Los Angeles Taiwan Travel Authorization Processing

How to Apply for a Taiwan Entry Permit in the United States?

Required Documents for Taiwan Entry Permit Application

Eligibility for Travel to Taiwan and How to Apply for an Entry Permit?

For Chinese Passport Holders with U.S. Green Cards:
1. Provide copies of passport and green card (please sign on the copies).

For Chinese Passport Holders with F1 Student Visas:
1. Original Chinese passport and I-20 form (the last page of the I-20 must have the school's annual signature).
2. Proof of enrollment.
3. Proof of address.

The Taiwan Entry Permit is valid for 3 months, with a maximum stay of 15 days.

Taiwan Entry Permit Application Process

First, your planned travel date to Taiwan must be within three months. Applications submitted too early will not be accepted.

Prepare the following documents:

• Electronic version of a recent 45mm x 35mm (2-inch) color photo with a white background (you can also crop an existing visa photo).
• Scanned copy of your passport.
• Electronic version of your travel itinerary (in Traditional Chinese).
• Proof of legal status: For students, provide I-20 or DS-2019; for green card holders, provide the green card; for workers, provide I-797 and proof of employment.
• Taiwan authorities generally do not scrutinize travel details closely and seem less concerned about U.S. visa status.

The visa application must be submitted to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States, which performs consular functions. If you cannot apply in person, you can use a travel agency or find online services to assist with the application. Fees for such services vary, so evaluate whether they are worth it based on your needs.

This article outlines the process for self-application. Taiwan has representative offices in major U.S. cities, but not all handle visa applications. Only the offices in Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Miami process visa matters. You can view the list and addresses of these offices by clicking here. Choose the location most convenient for you.

Experience Sharing

Most sections of the application form are straightforward. The challenging part is filling in the "Residency ID Number." You can enter your SSN, SEVIS No. from the I-20, or the number on your I-94. In practice, they do not scrutinize this information closely. Additionally, if you have previously worked for the Chinese Communist Party or the Chinese government, you must declare it truthfully. However, the consequences of doing so are unclear, so feel free to share your experiences.

Online Application

Visit the National Immigration Agency website to begin the online application. Mainland Chinese residing overseas are classified as "Third Category Individuals" by Taiwan. If you see this term, you are on the right track.

The first step is to select the application location and upload a photo. Note that there are size restrictions for the photo, and you may need to compress it repeatedly to meet the requirements. The photo specifications are quite detailed, so carefully review them to ensure compliance.

Clicking "Next" will display your application number and bring up the application form:

https://coa.immigration.gov.tw/coa-frontend/overseas-foreign-china

How to Enter Taiwan

Traveling directly from mainland China to Taiwan requires not only a Taiwan Entry Permit but also a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents (commonly known as the "Taiwan Compatriot Permit"). The Mainland Travel Permit can only be applied for in mainland China. Therefore, if you have a Taiwan Entry Permit obtained in the United States, you can fly directly from the U.S. to Taiwan. However, you cannot travel via direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan (the "Three Links"), as Chinese border control will not allow it. Alternatively, you can travel from mainland China to Taiwan via Hong Kong.

To summarize:

• USA => Taiwan: Legal
• USA => Transit via a third country (non-China) => Taiwan: Legal
• USA => Hong Kong => Taiwan: Legal
• USA => China => Taiwan: Illegal; Chinese border control will not permit entry.
• USA => China => (Hong Kong or a third country) => Taiwan: When exiting China, declare to border control that you are transiting back to the USA; border control will allow passage. To reach Hong Kong, you can either take a flight or cross directly from Shenzhen.