Residents Visas for Foreign Students(Full-time PhD, Master’s, Bachelor’s program, or senior high school Students and below)
| REQUIREMENTS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| 1. Application form | Go to website: https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw . Fill out the application form online and print it out. Make sure the application form shows a bar code on it. Sign the application form. |
| 2. Two color passport-size photos | Paste on the application form two color passport-size photos with a white background taken within 6 months. |
| 3. Passport and one photocopy of the passport | The passport must be valid for at least 6 months and there are blank pages left in it. One photocopy of the passport bio-page including the holder’s picture is required. |
| 4. Original and one photocopy of health certificate |
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| 5. Original and one photocopy of admission permit /record of enrollment, registration and transcripts |
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| 6. Original and one photocopy of highest education diploma and transcripts | For diplomas and transcripts in languages other than Chinese or English, a Chinese- or English-translation version is also required. (Must be authenticated by an R.O.C(Taiwan)overseas mission.) |
| 7. Original and one photocopy of proof of financial support |
Bank statements or records of remittance provided by the applicant or his/her relatives within the third degree of kinship (grandparents, parents and siblings). *Bank statements or records of remittance supported by the applicant’s relatives must be submitted along with the household registration/ birth certificate/ family book which may prove the relationship of relative. *The amount showing on the bank statements or records of remittance, when the visa application is submitted, must be sufficient enough for at least a consecutive 6 months living needs. *The scholarship certificate must indicate the duration and the exact amount of the scholarship. |
| 8. Other supporting documents | The Documents listed below are required optionally (required on a case-by-case basis)
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Application Procedure
- Applicants outside of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) who meet the requirements for students’ Resident Visa are advised to apply for the visa from an R.O.C. (Taiwan) overseas mission.
- Applicants who enter the R.O.C. (Taiwan) on a Visitor Visa which qualifies the applicants for Resident Visa application for the purpose of undertaking studies must apply for a Resident Visa 8 work days before the duration of stay expires. Applicants may apply to the Bureau of Consular Affairs or any of its Central, Southwestern, Southern, or Eastern Taiwan Offices.
Notice
- Visa issuance is an act of sovereignty. According to the “Statute Governing Issuance of R.O.C. Visas in Foreign Passport” and “Enforcement Rules for the Issuance of R.O.C. Visas to Foreign-Passport Holders,” the R.O.C. reserves the right not to issue a visa and is under no obligation to disclose the reason. Application fee for no-issuance cases is non-refundable.
- Processing of Resident Visa application inside the R.O.C. (Taiwan) takes 8 work days. Resident Visa applicants are advised to apply to the Bureau of Consular Affairs 8 work days before the duration of stay expires. Application will be turned down and fee not refunded in the event that required documents are not submitted in full within 7 days after the applicant is informed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs. In the event that the applicant’s duration of stay expires while the Resident Visa is under processing and eventually rejected, the applicant is to assume the sole responsibility of overstay and the penalty therefore imposed.
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Original documents are to be returned after review. Documents produced outside of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) must be authenticated by an R.O.C. (Taiwan) overseas mission; if produced in Mainland China must be authenticated by Straits Exchange Foundation. Documents that are in languages other than Chinese or English must be accompanied by a Chinese- or English-translation version. The original-language documents and the accompanying Chinese- or English-translation version must be authenticated by an R.O.C. (Taiwan) overseas mission or attested by District Court or Notary Public.
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For visa application fees, please refer to “Standard Fees for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Visas in Foreign Passports”(pdf file).
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Those who enter the R.O.C. (Taiwan) without a visa or with a landing visa and those who enter the R.O.C. (Taiwan) on a Visitor Visa not for the purpose of undertaking studies may not apply for a Resident Visa or an extension of duration of stay on the ground of undertaking studies. Those not enrolled as full-time students may not apply for a Resident Visa on the ground of undertaking studies.
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Those who enter the R.O.C. (Taiwan) on a Resident Visa or get a Resident Visa after having arrived in the R.O.C. (Taiwan) must apply for an Alien Resident Certificate and Re-entry Permit at local service centers of National Immigration Agency. The former must apply within 15 days from the next day of arrival, and the latter must apply within 15 days from the Resident Visa issuance date. Duration of stay is noted on the Alien Resident Certificate.
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Obtaining a school admission permit does not guarantee the issuance of a Resident Visa. Obtaining a Resident Visa does not entitle the visa holder to enter the R.O.C.(Taiwan).
ABBREVIATIONS
- BOCA - Bureau of Consular Affairs
- R.O.C. - Republic of China
- R.O.C. overseas missions- R.O.C. embassies, consulates and representative offices, or other agencies authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the R.O.C.
- MOFA -Ministry of Foreign Affairs
