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Pre-trip checklist

Taiwan

Sketch Score 92/100 · checked against sources current as of 2026-09-09

Government advisories

  • ☐ United States: level 1/4 — Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
  • ☐ United Kingdom: level 1/4
  • ☐ Canada: level 1/4 — Exercise normal security precautions

Health notices

  • ☐ Global Measles (level 1)
  • ☐ Tap water: generally safe to drink

Entry requirements

☐ Visitors to the Republic of China (Taiwan) must obtain a visa or authorization in advance, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries whose nationals are eligible for visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months (except citizens of Japan and the United States who are only required to hold a passport valid for the entire duration of stay).

☐ Passport valid 6+ months beyond your stay

Practical

  • ☐ Plug type A/B, 110V — bring an adapter if yours differs
  • ☐ Drives on the right
  • ☐ Emergency (police): 110
  • ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 119
  • ☐ Emergency (fire): 119
  • ☐ Money: Most hotels and department stores accept credit and debit cards, generally Visa, MasterCard, and JCB. Diners Club and Discover cards are usually not accepted. American Express and UnionPay are between Visa and Diners Club, but they are close to the Diners Club situation.
  • ☐ Tipping: Tipping is generally not practiced in Taiwan. Bellhops in high end hotels and porters at airports are an exception and should be given NT$50 per bag. Also, tipping to show appreciation for exceptional service is not uncommon. Tipping is also not expected in taxis and drivers would usually return your change to the last dollar.

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

  • Smoking restrictions — Smoking is only permitted in designated areas. You will face a penalty fee for walking while smoking.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Taiwan — the same short list applies anywhere.

  • ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
  • ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
  • ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
  • ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
  • ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
  • ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM

Generated by SKETCH.WORLD from public sources — see sketch.world/taiwan for full receipts and links. Informational only, not professional travel or legal advice.