I'm a digital nomad and I want to potentially set up my company in Taiwan, or establish Taiwan as a base for running my business. I've heard of the Taiwan entrepreneur visa but I'm not sure if that's still a viable option.
If you qualify, you can apply for the Taiwan Gold Card visa, usually from one to three years. However recently application rules have changed. Based on my reading of the updates promulgated Feb 8th, applying based on the "Economic" or salary requirement of USD $6000 is no longer possible. Now you need to prove your position is in the field of economics. This doesn't seem to be common knowledge, leading to a lot of confusion. The Workforce Development Agency will try to judge if the applicants field is under Economics. They will base it on category 4 of the economy field: semiconductors, optoelectronics, information and communication, electronic circuit design, biotechnology/medical materials, precision machinery, transportation, systems integration, consultancy, or green energy company in the manufacturing sector or related technology services sectors
A “business visa for Taiwan” can mean a variety of things. There is a difference between doing business, starting a business and engaging in business activities in Taiwan. Visa information and application in Taiwan is opaque, confusing and rarely straight forward, especially as far as accessible information is concerned. Moreso now during COVID-19 pandemic times than ever before. Current information is basic at best and you should always double and triple check with the relevant authorities at the BOCA and NIA in Taiwan or your local TECO office abroad.
As a digital nomad or remote worker, there are multiple visa options in Taiwan during COVID-19. First, there is the option of applying for an entrepreneur visa, a visa that provides an initial one year residency permit and permission to work for oneself, developing business ideas and executing potential company, representative or branch office setup in Taiwan. Second, applying for the employment gold card, a three to five year residency and open work permit, primarily aimed at attracting high level talent and investment to Taiwan. Third, one can open a representative or branch office of a foreign company in Taiwan. Fourth, one can start and register a completely new company in Taiwan.
