The Pre-Departure Process for Taiwan
Welcome, upcoming Fulbright Taiwan grantee! There are three drop-down lists below with important instructions and useful links for this pre-departure process.
This is a thorough step-by-step guide for the next few months, no official Visa documents are submitted here as your regional TECO Office [Taipei Economic and Cultural Office] will receive your documents. Scroll down and tap “Start!” to begin the process!
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Steps #1-11: Visa Application
Steps #1-11 provide the necessary items, links, and instructions that you will need for your Visa Application (even if applying by mail or in-person). Also, Steps #1 and #2 can be completed today, check them out!
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Step #5: Health Certificate
Authenticating your Health Certificate is Step #5 in the “Visa Application” list. However, as it is often the most complex step for grantees, we’ve created a separate list for the Health Certificate step.
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Arrival Day: A.R.C. Process
The A.R.C. will be completed in Taiwan on arrival day. Please make sure to KEEP YOUR FLIGHT TICKETS and bring one 2“x2” passport-style photo!
The Visa Application Process (#1-11)
Please read through all steps (tap/click on each) to better understand Taiwan’s Visa Application process and get ahead of schedule with Steps #1-2. The “Health Certificate” email is required for Step #5 and has a separate list below, while Steps #3-4 and #6-11 require other specific emails/documents. We encourage you to still read all steps to better understand this process.
Costs: Please keep in mind that we waive yours and 200+ other grantees’ (1) $160 visa application fee and (2) arrival/return flight tickets each year, so costs such as passports, health checks, mailing, etc. are your responsibility. We will not cover you on anything else, but if needed, please contact us for any financial advice during this process.
Recommendation: Check out the general “Grantee Timeline” of Fulbright Taiwan as a visual aid (not all 10 steps are included, but we hope it gives you a brief idea of this pre-departure process).
Bookmark this list to revisit: https://taiwan-etaprogram.org/visa#list
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(1) Signed and (2) valid for flight dates (expect late July)
If you have any dual citizenship, make sure to fly on the U.S. passport with your Visa during this grant. More passport-photo information is provided in the next step.
IMPORTANT: If you currently have OR have had China citizenship, contact us immediately for additional requirements.
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Purchase three passport-style photo copies, one for: (1) this Visa Application, (2) the Health Certificate authentication, and (3) the ARC. Bring the ARC copy to Taiwan as it will be used immediately on arrival day, refer to the “Arrival Day: ARC Process” list for more info.
Cost: $15-30; we recommend taking a photo at a local post-office or pharmacy. A purchase of four-copies is often an option which costs between $15-30.
Passport-photo standard guidelines and FAQs (travel.state.gov)
USPS Passport-photo Services (tools.usps.com) Note: if you click on “Service Type” they provide a photo-only option
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(1) Printed and (2) signed Grant Authorization document
Recommendation: paperclip visa application documents together (DO NOT staple) to help you keep track of your documents and even the TECO Office when they receive them.
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Provide basic travel information to begin the booking process with our travel agency partner. Later on, they will email you directly about your official travel itinerary (refer to #9).
Note: Personal travel is NOT recommended during June or July as you will be waiting on your health forms, appointments, and passport once applied.
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As this is one of the most complex steps for many grantees, tap here or scroll down for the detailed list below with more steps on how to authenticate your Health Certificate.
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ONLY AFTER receiving the Visa Cable No. email in usually late-May or early-June, you can apply for your visa; (1) completed, (2) printed, and (3) signed.
The email should have an example application.
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(1) Printed and (2) added to your visa application: “TECO Offices”, “MOFA Letter”, “List of Grantees”
“TECO Offices” can help you find which TECO office accepts your state. “List of Grantees” can help the TECO staff quickly find your information if you lightly highlight or circle your number in the list.
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IN-PERSON: make sure to tell them the information directly below; you could also write it just to be safe.
MAIL: write on a notecard/letter that (1) you are a Fulbright grantee (2) with a Visa Cable No., which (3) makes you exempt from the $160 application fee; add this letter to your visa application (paperclip recommended, DO NOT staple to other documents).
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(1) Printed and (2) added to your visa application; this should be attached in the Travel Agency’s email once you finalize your flight details.
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At the post office, you will need to purchase two trackable-envelopes. Make sure to bring (1) all documents for your Visa Application and H.C. Authentication, (2) an ID, and (3) both addresses below.
Addresses: one addressed to your regional TECO Office (check the “TECO Offices” document emailed to see which office accepts your state and find their address) and one self-addressed. The self-addressed envelope will go inside the TECO-addressed envelope; post-offices like Fed-Ex can assist with the envelopes when you arrive with all three items above. Make sure to keep the receipt for the tracking number.
Cost: $20-100 per envelope; this greatly varies, depending on how far you live from your TECO office and how quickly you would like it delivered and returned; it can be around $20 for regular shipping to $100+ for overnight.
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You still need to purchase one trackable-envelope at a post-office so TECO can return your Visa Application (and HC), even if you plan to apply in-person.
At the post-office, make sure to bring (1) all documents for your Visa Application and HC Authentication (to measure the envelope, not to mail), (2) an ID, and (3) a personal address.
Later, when applying in-person, bring the self-addressed envelope with your Visa Application and HC documents so TECO can return everything together to the provided address.
Cost: $20-100; this greatly varies, depending on how far you live from your TECO office and how quickly you would like it returned, it can be around $20 for regular shipping to $100+ for overnight.
Note: Post-offices like Fed-Ex can assist with trackable-envelopes after you arrive with all items above. Make sure to keep the receipt for the tracking number. Lastly, check the “TECO Offices” document to see which TECO accepts your state.
