When to Submit the Taiwan Online Arrival Card Before Your Trip

Why an online arrival card instead of paper?

Paper arrival cards on planes are gone. Taiwan's National Immigration Agency phased them out to speed up border clearance and modernize its digital immigration services. The upshot: every foreign tourist entering under visa-exempt arrangements has to register personal particulars and a travel itinerary online before passing the immigration counters.

Paper forms aren't distributed on planes anymore, so don't plan on filling one in at the gate or in the air. Do it on your phone or computer before you leave. That saves you needless delays when you land at a Taiwan airport.

Who must submit, and who's exempt?

Here's who has to submit and who's exempt, as defined by the National Immigration Agency:

This was verified on October 31, 2026. If you're visiting Taiwan visa-free for a vacation or short-term business, you're in the first row, and you need a separate form every time you enter the country.

How early can travelers submit?

You can generally start the card 3 days (72 hours) before your scheduled arrival. Once your flights and accommodation are settled, I'd submit it 1 to 2 days before departure.

You'll need a passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity, return flight details, a Taiwan accommodation address or hotel name, and an email address you can access. Switch the interface language to English or Korean if you want the instructions for each field to be clear.

What should travelers watch for when applying?

The real official site ends in the Taiwan government domain .gov.tw. Some third-party commercial agencies show up at the top of search engine results, and they often charge significant handling fees or take credit card payments for a service that's free. Double-check the address.

Save a screenshot or printout of the final confirmation screen, or keep the acknowledgment email sent when you finish. Immigration authorities do verify submissions electronically against passport numbers, but I'd still hold on to proof. It speeds things up if connectivity fails or the system shows a discrepancy on site.

If your flight times or lodging change unexpectedly, update your record with the lookup and modify function on the official site, or submit a new form. Border policies and entry documents can change without notice. Check the latest announcements on the National Immigration Agency portal (immigration.gov.tw) before you set out.