Taiwan Digital Nomad Visa Guide

Taiwan has been a popular destination for digital nomads for years, providing individuals with fast internet and modern networks, vibrant cities and friendly locals.

Whilst Taiwan does not have a specific digital nomad visa. Instead, it has ‘the Taiwan Employment Gold Card’ which can be used by digital nomads. Also known as a ‘4-in-1’ visa, it combines a work permit, residence visa, Alien Resident Certificate and re-entry permit.

The Gold Card was designed to bring in skilled professionals to Taiwan from overseas, with the intention that they work for Taiwanese companies. However, that is not a requirement of the visa and many self-employed people have been using the visa since it was introduced in 2018.

The Gold Card can be used by ‘skilled professionals’ in a number of fields. This also includes freelancers and self-employed people.

The following industries are included in the Taiwan digital nomad visa/Gold Card:

If you do not work in one of these fields, you could still be eligible if you earn at least $5,700 per month.

Your application for a Taiwan digital nomad visa/Gold Card will be done online, so you will need digital copies of all the required documents. These will either need to be an image no bigger than 1MB, or a PDF version.

You will need a passport that has been valid for at least six months and a digital copy of your passport photo. You will also need documents to prove you are employed, which will differ depending on your profession. If you are working outside one of the eight included professions, you will need to show your proof of income, usually via bank statements.

If you have previously lived and worked in Taiwan, you will also need to provide a copy of your visa or residence permit, as well as the dates you worked there.

You will need to apply for a Taiwan digital nomad visa/Gold Card online at the Taiwan Immigration Agency website. You will need to fill in all the required information and submit the necessary documents. You will not be able to change any information after it has been submitted, so you should take care when entering your details.

It usually takes around 30 days for a Taiwan digital nomad visa/Gold Card to be processed and approved. If more documents or information is required, this could be extended to 50-60 days.

It costs between $100 to $310 to apply for a digital nomad visa/Gold Card. The amount will vary depending on your nationality and how long you intend to stay in Taiwan.

You will have to pay the fee even if your application is unsuccessful.

The Taiwan digital nomad visa/Gold Card allows the individual to live and work there for one to three years. You can choose how long you wish to stay when you apply.

You can extend your visa as long as you apply within four months of the expiry date. You can extend it up to three years each time. After five years in Taiwan, you have the option of applying for permanent residence.

Digital nomads do not have to pay income tax in Taiwan until they have been in the country for 183 days. After that, the income tax you pay will depend on how much you earn. The tax rate wage bands are currently:

Any individual who lives in Taiwan for less than 90 days and earns money from a Taiwanese employer has to pay 18% withholding tax on that wage. Digital nomads are exempt from this as their employer will not be based in Taiwan. However, everyone who lives in Taiwan for more than 90 days and less than 180 days has to pay the 18% tax regardless of where their employer is based.

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