Taiwan makes digital arrival card mandatory before departure

Published on Oct 3, 2025, 3:18 pm CDTUpdated on Oct 3, 2025, 3:24 pm CDT

6 min read

Taiwan has ended paper arrival cards and now requires all inbound travelers to complete the online Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) before departure, effective October 1, 2025. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) says the change streamlines inspection at primary gateways like Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) while tightening data accuracy for safety and security. TWAC is free, takes only a few minutes, and must be submitted within three days before arrival. Travelers should have a valid passport, an email address, their occupation and phone number, and accommodation or itinerary details ready.

Key points

Why it matters: Paper forms are gone; the digital arrival card is now mandatory.
Travel impact: Submit TWAC within three days before arrival to avoid inspection delays.
What's next: NIA will promote compliance at airlines and ports through Q4 2025.
TWAC requires passport, email, occupation, phone, and stay details.
Taiwan welcomed about 7.86 million visitors in 2024, with U.S. demand rising.

Snapshot

From October 1, 2025, every foreign traveler must complete Taiwan's TWAC online and present nothing on paper at the border. The form is free and available on the official NIA portal. You can create a new submission or update one if your flight or hotel changes, as long as it is within three days of arrival. The move should shorten lines, reduce manual data entry errors, and standardize traveler information across airports and seaports. Expect airlines and ground staff to remind you at check-in, and build a few extra minutes into your pre-trip checklist for the form. Families should fill out one TWAC per traveler, including eligible children.

Background

Taiwan has relied on paper disembarkation cards for decades. As volumes rebounded after the pandemic, authorities piloted and then expanded the online card to cut processing time. With the October 2025 change, paper cards are fully retired. NIA guidance specifies that travelers complete TWAC within three days before arrival, ensuring officers receive current itineraries and contact details. The Ministry of the Interior has coordinated promotion with representative offices and airlines to smooth the transition. Taiwan's tourism recovery underpins the shift; the Tourism Administration reports total international arrivals at roughly 7.86 million in 2024, still below 2019 but firmly growing, and industry groups note the United States ranks as Taiwan's fourth-largest long-haul market entering late 2025.

Latest developments

How to complete the Taiwan arrival card (TWAC)

Go to the official TWAC site and choose submit or update. You will enter your passport information, email, occupation, phone number, flight or vessel details, and where you will stay. The system accepts submissions within three days of your scheduled arrival, so plan to file it after you have final flight times and lodging. You should receive on-screen confirmation and email acknowledgement; keep a screenshot in case airline staff ask at check-in. If your flight changes the day of travel, submit an update when you receive the new details. NIA notes that TWAC replaces paper forms at all ports, including secondary airports and seaports, with frontline teams briefed to guide first-time users.

What travelers can expect at the airport

Border officers will validate your TWAC entry alongside passport inspection. At the busiest gateway, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), lines should move faster because manual card checks are removed, but officers may direct travelers without a TWAC to complete it on a kiosk or mobile device before inspection. Airlines are expected to reinforce the rule at departure gates to prevent bottlenecks on arrival. If you cannot access email on arrival, that should not block entry, as records are stored in NIA systems; however, having your confirmation handy can speed resolution of any mismatch in dates, itinerary, or contact details.

Demand trends: why compliance matters now

Taiwan's inbound recovery has accelerated, with 4.20 million visitors recorded in the first half of 2025, up about 10 percent year over year. Authorities cite TWAC as one of several digitization efforts to maintain throughput as volumes rise during peak holiday periods. In 2024, Taiwan hosted approximately 7.86 million international visitors. Business groups tracking source markets say the United States is now the fourth-largest inbound market, reflecting stronger flight options and promotion. With more long-haul arrivals expected in late 2025, completing TWAC in advance will help maintain shorter lines and predictable processing times.

Analysis

For travelers, the practical takeaway is simple: add TWAC to the same pre-departure checklist as ESTA, eTA, or an e-Visa where applicable. Because TWAC must be filed within three days before arrival, you should wait until flights and lodging are firm, then submit once and update only if plans change. Families should plan a few extra minutes to file individual entries. Travelers connecting through multiple carriers may encounter check-in agents who proactively verify TWAC status; a screenshot of the confirmation email can avoid back-and-forth at the counter. Operationally, removing paper forms should reduce hand-off time at booths, minimize transcription errors, and allow NIA to triage secondary inspection based on cleaner data. For the industry, this aligns Taiwan with a broader shift to pre-arrival data collection in busy hubs, which has proven to stabilize queue lengths during surges. Given rising North America traffic and steady regional demand, advance compliance is the lowest-friction way to keep arrivals moving.

Final thoughts

Taiwan's move to a mandatory digital arrival card modernizes border formalities and meets the moment as visitor numbers climb. If you file TWAC within three days before arrival and keep your confirmation handy, you should see a smoother experience at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and other ports. Build this into your routine alongside flight check-in and hotel confirmations, and you will be set for an easy start to your trip under the new Taiwan arrival card rules.