Working Holiday Visa
In this blog post, I will explain everything you need to know about the Working Holiday Visa that Taiwan offers. I’ll start with a brief introduction about what this visa is, who is eligible, how you can apply, and finally what you can expect when you arrive in Taiwan. Read along to learn more! PS: I’ve dedicated another blog post to how you can find a job that is legal to do with this kind of visa.
What is a Working Holiday Visa?
The Working Holiday Visa (WHV), also called the Working Holiday Scheme, is a program by the Taiwanese (ROC) government to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between people from Taiwan and other countries around the world. The main goal of this program is to give people the opportunity to explore Taiwan for a longer period than a normal tourist visa allows, while also giving them the option to work in order to finance their travels.
In other words, with this visa you can stay in Taiwan for up to one year and take on occasional work to make sure you don’t run out of money. The purpose of this visa is really focused on traveling and exploring, not on finding long-term employment in Taiwan (more on that later). Nevertheless, it is a great opportunity to experience this beautiful place!
Who is eligible for this visa?
The Taiwanese government has partnered with a number of countries for the WHV program. This means that people from these countries can visit Taiwan for up to one year, and Taiwanese citizens can do the same in return.
It is important to note that some countries have a limited number of spots available. For example, the Netherlands only has 100 places per year, so better be early ;). Another requirement is age: only people between 18 and 30 years old can apply, and the main purpose of the visa must be traveling. This is very important, as you cannot take on long-term employment with this type of visa. If you are looking for long-term work in Taiwan, I recommend contacting your country’s Representative Office.
Citizens from the following countries are eligible to apply for the WHV: New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, Korea, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
This list may change. As of September 2025, these are the participating countries, but hopefully more will be added in the future!
How can you apply?
The application for a WHV must be done at the Taipei Representative Office or a similar embassy/consular office in your home country. Once you have gathered all the required documents, the application process itself is quite straightforward. However, collecting the documents can take some time and effort. Since I applied for this visa from the Netherlands, I will explain the process there. Other countries may have slightly different requirements, but the general procedure should be similar.
The following documents are necessary to apply for a Working Holiday Visa from the Netherlands:
Visa application form – Filled in, signed, and printed. Select the following options: duration of 0–180 days, multiple entries, and “Working Holiday (Youth Mobility)” as purpose of travel. The form is available at https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_EVISA/.
Valid passport – Must be valid for at least 12 months.
Two color passport photos – Taken within the last 6 months (older photos will not be accepted). The photos should be 2x2 inches (American format).
Visa fee – Around €100, payable by card at the office.
Flight ticket – Either a ticket to Taiwan and back, or proof of sufficient funds to purchase return tickets.
Proof of funds – At least €2,500. A recent bank statement showing this amount is sufficient.
Health insurance – Must cover your entire stay in Taiwan, including hospitalization and repatriation. I just printed out my health insurance policy sheet.
Certificate of good conduct – Must be legalized by the local government. . In the Netherlands you can apply for this at your local town hall, afterwhich you can get the necessary stamp in Den Haag at the Consulair Diensten Centrum.
Health check report – Issued within the last three months and legalized by the local government. You should aks your local Representative office for this form, afterwhich you can get the necessary tests done at a private clinic. Note for Dutchies: you can get this stamped at the Ministery of Health in Den Haag.
And that’s it! These were all the documents I had to provide to the Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands to apply for my visa. Collecting everything took me about four weeks, mainly because of the medical tests and the legalization process.
Before you start gathering documents, I recommend emailing your local Representative Office. Ask about the number of spots still available for the WHV and whether your country has specific requirements. Once you have that information, the real preparations can start!
What to do once you arrive
Well, this step is quite easy ;). At immigration you’re not treated differently than any other tourist. So just fill in the arrival card once you get to the immigration hall, and get in line for the tourist immigration check. Once it is your turn, make sure to tell the customs officer that you want to use your Working Holdiday Visa, otherwise you’ll just get a tourist visa. The officer will check your visa, and you will be allowed to enter and re-enter Taiwan for the coming 180 days. You don’t have to do any other visa related set-ups once you arrive. However, you must extend your visa within 15 days before the initial 180 days expire. This can be done at a National Immigration Agency service center in any major city. Here you’ll get an extended visa for 180 days, so you’ll be able to explore Taiwan for 360 days in total!
More information
This is probably one of the most boring blog posts I’ve written here, but I tried to include as much information as possible. When you’re considering applying for a Working Holiday Visa in Taiwan make sure to contact your local representative office and check the website of the Taiwanese governement dedicated to the Working Holiday Scheme: https://www.boca.gov.tw/lp-153-2-1-20.html.
I genuinely hope this blog was useful for you, and please feel free to send me a dm on Instagram (@david_worldwide) if you have any other questions!
