two-year" residence validity period. Payment must be made on the Platform within five (5) working days from the date of approval.
(V) Payment Methods: International credit cards, domestic credit cards, online ATMs, virtual accounts, e-Bill nationwide payment network, or four major convenience stores.
V. Processing Time:
(I) Application for Entrepreneur Visa and Resident Visa: Thirty (30) working days.
(II) Applicants holding Entrepreneur Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) for residence extension: Twenty two (22) working days.
(III) Applicants holding Entrepreneur Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) requesting registration of information changes: Ten (10) working days.
(IV) Foreign family members applying for residence, extension of residence, and change of residence reasons: Five (5) working days. The processing time in the preceding paragraph does not include the waiting period for passport verification, the correction period under Point 6, and any other delays caused by force majeure factors.
VI. Rectification, Verification, and Collection of Entrepreneur Visa and Resident Visa:
(I) Rectification: If the application documents are incomplete or incorrect, the applicant shall have fifteen (15) days from the day following the notification by the reviewing authority via email to rectify the issue. For applicants who need to submit documents produced overseas, in Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau, the rectification period is extended to three (3) months. If the applicant fails to rectify or incompletely rectify within the stipulated period, their application shall be rejected.
(II) Verification:
1. Documents produced overseas must be authenticated by the overseas mission; those produced domestically by foreign embassies or their authorized representative agencies in the ROC or authenticated, certified, or verified by them must be further authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. Those produced in mainland China shall be verified by an agency established or designated by the Executive Yuan or a private organization commissioned by the Executive Yuan.
3. Those produced in Hong Kong or Macau shall be verified by an agency established or designated by the Executive Yuan or a private organization commissioned by the Executive Yuan in Hong Kong or Macau.
4. If the documents in the preceding item are in a foreign language, the NIA may request the applicant to submit a Chinese translation verified by the overseas mission or notarized by a domestic notary public.
5. Compliance shall be in accordance with Article 15-1 of the Document Legalization Act for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Missions.
(III) Collection:
1. Foreign Nationals:
(1) Domestic Application: Applicants who have completed the passport verification process with the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its branch offices in Central, Southern, Yunlin-Chiayi, and Eastern Taiwan and have been issued a resident visa shall upload an electronic copy of the resident visa page to the Platform within thirty (30) days from the day following the issuance of the resident visa. Upon receiving notification via email from the Platform to collect the visa, applicants shall present the "Payment Electronic Receipt" printed from the "Download" page of the Platform and the original passport at the designated service station under the administration corps of the NIA (hereinafter referred to as "Service Center") specified by the applicant to collect the visa. Applicants who already hold an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) shall return it upon collection.
(2) Overseas Application: Applicants who have been permitted to enter the ROC with an Entrepreneur Visa and passport verification shall upload an electronic copy of the residence visa page to the Platform within thirty (30) days from the day following entry into the ROC. Upon receiving notification via email from the Platform to collect the visa, applicants shall present the "Payment Electronic Receipt" printed from the "Download" page of the Platform and the original passport at the designated Service Center specified by the applicant to collect the visa. Applicants who already hold an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) shall return it upon collection.
(3) Foreign family members: Upon receiving notification via email from the Platform to collect the resident visa, applicants shall present the "Payment Electronic Receipt" printed from the "Download" page of the Platform at the designated Service Center specified by the applicant to collect the resident visa. If the foreign family member already holds an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), it must be returned upon collection.
2. Hong Kong or Macau Residents:
(1) Domestic application: Within six (6) months from the day following the approval of the online application, applicants should present the "Payment Electronic Receipt" printed from the "Download" page of the Platform along with the entry and exit permit at the designated Service Center specified by the applicant to collect the resident visa. If the applicant already holds a resident visa or an entry and exit permit for the Taiwan Area, it must be returned upon collection.
(2) Overseas application: Applicants should present the "Payment Electronic Receipt" printed from the "Download" page of the Platform, passport original, and overseas approval certificate. Within fifteen (15) days from the day following the approval for entry into the ROC, they should proceed to the designated Service Center specified by the applicant to collect the resident visa.
