Overview
Since launching its eVisa program in 2016, Taiwan's Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) has run a one-stop online service for eligible applicants: fill in the form, pay the fee, and receive your eVisa by email within about 3 working days — no embassy visit at all. BOCA has been explicit and public about this: it has never authorized any business website to process eVisa applications, after reports surfaced of a commercial site charging large markups for a form applicants could complete themselves for free effort. Travelers not eligible for the eVisa still apply directly at a Taiwan mission, using the same online form as a starting point, printed and submitted in person.
Visa categories
| eVisa | Fully online, no mission visit; short-term stays up to 30 days for tourism, business or visiting relatives, for eligible nationalities. |
|---|---|
| General (paper) visa | For travelers not eligible for the eVisa; the form is completed online, then printed and submitted in person at a Taiwan mission. |
Documents checklist
- Ordinary, official, or diplomatic passport valid for at least 6 months from your application date (emergency or temporary passports don't qualify)
- Personal information matching your passport exactly — mismatches invalidate the eVisa
- Credit card (Visa or MasterCard) for online payment
- For General Visa applicants: two color passport photos, white background, taken within the last 6 months, plus invitation letter or other purpose-specific evidence
- Proof of polio vaccination, if you've spent 4+ weeks in specific high-risk countries within the past year (check BOCA's current list)
Step-by-step application process (eVisa)
1. Confirm your nationality is eVisa-eligible
Check BOCA's current eligible-country list — eligibility periods and conditions (e.g. requiring a valid Schengen/US visa) are updated over time.
2. Go to the BOCA visa application system
Only use visawebapp.boca.gov.tw — never a third-party site.
3. Fill in your application
Match every field exactly to your passport.
4. Pay the fee by credit card
Visa and MasterCard are the only accepted methods; no other payment method is available.
5. Wait for processing
Around 3 working days; BOCA missions may request additional documents by email if needed.
6. Print your eVisa
Present the paper printout at the immigration checkpoint on arrival — a digital copy alone isn't accepted.
Fees & processing time
| Fee | NT$1,632, including visa fee and credit card processing (per BOCA's own published notice) |
|---|---|
| Processing time | About 3 working days |
| Stay length | Up to 30 days for eligible eVisa categories |
Sources reviewed: boca.gov.tw and visawebapp.boca.gov.tw (Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China/Taiwan), including BOCA's own public warning notice about unauthorized third-party sites. Eligible-country lists and fees change — always confirm on the official BOCA portal before applying.