Family & Spouse Visas in Taiwan
Sponsoring a partner, children, or parents
Spouses and dependent children of nationals and of most resident foreigners can obtain residence, but the rights attached differ sharply. The spouse of a Taiwanese national may work without a separate permit; the dependent of a foreign worker generally may not, unless the sponsor holds a Gold Card or another qualifying status.
| Sponsoring status | Taiwanese national, or a foreigner holding a qualifying resident status source |
| Spouse of a national | Residence, and work without a separate work permit |
| Dependants | Spouse and unmarried minor children, commonly under 20 |
| Document standard | Marriage and birth documents authenticated and translated source |
Marriage to a national
A foreign spouse of a Taiwanese national applies for a resident visa on the basis of the marriage and then for an ARC. Marriages registered abroad must generally be authenticated through a Taiwanese overseas mission and registered with the household registration office in Taiwan before the residence application proceeds.
This route is the one that most commonly leads to naturalisation, and it is also where the renunciation requirement bites hardest: the spouse's shorter naturalisation timeline does not exempt them from surrendering their previous nationality.
Dependants of foreign residents
Gold Card holders may bring a spouse and unmarried minor children, and in defined circumstances adult dependants, on dependent residence. Holders of ordinary work permits may bring dependants where their category permits it, but the dependent's residence is derivative — it ends when the sponsor's does.
The practical asymmetry to plan around is employment. A dependent spouse who wishes to work usually needs their own work permit, obtained in the ordinary way by an employer, unless the sponsoring status confers open work rights.
Documents
- Marriage certificate and, where relevant, evidence of the dissolution of any prior marriage.
- Birth certificates for children, showing the relationship to the sponsor.
- A criminal record certificate for adult applicants.
- A health examination to the standard published for residence applications.
- Authentication through a Taiwanese overseas mission and translation into Chinese; documents prepared without this step are routinely returned.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.