Taiwan allows Arrival Card submission 7 days before the trip: what changes for tourists

Taiwan has made entry preparation slightly more convenient: the digital Taiwan Arrival Card, known as TWAC, can now be filled out within seven days before arrival, rather than just in the last three days before the trip. For tourists, this does not cancel visa requirements and is not a new entry permit, but it adds more time to calmly complete the mandatory formality before passport control.

The change is primarily important for travelers flying to Taiwan via several layovers, traveling as a family, or combining Taipei with other Asian cities. Previously, the short three-day window often forced the form to be filled out during the active phase of the journey: before departure, at a transit airport, or after landing. Now, this action can be included in the usual pre-trip checklist along with checking the passport, visa, insurance, hotel booking, and flight status.

According to official materials from the National Immigration Agency of Taiwan, TWAC is a free online form that must be submitted before passing through immigration control. The updated system user guide explicitly states that the arrival card can be filled out seven days before entry. The specialized publication VisasNews also recorded this change on June 18, 2026, emphasizing that the process remains free and is conducted through the official portal twac.immigration.gov.tw.

What is the Taiwan Arrival Card and why is it needed

The Taiwan Arrival Card is a digital replacement for the paper arrival card that foreign travelers previously filled out before passing through passport control. The system was introduced to reduce paperwork, speed up data processing at the border, and make entry more predictable for passengers, airlines, and border services.

In the form, you need to provide basic personal data, passport information, purpose of the trip, method of arrival, flight or vessel number, expected date of arrival, and the address of stay in Taiwan. For a tourist, this means that before filling it out, you should already have your passport, flight ticket data, hotel name or address, and an understanding of the status under which entry is occurring: visa-free, with a visitor visa, or another permit.

It is important not to confuse TWAC with a visa or an electronic travel authorization such as ETA. The Arrival Card itself does not grant the right of entry and does not replace a visa if one is required for a specific traveler. It is a registration form before immigration check. Therefore, the main rule remains unchanged: first check your own visa conditions based on citizenship, passport type, and purpose of the trip, and then submit TWAC as part of the arrival preparation.

What exactly changed in June

The key news is the increase in the submission period: now the form can be filled out within seven days before the planned arrival in Taiwan. Previously, official NIA explanations mentioned a three-day window. For most tourists, this does not change the set of documents, but noticeably reduces the risk of forgetting the form at the last moment.

The practical effect will be especially felt by long-haul flight passengers, travelers with overnight layovers, cruise passengers, group trip participants, and families with children. If the route includes several segments, different time zones, or an early morning departure, the seven-day window allows the formality to be completed at home where all documents and stable internet are available.

After submission, the system sends an electronic document to the specified email address. According to the official description, during the immigration check, the data should be retrieved after scanning the passport. At the same time, tourists should keep the confirmation in their email or on their phone until the entry is complete, especially if the flight is delayed, the route changes, or data needs to be updated before control.

Who needs to fill out TWAC

Official NIA information indicates that TWAC applies to foreign citizens entering Taiwan with a visitor visa or under a visa-exempt program. The form also applies to certain categories of travelers from Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China if they have appropriate multiple-entry permits, as well as to some Taiwanese citizens without household registration who do not have a Resident Certificate.

For an ordinary tourist, the simplest logic is this: if you are not a resident of Taiwan and are entering for a short term as a visitor, the form should be checked and, most likely, filled out before arrival. At the same time, having TWAC does not exempt from other requirements: a valid passport, a possible visa, a return or onward ticket, confirmation of the purpose of the trip, or accommodation booking, if such documents may be requested during control.

Separately, the status of residents, diplomatic documents, or long-term permits should be considered. In such cases, rules may differ, so travelers are better off checking not only tourist instructions but also their own category in official NIA channels or through the airline before boarding.

How this affects travel through Taipei

The main international hub for most foreign guests remains Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. If you plan a route through TPE, it is useful to check Taipei Taoyuan Airport information in advance, and closer to departure - the TPE online flight board. TWAC does not solve issues of delays, layovers, or terminal changes, but helps remove one administrative step from the moment of arrival.

For passengers arriving late in the evening or having an early morning flight further into Asia, document preparation is especially important. If a night's rest is needed after arrival, you can look at hotels near Taipei Taoyuan Airport in advance. If the route leads immediately to the center of Taipei or another city, it is worth separately planning a transfer or taxi from TPE. Travelers intending to go beyond the capital may also find it appropriate to check car rental at Taipei airport, but only after assessing local traffic rules, parking, and the route.

The seven-day submission window for TWAC makes such practical decisions more convenient. Now the form can be filled out even before the final confirmation of the transfer or hotel, but the accommodation and flight data must be accurate. If plans change, the official system guide provides the possibility of updating information before the immigration check. This is an important nuance for those who buy tickets with a risk of arrival time change or book a hotel with flexible cancellation.

What to pay attention to so as not to waste time at the border

The first rule is to use only the official TWAC portal. The National Immigration Agency of Taiwan separately warned about fraudulent sites that imitate the Arrival Card, collect personal data, or attempt to charge a fee. The official form is free. If a site asks for payment for the arrival card itself, this is a strong signal to stop and check the address.

The second rule is not to leave the form until the last minutes. Although digital services usually work quickly, mobile internet, phone battery, access to email, or attentiveness after a long flight can fail during travel. The seven-day window allows this step to be moved to a calmer moment.

The third rule is to verify data against the passport and ticket. An error in the passport number, date of birth, citizenship, or flight can lead to additional questions during control. If the flight, arrival date, or accommodation address has changed, it is better to update the form before the document check rather than explaining discrepancies at the border.

• Fill out TWAC within 7 days before arrival when you already have current flight and accommodation data.
• Check if you need a visa or other permit, as the Arrival Card does not replace the right of entry.
• Keep the electronic confirmation until the completion of immigration control.
• Do not use sites that charge a fee for the free official form.
• Update data if the route or accommodation address has changed before arrival.

Why this change is important for the tourism market

The TWAC update fits into a broader trend of digitalization of entry formalities in Asia. More and more destinations are moving arrival cards, medical declarations, customs questionnaires, or pre-registrations online. For states, this means better preparation of border services for passenger flow, and for tourists - fewer paper forms on the plane and more responsibility for checking requirements before the trip.

For Taiwan, this is especially relevant against the backdrop of the recovery of international tourism, the development of air connections through Taipei, and competition between Asian destinations for transit and short-term guests. The simpler a traveler passes basic formalities, the less stress occurs during the first contact with the country. But digitalization does not cancel the need for attentiveness: now an error can occur not on a paper form, but in an online form, and it must be corrected in time.

Conclusion

Extending the submission period for the Taiwan Arrival Card to seven days is a small but useful change for everyone planning a trip to Taiwan. It does not open a new visa-free regime, does not change visa rules, and does not guarantee automatic entry, but allows tourists to better organize documents before the flight. The smartest strategy is to fill out TWAC a few days before departure via the official portal, check visa conditions, save the confirmation, and simultaneously plan the flight, accommodation, and way from the airport. For modern travel, this is no longer a bureaucratic trifle, but part of a normal pre-trip route.