If you’re travelling to Taiwan, there’s one important admin task you should do before you fly: the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card. It replaces the old paper landing card and is now the standard way most visitors provide their arrival details to immigration. If you are flying into Taiwan, this is the way you will do your arrival card.
Here’s exactly what it is, who needs to complete it, when to do it, and some practical tips to make it painless.
What Is the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card?
The Taiwan Digital Arrival Card is an online immigration form that visitors complete before entering Taiwan. It collects basic information such as passport details, flight or arrival details, where you’ll be staying in Taiwan, and contact information. Once submitted, the information is linked electronically to your passport and checked by immigration when you arrive. There is no physical card to print and, in most cases, nothing to show unless an officer asks you to confirm submission.
Who Needs to Complete the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card?
You need to complete it if you are a tourist entering Taiwan, visiting visa-free, entering with a visitor visa, or a non-resident foreign national. You do not usually need to complete it if you are a Taiwanese passport holder or a resident of Taiwan with an ARC (Alien Resident Certificate). If you’re unsure, it’s safe to complete it anyway — submitting it when not strictly required won’t cause problems.
The Taiwan Digital Arrival Card is not the same thing as a visa, it is a separate and additional document that you need to do before you arrive.
Why Taiwan Uses a Digital Arrival Card
Taiwan introduced the digital system to speed up immigration queues, reduce paperwork and errors, improve border security and data accuracy, and make arrivals smoother for travellers. For families, neurodivergent travellers, or anyone who finds airport paperwork stressful, completing this before you travel makes arrival noticeably easier.
How Far in Advance Can You Do the Taiwan Arrival Card?
You can usually complete the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card up to 3 days (72 hours) before arrival. The best approach is to do it 1–3 days before your flight, once your plans are settled. If something changes, such as your hotel or flight, you can simply submit a new form — immigration will see the most recent one. The official website for the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card has an option for updating the form instead of doing a completely new one.
The link to update the information for the Taiwan arrival card is this one.
How to Fill in the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card (Helpful Tips)
There are five steps to doing the form for a Taiwan Digital Arrival Card:
Use your passport details exactly as written, matching name order, spelling, and passport number precisely. Don’t add extra spaces or swap first and last names. For accommodation, a hotel name is usually enough and you don’t need the full address. If you’re staying with friends or family, use the city and a contact number if you have one. Make sure you enter the correct flight number — this should be the flight that actually arrives in Taiwan, not your first departure flight. Each traveller must have their own form, including children, with parents completing it on their behalf. You won’t always receive an email confirmation, so take a screenshot of the submission success page just in case. Finally, complete the form using a stable internet connection, as it can time out on weak airport or ship Wi-Fi.
If you get stuck, the official webpage for the Taiwan arrival card has some very detail information to help you fill it out. There is an instruction manual you can download as a pdf and follow the instructions step by step, and there is also a video to help you out. Click here to open the webpage and scroll to the bottom to find the manual and the video.
What Happens If You Don’t Complete It?
If you arrive without completing the digital arrival card, you may be asked to complete it at the airport. This can mean delays, queues, and added stress, especially during busy arrival periods. Completing it in advance is strongly recommended.
What do you need to complete it?
There are a few bits and pieces you will need to complete the arrival card for Taiwan. It is best to collect everything you need ready for you to do the application.
If you are applying as a family, you can add your partner and children to your application so make sure to have the info for everyone ready at the beginning.
What you need is:
- a valid passport
- a valid email address for each traveller (parents can use their own when adding their kids to their application)
- your occupation info and phone number
- details of your travel such as flights or cruise information
- information about where you will stay in Taiwan
Is the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card the Same as a Visa?
No. The digital arrival card is not a visa. It does not grant permission to enter Taiwan and simply provides your arrival information to immigration. You must still meet Taiwan’s visa-free or visa requirements based on your nationality.
Does the Taiwan Digital Arrival Card cost money?
No. The Taiwan Digital Arrival Card does not, and should not, cost you money. If you arrive to an internet page that requires you to pay you are likely paying for an agency to complete the arrival card for you. The form is not complicated, and is always free. The legitimate Taiwan Digital Arrival Card website is this one.
Do I need a Taiwan Digital Arrival Card if I come to Taiwan on a cruise?
You do need an arrival card if you visit Taiwan by cruise ship, but it may be a paper form you do. We have boarded a cruise in Taiwan and also visited Taiwan as a cruise stop/disembarked in Keelung. When we arrived into Taiwan by plane we had to do a digital arrival card before we landed. This arrival card then expired when we boarded a cruise ship which sailed to Japan. This meant that when the ship returned to Keelung a few days later we had to have another arrival card ready.
In 2025, if I remember correctly, we did the digital arrival card ourselves for our return to Taiwan. in 2026, we sailed with the same ship but in a more luxurious class of cabin and the staff did the arrival card on paper for us ready for our return to Keelung. I think the difference was down to having the MSC Yacht Club package the second time around which meant that more things were taken care of on our behalf and the easiest way for them to do that was on the paper arrival cards.
If you are heading to Taiwan by cruise, you will likely port up in Keelung. I have a bunch of guides for Keelung that you might find useful:
- Keelung with autistic children
- Where to shop in Keelung
- Free things to do in Keelung with kids
- Photo spots and view points in Keelung – coming soon
- Where to eat in Keelung with autistic children – coming soon
- Keelung as a cruise stop – coming soon
Final Tips Before You Travel to Taiwan
Set a reminder two to three days before departure, complete the form for every family member, screenshot the confirmation page, and don’t panic if plans change — you can always resubmit the form. It’s a small task that makes a big difference when you land.
Ready to plan a trip to Taiwan? I have an entire page dedicated to travelling in Taiwan with kids (especially those with autism) where you can find detailed destination guides, attraction and tour recommendations, practical travel tips and so much more.