Taiwan rolls out strict new rules for Australian visitors
Taiwan joins the growing list of Asian countries with a mandatory digital arrivals card.
By Staff Writers, September 29 2025
This week sees Taiwan join Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in requiring that almost every visitor – including travellers from Australia, either on holidays or a business trip – complete a digital arrivals card before they can enter the country.
The new Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) comes into force on October 1, and must be completed within 72 hours before their flight touches down in Taiwan.
However, it can also be done at literally the last minute, on arrival, with free Wi-Fi and devices available at the airport.
A spokesperson for Taiwan's National Immigration Agency says that while paper arrival cards will still be available, for “exceptional situations”, the country is phasing out the cards in order to streamline the immigration process.
Completing the Taiwan Arrival Card is thankfully very straightforward, and there’s no fee involved.
Travellers need only enter their passport and contact details, along with flight and accommodation information.
Those travelling in groups can nominate one person to fill out the form on behalf of up to 16 people.
China Airlines and EVA Air both offer direct flights between Australia and the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, while Starlux has also flagged an interest in extending its growing network to Australia.
Cathay Pacific remains a popular stopover option for its busy Hong Kong-Taiwan route, which includes not only Taipei but also Taichung and Kaohsiung.
26 Jul 2015
Total posts 87
Singapore's system, the only one I have had experience with in Asia, is a cracker. In fact, when I visited the UK a couple of months ago their system was a cracker (at Manchester Airport). Its beyond me why we can't get it right in this country.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Apr 2011
Total posts 51
Because of our innate need to reinvent the wheel. Why buy a proven system when we can spend squillions designing our own, which will take ten times as long, will be error prone, and when implemented won't work. What's not to love about it? It's the Aussie way.
01 Dec 2011
Total posts 41
I flew to UK in June and needed an ETA. I had trouble getting to the site, tried several times and even had to buy a new phone because my old phone couldn't be updated to the latest Android version. Once I finally got it to work, it was very easy--the hardest part was taking a selfie because my arms weren't long enough! I had to prop the phone and use a stylus to take the photo. I'm going to UK again next year and will need to do it all again because I'll need a new passport. I also had problems taking my photo for Singapore--I was able to get somebody else to take the photo.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
16 Apr 2016
Total posts 20
Yes agree, Singapore arrivals is great, even lists all the hotels in Singapore as first night accomodation.
But a visit to Phuket, Thailand asked not only hotel name and address but also the geographical district information that even the hotel reception staff could not answer for me
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Apr 2025
Total posts 5
Having just arrived back from and Round world trip taking in 7 countries it amazes me how we are still stuck with the orange arrival cards. There are so many global solutions which we could borrow or copy, the USA MPC app was easy and meant only 4 people in front of me prior to arrival, the Japan Web pre registration made arrival simple, Australia is way behind and this solution from Taiwan is hardly a strict rule just a moving with the times.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Mar 2016
Total posts 60
I have no issues completing whatever forms either paper or electronic a country requires to allow me to enter, but sometimes with multiple flight connections to get to a destination it seems sometimes 72 hours isn't enough of a window especially with countries where 72 hours is also considered to be three dates so if you arrive in the country at 0100 on the 10/5. you can only complete the form from 0001 on the 8/5 which is only 49 hours and with connections and possibly poor internet connections just adds a bit of stress to the process. 7 or 14 days would seem a much more reasonable time to open the process to complete.
05 Oct 2017
Total posts 531
You sound like a cracker. Anyway, why are you cheering on this new system? A paper form is always better. Having to fiddle around with wifi, not knowing whether such a form has to be done before travel, can it be done on arrival and so forth, only serves to cause unnecessary anxiety.
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