Fed-Ex Locations (local.fedex.com)
Fed-Ex Shipping Options: 6 Domestic Shipping Services (office.fedex.com)
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Confirmation: Once your visa is received and all details are correct (spelling, birthdate, etc.), please send a photo copy of your Visa to your coordinator and get ready for Fulbright Taiwan! Congratulations!
Reminder: Make sure to KEEP YOUR FLIGHT TICKETS on arrival day and bring one 2”x2” passport-style photo to Taiwan (tap to check the ARC list for more details)!
Authenticated Health Certificate
This list is related to Step #4 in the “Visa Application” list above.
The three items TECO will need to authenticate your Health Certificate [HC] are: a self-completed Authorization Form (#1); a signed and notarized HC (#2-7); and a $15 money order (#8).
Outcome: When these three items are ready, you can send them WITH your Visa Application (even in the same envelope if applying by mail). By applying everything together, the TECO staff can first authenticate your HC (i.e. Step #4) and then move on to your other Visa Application documents that you will have simultaneously provided.
Recommendation: paperclip these three documents together (do not staple) to help the TECO staff quickly differentiate your documents.
Bookmark this list to revisit: https://taiwan-etaprogram.org/visa#health
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(1) Download and if the form is in PDF format after downloading, click “File”, then "Export", and export as a "Word" document to make it editable
(2) Fill-in #1-11, other sections are for TECO
(3) Print; filled-in Authorization Form is ready!
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(1) Download and directly fill-in the top and “Basic Data” sections (Laboratory section and signatures are for your doctor)
(2) Print (or print first and then complete it)
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Read the full “Health Certificate” document to find the required tests (sections A, C, and D for the “Laboratory Examination”; the tests in Appendix #3 and #4 are not required for U.S. citizens) and book your appointment accordingly.
In terms of “Proof of Positive Measles and Rubella” in section D, both sub-sections (a) “Antibody Tests” and (b) “Vaccination Certificates” are required.
IMPORTANT: Like your resident-address, your doctor’s/appointment address must be in an accepted state by the same regional TECO Office that you plan to apply to (f.e. if you live in Ohio and apply to TECO for Chicago, they will accept a doctor’s address from Ohio, but will NOT accept any addresses from Utah; your doctor’s address must be in an accepted state by the same TECO Office).
Note: For Fulbright ETAs, the IIE “Medical Exam” document is SEPARATE to this visa process and not related to TECO’s Health Certificate process. However, as the IIE “Medical Exam” is still required for Fulbright ETAs, we recommend you to mention this health exam also while booking the Health Certificate appointment(s) above to help speed your process.
Cost: We exempt you from the $160 visa application fee and flight tickets, not the Health Certificate tests (or IIE “Medical Exam” for ETAs). If you are having any trouble, contact us for guidance while keeping in mind that we cannot cover you on this.
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Bring the Health Certificate document and attend the necessary HC tests.
Tell your doctor they can sign under “Signature of Chief/Medical Technologist” once they feel comfortable with all results. Only one signature is required, but if you’re attending at a major hospital with multiple doctors then more than one signature is acceptable but not necessary.
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Once notified all results are completed and your HC is ready (usually 1-2 weeks), pick up your completed and signed HC with any other supporting documents your doctor may provide.
Your Health Certificate is now valid for 3 months (from the day of your doctor’s signing); but still must be notarized for the visa application
Note: ETAs can also collect the IIE “Medical Exam” if you booked for both (but IIE’s is NOT a visa document)
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Bring your now-signed HC to an official notary officer; we recommend to also bring any supporting documents like the Authorization Form, medical results (if provided), Grant Authorization, Flight Itinerary, etc.
Cost: Free or $75+; Public Notaries are free, we recommend a local bank or post-office, you can also try a public library, government office, museum, etc.; Private Notaries cost around $75+
Potential Issues: Please be aware that previous grantees have faced issues with notarization due to the document language (Chinese), time of signing, etc. FSE has no role in making these Visa requirements, they are made by TECO themselves. Thus, if there are any issues, please contact your TECO Office.
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Your Health Certificate should now be signed by your doctor and officially notarized.
One last item, the $15 money order!
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Bring an ID to purchase a $15 money order at a local store or pharmacy (Walmart, RiteAid, Walgreens, etc.) and address the Money Order to the same TECO Office you are applying to (full address).
Note: You must provide TECO the $15 money order to authenticate your Health Certificate as that is authenticating your personal health documents and is not the $160 visa application fee that we exempt.
How to Fill Out Money Orders (nerdwallet.com)
Cost: $15
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You now have a (1) filled-in Authorization Form, (2) doctor’s signed and officially notarized Health Certificate [HC], and (3) $15 money order.
All three documents can be submitted ALONGSIDE your Visa Application (in the same envelope or in-person). We recommend to paperclip these three together to help TECO differentiate your documents.
Tap here to view Step #5 on the Visa Application list to continue your pre-departure process!
ARC Process
Make sure to BRING (#1) your flight tickets, (#2) one 2”x2” passport-style photo, and (#3) U.S. Passport with your Visa to help our staff speed up the Alien Resident Certificate [ARC] application process on arrival day! The other steps (#4-6) will be provided in-person on arrival day.
ARC vs. Visa: Your ARC is essentially your local ID card as a residing foreigner that you will need to apply for on arrival day. Your Visa, on the other hand, is mandatory for arrival and what you are applying for prior to arrival. Tap to return to the “Visa Application” list.
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Ask for a printed copy at the airport; DO NOT THROW these away after your flight
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Remember to bring one passport-style photo with you to Taiwan!
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Signed and valid
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Provided in-person on arrival day
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Provided in-person on arrival day
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Completed in-person on arrival day