Travel & Study
Travel & Study
Europe is a region that is easy to visit, especially since the adoption of the Schengen visa waiver in 2011 for all Taiwanese passport holders. Modern means of transportation let you travel between diverse European destinations in the shortest time possible, allowing you to visit different landscapes, experience different cultures and taste different cuisines within reach.
Visit the EU’s dedicated websites (in See Also) for practical advice and useful tips for traveling to its 27 Member States
Visas
Since 11 January 2011, Taiwanese passport holders no longer need a visa to travel to the EU for short stays. However, member states' national visas are still required if you intend to stay or study for longer than 90 days, or to work for any period of time. For more information on national visas, you should contact the member states' offices in Taiwan.
1. What does the visa waiver mean in practice?
For short-term visits of up to 90 days within a period of 180 days, no visa is needed by holders of Taiwanese passports. They can travel to the Schengen area or the four Member States not yet fully applying the "Schengen acquis" (Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia). For employment even if it is less than 90 days, for visits of more than 90 days such as for settlement, for family reunification or studies, Taiwanese passport holders still require a national visa issued by the Member State concerned.
2. To which Member States can Taiwanese passport-holders travel visa-free?
No short-stay visa is required for travel to all EU Member States and to the four associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) which are part of the Schengen area. This regime includes the UK and Ireland which have already waived the short-stay visa obligation in 2009.
3. Is there a difference between the Schengen-area and the other EU-member states?
Yes. The countries of the Schengen area apply common border control regulations. There are no border controls when travelling between these countries. When travelling to the other non- Schengen-member states, border controls are still in place.
4. Does the exemption apply to all types of passports?
The visa exemption applies to all ordinary Taiwanese passports which contain the identity card number of the holder. The passport needs to have been issued within the previous 10 years and needs to be valid at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the territory of Member States. For diplomatic and service/official passports please confirm with Member States offices in Taiwan before your trip to the Schengen area. The exemption from the visa requirement does not apply to holders of passports issued by Taiwan which do not include an identity card number.
5. Do I need a visa to visit any Member State of the Schengen area for business, such as attending meetings, training courses, or exhibitions for a short stay of fewer than 90 days?
No.
6. Do I need a visa to transit at airports in the Schengen Area?
No. The visa waiver for Taiwan passport holders also covers transits at airports (or elsewhere) in the Schengen area. Transit without a visa is possible both through the international transit areas of airports, but also when leaving those areas in case of transits through the several Member States.
7. Do I need a visa if I wish to study in Europe for less than 90 days?
No if you only plan to study for less than 90 days.Yet, if you want to extend your stay, change your status or work in the Schengen area during your studies, you will need to leave the Schengen area and should contact the relevant Member State office in Taiwan (or in the country where you currently reside) for your visa. In any case, students need a visa for stays longer than 90 days.
8. If I want to visit one country in the Schengen area to get married do I need a visa?
For the actual wedding celebration, no visa is required. However, if you want to stay more than 90 days you may need to apply for a visa. Please check with the office of your future country of residence.
9. Do I need a visa to work in the Schengen area for less than 90 days?
Most of the Member States require a visa and a work permit if you intend to work even if it is for less than 90 days. You should contact the relevant office in Taipei (or in the country where you currently reside in) to inquire whether a visa is required.
10. How long can I stay in the Schengen area?
You may stay in the Schengen area for a maximum period of 90 days during any period of 180 days. There is no limitation for the number of times you may enter the Schengen area if the total number of days you stayed in the Schengen area in any 180 days period does not exceed 90 days.
11. When does the 180 days period start?
The 180 days period is defined as the period of 180 days preceding each day of stay in the Schengen area. This means that, on any day of your stay in the Schengen area, you must not have stayed more than 90 days over the preceding 180 days.
If you have spent 0 days within the 90-day period prior to your next entry date, then you could stay for 90 days upon your next entry.
You can use the "Schengen short-stay calculator" to help you make sure you will abide by the rules:
Stays in Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, the UK and Ireland will be counted separately from stays in the Schengen area since these countries are either not members of the Schengen area or only partially apply Schengen rules.
12. What are the entry conditions to the Schengen area Member States?
The visa waiver does not give an unconditional right of entry and short stay. The visa waiver does not affect the other conditions for entry and short stay. There are a number of conditions that Member States can check like possession of a valid return ticket, evidence of funding, etc.
For detailed information, please check Council REGULATION (EU) 2016/399 on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders: Schengen borders code.
If entry is refused on the basis of lack of fulfillment of entry conditions, the person should be issued a written decision stating the reasons for the refusal and has the right to appeal that decision. These appeals shall be conducted in accordance with the national law of the Member States concerned and the relevant information should be given to the person.
13. What documents do I need to show to the immigration officer at the port of entry?
You need to show your valid passport. The passport validity should be at least three months at the intended time of departure from the Schengen Area. The passport must have been issued within the previous 10 years.
In addition, you might be asked also to show: flight tickets for further journeys and return tickets; evidence of sufficient means of subsistence; reservation of accommodation, invitation letter in case of visits, conferences; school enrolment certificate in case of study, etc.
