When entering Taiwan, you must comply with the current entry and import regulations. We explain all the needed documents and which goods you should never bring to Taiwan.
Have the following documents ready when entering Taiwan:
Depending on your nationality and purpose of travel, additional documents may be required of you. These include, e.g.,
If you are traveling to Taiwan with minors, you must be prepared for stricter border controls. Have proof of custody, powers of attorney and/or consent forms, and copies of birth certificates available.
Whether you are allowed to enter Taiwan depends not only on the completeness of your travel documents but also on the personal impression you make on the border officials. By going through your travel documents and asking some interview questions, they will check if:
If the officials deem you fit to enter the country, you may cross the border into Taiwan.
Before entering Taiwan, you must fill out the customs form, which helps the Taiwanese government comply with current customs, quarantine, and security regulation.
If you want to bring declarable goods to Taiwan, you must enter them in the Taiwan customs declaration form. You will receive the form on the plane or upon arrival at the airport. The following data is requested:
When entering Taiwan, present the completed form to the customs officers before passing through the customs area.
Although there are no mandatory vaccinations, immunizations against tetanus, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B are generally recommended for travelers to Taiwan.
There is no mandatory insurance for travel to Taiwan. However, we recommend you take out travel health insurance, which protects you against high financial burdens in an emergency.
Entry requirements for Taiwan are subject to change. Follow the news and weather reports and find out about the current entry and transport regulations shortly before your trip.
Have your complete travel documents, including your passport, electronic travel authorization, and the completed customs form at hand when entering Taiwan. When questioned by border officials, answer briefly, precisely, and truthfully.
There is a two-channel system for customs clearance in Taiwan, consisting of a red channel (for travelers with goods to be declared) and a green channel (for travelers without goods to be declared). Depending on the type and amount of goods you bring, you must choose between one of the two channels.
Customs can control both the red channel and the green channel. Undeclared goods or incorrect information can lead to confiscation, fines, or criminal prosecutions. You should, therefore, strictly adhere to the currently applicable import regulations for restricted or dutiable goods.
Bringing plants, animal products, and currency into Taiwan is subject to strict regulations. In addition, there are prohibited goods you cannot bring into Taiwan under any circumstances.
You can take the following goods and quantities into Taiwan duty-free:
| Taking goods with you when entering Taiwan | allowances |
|---|---|
| Personal items | Up to the equivalent of approximately $ 650 |
| Tobacco | Up to 200 cigarettes / 25 cigars / 1 pound of tobacco |
| Alcohol | Up to 1 liter (for travelers from an age of 20 years) |
| Diamonds, stones, platinum | Up to the equivalent of approximately $ 15,000 |
| Medication | Non-prescription medicines for personal use (up to 36 bottles/boxes) as well as prescription medicines for up to 2 months, up to 12 kg of Chinese medicinal herbs |
The following goods and quantities must be declared when entering Taiwan:
| Declare when entering Taiwan | Details |
|---|---|
| Baggage and baggage content | Starting at a total value of around $ 650 |
| Cigarettes | Starting at 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars, or 1 pound of tobacco |
| Alcohol | Starting at 1 l |
| Currency | From $ 10,000 / Chinese Yuan: from CNY 20,000 / Taiwan Dollar: from TWD 100,000 |
| Gold | From an equivalent value of $ 20,000 |
| Other means of payment | Checks, promissory notes, bills of exchange, or other means of payment over $ 10,000 |
| Diamonds, stones, platinum | Starting at the equivalent of approximately $ 15,000 |
| Medication | Duty-free but subject to declaration — only with a prescription including an English translation |
| Agricultural products | Up to 6 kg (excluding live animals, plants, and their products or fruits), of which up to each 1 kg of ground rice, roasted or prepared peanuts, prepared garlic, dried daylily flowers, dried mushrooms, and tea |
You are not allowed to bring the following items to Taiwan:
| Import prohibited in Taiwan | Details |
|---|---|
| Animals | Live animals and their products (only with the prior approval of the BAPHIQ) |
| Aquatic products | Only with the prior permission of BAPHIQ |
| Plants | Live plants and their products, seeds, and fruits |
| Drugs | Heroin, morphine, opium, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine, and other substances prohibited by Taiwan law |
| Weapons | Rifles, pistols, shotguns, fishing gear, ammunition, bombs, cartridges, explosives, assault knives, and other weapons of war |
| Counterfeit goods | Articles that infringe the rights of patents, trademarks, and copyrights |
| Counterfeit money | Counterfeit currency and securities or money printing gear |
| Cosmetics in glass ampoules | Only with permission of TFDA |
| Tobacco products | E-cigarettes, e-liquid, or heated tobacco products |
Special regulations apply to the import of certain goods from China, e.g., dried scallops and abalone, edible bird nests, dried shark fins (1.2 kg each permitted) and canned products (6 cans permitted).