Welcome To Taiwan

The most-spoken language in Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese and the second most spoken is Taiwanese Hokkien (referred to as Taiwanese). Mandarin and Taiwanese are two distinct languages and are not mutually intelligible. It shouldn’t be expected that people will speak any other languages.

Taiwan’s healthcare is affordable and efficient. Expats living in Taiwan for more than four months or who have an ARC card are required to have a National Health Insurance (NHI) plan. Taking out private insurance to cover co-payments and non-covered treatments is still recommended.

Taiwan is a relatively safe place to live, and assignees are unlikely to witness or fall victim to any major crimes. Earthquakes and typhoons affect the island and local recommendations should be followed. Take normal safety precautions.

Homosexuality is legal in Taiwan and same-sex marriage is recognized and legal.

In Taiwan, there is no further local registration requirement once the Work Permit and Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) are obtained through the visa and immigration process.

Visa processing times can vary and may take longer than expected. Therefore it is recommended to apply for a visa well before the intended travel dates to ensure enough time for processing.

Taiwan’s public transport system is reliable and well-developed. Buses, taxis, and trains are all available and convenient to use. In major cities, traffic congestion and limited parking cause most assignees to choose public options. The minimum age to drive is 18, and any long-term residence of 6 months or more will be required to obtain a Taiwan driver’s license.

The official currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar (TWD). Taiwan has an advanced monetary system. There is little restriction on taking currency into or out of Taiwan However, international remittance from overseas may take 2 weeks or more for local banks to release the funds. Foreigners can open a bank account in almost all Taiwan banks. A Bank account can be opened on the same day of application and the ATM card is typically received within 1-2 weeks. ATMs are widely available. Credit card application requires a local guarantor and can take up to a month to process.