Travellers to the Schengen area should also be aware that rules concerning travel with minors are still in place. Therefore people travelling with minors should bear proper evidence that demonstrates their relationship to the minors and/or the relevant parental authorization. All documents should be in English or translated into the language of the country they are going to travel to.
A detailed overview of documents you might be asked for can be found here.
14. Do I need to have valid travel medical insurance to travel to the Schengen area?
Travel Medical Insurance is not necessary to enter the Schengen area after the visa waiver but it is highly recommended to have medical insurance when travelling abroad as a general good practice.
15. Can I stay in the Schengen area under the visa exemption status before, or after, the period of validity of the long-term visa or residence permit I obtained from a Schengen area country?
This depends on member states. You should check with the office of the member state you intend to visit beforehand.
16. Do I need a visa for doing an internship in a Schengen member state?
This depends on member states. You should check with the office of the member state where you intend to do an internship beforehand.
17. Apart from the Taiwanese passport, which other passports also benefit from the Schengen visa exemption?
The answer can be found on the following European Commission web page.
EU Member States Representative Offices
In addition to the EU Office, there are 15 EU Member States representative offices in Taipei, as well as several functional offices established by different member states.
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Austrian Office Taipei Telephone: 02 81753283 Fax: 02 25149980 Email: [email protected] |
Address: Room 601, 131 Minsheng E. Rd, Sec 3, Taipei Telephone: 02 27151215 Fax: 02 27126258 Email: [email protected] |
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Czech Economic and Cultural Office Taipei Address: Suite B, 7F, No.200, Sec. 1, Keelung Rd., Taipei Telephone: 02 27225100 Fax: 02 27225117 Email: [email protected] |
The Trade Council of Denmark, Taipei Address: Room 1207, 205 Dunhua N Rd, Taipei Telephone: 02 27182101 Fax: 02 27182141 Email: [email protected] |
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Finland Trade Center in Taiwan Address:13F, 560 Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei Telephone: 02 87291231 Email: [email protected] |
Address: Taipei 101, Suite A, 39F, No 7, Sec 5, Xinyi Rd, Taipei Telephone: 02 35185151 Fax: 02 35185189 |
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Address: 33rd Floor, No. 7, Taipei 101 Tower, Xinyi Road Sec. 5, Taipei Telephone: 02 87222800 Fax: 02 81016282 Email: [email protected] |
Address: 3F, No.97, Jingye 1st Rd., Taipei Telephone: 02 85011200 Fax: 02 85011161 Email: [email protected] |
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Italian Economic, Trade & Cultural Promotion Office Address: 1809, 18F, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 23450320 Fax: 02 27576260 Email: [email protected] |
Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office, Taipei Address: Suite 1812, 18F, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 27576007 Fax: 02 27576002 Email: [email protected] |
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Address: 13F-2, 1, Songgao Rd, Taipei Telephone: 02 8758 7200 Fax: 02 27205005 Email: [email protected] |
Address: Suites 1601-1602, 16F, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 77183300 Fax: 02 77183310 Email: [email protected] |
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Slovak Economic and Cultural Office Address: Room 1203, 12F, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 87803231 Fax: 02 27235096 Email: [email protected] |
Address: 10F-B1, 49 Minsheng E. Rd, Sec. 3, Taipei Telephone: 02 25184905 Fax: 02 25184891 Email: [email protected] |
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Business Sweden, the Swedish Trade & Invest Council Address: Suite 2406, 24F, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 27576573 Fax: 02 27576308 Email: [email protected] |
EU Member States Functional Offices
Trade and investment
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Austrian Trade Delegation in Taipei Address: Room 608, 205 Dunhua North Road, Taipei Telephone: 02 27155220 Fax: 02 27173242 Email: [email protected] |
Address: 39 Floor, No. 7, Taipei 101 Tower, Xinyi Road Sec. 5, Taipei Telephone: 02 27577080 Fax: 02 27577090 Email: [email protected] |
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Address: Room 1909, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 87585800 Fax: 02 87585833 Email: [email protected] |
Address: Suite 1912, 19F, 333 Keelung Rd, Sec 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 27251542 Fax: 02 27576274 Email: [email protected] |
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Polish Investment and Trade Agency in Taipei Address: 10F, No 1, Songchi Rd, 110 Taipei Telephone: 02 27220338 |
Education
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Address: 39 Floor, No. 7, Taipei 101 Tower, Xinyi Road Sec. 5, Taipei Telephone: 02 35185160 Email: [email protected] |
German Academic Exchange Service DAAD Address: 11F, 20 Heping West Road Section 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 23677871 Email: [email protected] |
Culture
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Address: 12F, 20 Heping West Road Section 1, Taipei Telephone: 02 23657294 Fax: 02 23687542 Email: [email protected] |
Address: No 107, Roosevelt Rd Section 4,, Da’an District, Taipei Telephone: 02 23648833 Email: [email protected] |
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Alliance Française de Kaohsiung Address: No 2, Darong Street, Gushan District, Kaohsiung City Telephone: 07 5214600 Email: [email protected] |
Study programmes
Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020).
The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life.
The Erasmus+ programme offers many education and research opportunities to students, academics and researchers from Taiwan. You may find more information on the Commission's dedicated webpage.