VII. Fees:
(I) Application for Entrepreneur Visa and Resident Visa:
1. Application by Foreign Nationals Prior to Entry:
(1) For the subject who is subject to the special processing fee as defined in Subparagraph 4 of Paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the Standards for Visa Fees for Foreign Passports (hereinafter referred to as “the subject of the special processing fee”): Payment of the special processing fee and NTD 2,000 per item.
(2) Other subjects not subject to the special processing fee: NTD 4,200 per item.
2. Application by Foreign Nationals Already Entered the ROC:
(1) Subject of the special processing fee: Payment of the special processing fee and NTD 2,800 per item.
(2) Other subjects not subject to the special processing fee: NTD 5,000 per item.
3. Hong Kong or Macau Residents: NTD 2,600 per item.
(II) Foreign Family Members:
1. Individuals applying after entry with a visitor visa: NTD 3,200 per item for one-year validity, and NTD 4,200 per item for two-year validity.
2. Individuals in possession of valid Alien Resident Certificates (ARCs) or equivalent documents with ARC functionalities seeking to initiate a conversion application: NTD 1,000 per item for a one-year validity period, and NTD 2,000 per item for a two-year validity period.
(III) Applicants for Residence Extension:
1. Foreign Nationals:
(1) NTD 1,000 per item for one-year validity.
(2) NTD 2,000 per item for two-year validity.
2. Hong Kong or Macau Residents: NTD 300 per item for a validity period of one (1) to two (2) years.
(IV) Applicants requesting reissue of the ARC due to damage, loss, extinguishment, or data change:
1. Foreign Nationals (Alien Resident Certificate): NTD per item; no charge for changes such as updating passport number, residential address, or service location.
2. Hong Kong or Macau Residents (Resident Certificate or Entry and Exit Permit for the Taiwan Area): NTD 2,600 per item.
VIII. Notes:
(I) Upon completing payment through the Platform, will not be entitled to a refund, regardless of whether their application is approved. The same applies to applicants who fail to submit their passports for verification as stipulated in Subparagraph 3 of Point 4.
(II) The initial residence period for Entrepreneur Visa applicants is two (2) years. Applicants who meet the qualification for extending their residence under the Review Directions of Entrepreneur Visa Qualification for Foreign Nationals may apply for an extension of residence, with each extension period not exceeding two (2) years.
(III) Foreign nationals holding an Entrepreneur ARC who intend to extend the validity period due to their business activities in the ROC must apply through the Platform within four (4) months before the expiration of their residence period.
(IV) Foreign nationals who hold foreign passports and also have household registration in the Taiwan Area, when applying for an Entrepreneur Visa and Alien Resident Certificate, must first go to the Household Registration Office to deregister their household registration.
(V) Application filed under the preceding subparagraph by any man near or at the conscription age who has yet to complete his compulsory military service is not accepted if they meet any of the following circumstances:
1. The applicant does not possess a military service-related Overseas Compatriot Identity Certificate or an ROC passport with an alien resident identity.
2. The overseas compatriot male has resided in the ROC for over one (1) year.
3. Legally required to be subject to conscription and has been restricted from leaving the ROC.
(VI) Foreign nationals holding an Entrepreneur Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), whose residency period is approaching expiration, are in the absence of business activities but still have a necessity to continue residing in the ROC, along with their originally permitted foreign family members, may apply for an extension of residence with the NIA within three (3) months prior to the expiration of the residency period. Upon approval, the validity period of their ARC will be extended for six (6) months from the day after the original expiration date of the residency period. Before the extended period expires, if deemed necessary, they may apply for one more extension, with the total extended residency period not exceeding one (1) year.
(VII) Applicants seeking to change their residency reasons must reapply for residency and pay the fees to the NIA. Upon approval, their residency period will be reassessed.
(VIII) Foreign nationals who have been granted ARC for entrepreneurial purposes must, within thirty (30) days from the day after the occurrence of the change in residency address or the establishment of a new business service location, apply for registration changes and apply for a reissue of the ARC through the Platform. Failure to comply will result in penalties.
(IX) Foreign nationals who have been granted ARC for entrepreneurial purposes are permitted to reside in the ROC and re-enter the ROC multiple times during the validity period of the ARC. They must apply for permission to work in the ROC in accordance with relevant laws and regulations such as the Employment Service Act.
Related File(s)
- 0928 Guidelines for Online Application for Entrepreneur Visa and Resident Visa, and Extension of Residence or Change of Registration...... pdf