Taiwan · Spouse visas
Taiwan Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 1 yr
Resident Visa and Alien Resident Certificate — Foreign Spouse of a Taiwan National with Household Registration
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Taiwan. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- TWD 1,000 ≈ $31
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Government feesTWD 1,000 ≈ $31
- TWD 1,000 (≈ $31)Application fee for a one-year Alien Resident Certificate; longer validities cost TWD 2,000 (≈ $63) to 5,000.
RenewalRenewable
The first Alien Resident Certificate is valid for one year; apply to extend within 3 months before it expires.
Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
General rule: 5 consecutive years of legal residence with at least 183 days in Taiwan each year, plus good conduct and enough property or skills to support yourself. Spouses of Taiwan nationals with household registration are exempt from the means-of-support test; the Immigration Act also allows an application after 10 years of legal residence with 183 or more days each year for 5 years.
Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, Ministry of JusticeNational Immigration Agency Taiwan
CitizenshipAfter 3 years of residence
A foreign spouse of a national can apply after more than 183 days of legal residence each year for 3 consecutive years, and is exempt from the means-of-support test.
Ministry of Justice, Laws and Regulations Database of the Republic of China
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- Applicant is the spouse of a Taiwan national who has household registration in the Taiwan Area.
- Marriage appears in the Taiwan household registration certificate, with the spouse's name and nationality.
- Applicant has a clear criminal record and passes the health check.
- Blue-collar workers in Taiwan and those entering visa-free or on a landing visa cannot apply for the resident visa in Taiwan.
What you must show1
- No sponsor income figure applies; fee for a one-year Alien Resident Certificate is TWD 1,000 (≈ $31).
Documents3
- Passport valid 6 months, online application form and 2 photos.
- Health certificate issued within 3 months and criminal record certificate issued within 1 year, both authenticated.
- Marriage registration from the applicant's country and a household registration certificate issued within 3 months.
Steps3
- Apply for the resident visa at a Taiwan overseas mission; applicants on a Visitor Visa may apply in Taiwan at the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
- Apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and re-entry permit at the National Immigration Agency within 30 days of arrival.
- The Taiwan spouse must attend the first Alien Resident Certificate application in person.
After you arrive2
- The first Alien Resident Certificate is valid for one year; extension applications are made within 3 months before expiry.
- Permanent residence is open after 10 years of legal residence with 183 days a year for 5 of them, with no property test.
When you become tax resident
How Taiwan decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a taxable yearResident for progressive-rate assessment
- More than 90 days in a taxable yearOver 90 but under 183 days: withholding on Taiwan-source income
- Foreign-source income
Overseas income, basic tax only
Taiwan's regular income tax covers income from sources in the R.O.C.; income from outside Taiwan is excluded from consolidated gross income but is added to 'basic income' when a filing unit's overseas income is NT$1,000,000 or more, and the Income Basic Tax is 20% of basic income above NT$7,500,000, payable only when it exceeds the regular tax.
All tax rules for Taiwan Tax records checked
Full official text
Resident visa and one-year Alien Resident Certificate for the foreign spouse of a Taiwan national with registered household, with no work permit needed. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of TWD 1,000 (≈ $31) · Application fee for a one-year Alien Resident Certificate; longer validities cost TWD 2,000 (≈ $63) to 5,000. 2
Requirements
- Applicant is the spouse of a Taiwan national who has household registration in the Taiwan Area. 3 1
- Marriage appears in the Taiwan household registration certificate, with the spouse's name and nationality. 1
- Applicant has a clear criminal record and passes the health check. 1
- Blue-collar workers in Taiwan and those entering visa-free or on a landing visa cannot apply for the resident visa in Taiwan. 1
- No sponsor income figure applies; fee for a one-year Alien Resident Certificate is TWD 1,000 (≈ $31). 2
- Passport valid 6 months, online application form and 2 photos. 1
- Health certificate issued within 3 months and criminal record certificate issued within 1 year, both authenticated. 1
- Marriage registration from the applicant's country and a household registration certificate issued within 3 months. 1
- Apply for the resident visa at a Taiwan overseas mission; applicants on a Visitor Visa may apply in Taiwan at the Bureau of Consular Affairs. 1
- Apply for the Alien Resident Certificate and re-entry permit at the National Immigration Agency within 30 days of arrival. 1
- The Taiwan spouse must attend the first Alien Resident Certificate application in person. 2
- The first Alien Resident Certificate is valid for one year; extension applications are made within 3 months before expiry. 2
- Permanent residence is open after 10 years of legal residence with 183 days a year for 5 of them, with no property test. 3
Stay
- The first Alien Resident Certificate is valid for one year; extensions follow within 3 months before expiry.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
No work permit is needed for a foreign worker married to a Taiwan national with registered residence.
Family
A minor child of a Taiwan national with household registration can apply for residence under a separate provision.
Official sources
- Resident Visas for Foreign Spouses of R.O.C. (Taiwan) Citizens Having Household Registration · Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidelines for Foreign Nationals Applying for Residency, Extension of Residency, or Change in Residency Status (0902) · National Immigration Agency, Taiwan · checked 2026-10-12
- Immigration Act (Taiwan) · Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
- Employment Service Act (Taiwan) · Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
- 0903 Guidelines for Foreign Nationals Applying for Permanent Residency · National Immigration Agency Taiwan · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-04-21
- Nationality Act (Articles 3 to 5) · Ministry of Justice, Laws and Regulations Database of the Republic of China (Taiwan) · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a permanent resident | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
A fee of TWD 1,000 (≈ $31). Application fee for a one-year Alien Resident Certificate; longer validities cost TWD 2,000 (≈ $63) to 5,000.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
The first Alien Resident Certificate is valid for one year; extensions follow within 3 months before expiry.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
Yes. No work permit is needed for a foreign worker married to a Taiwan national with registered residence.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
A minor child of a Taiwan national with household registration can apply for residence under a separate provision.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Taiwan?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Taiwan, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Taiwan?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Residents staying 183 days or more in a tax year pay progressive tax from 5% to 40% on net consolidated income; stays of 91 to 182 days are taxed at withholding rates on Taiwan-source income.
More in Taiwan
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Resident Visas for Foreign Spouses of R.O.C. (Taiwan) Citizens Having Household Registration · Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidelines for Foreign Nationals Applying for Residency, Extension of Residency, or Change in Residency Status (0902) · National Immigration Agency, Taiwan · checked 2026-10-12
- Immigration Act (Taiwan) · Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
- Employment Service Act (Taiwan) · Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
- 0903 Guidelines for Foreign Nationals Applying for Permanent Residency · National Immigration Agency Taiwan · checked 2026-10-10
- Nationality Act (Articles 3 to 5) · Ministry of Justice, Laws and Regulations Database of the Republic of China (Taiwan) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.