What paperwork do you need after moving to Taiwan in 2026?

Finish the correct stay path before quality-of-life shopping. Most sponsored hires convert a Ministry of Labor work permit into a resident visa abroad, then collect an ARC after entry: Apply for a residence permit. Qualified professionals who skip a single employer use the Employment Gold Card, which already bundles work permit, resident visa, ARC, and re-entry permit.

Secure a landlord who will put a usable address on paper: How to rent a home. Then get your ARC at the NIA service centre that covers that address, usually within 30 days after entering on a resident visa (Gold Card pickup follows the portal's own 30-day window). Register your address on the card, and report any later move within 30 days.

Enrol in National Health Insurance on the rule that matches your status: employed ARC or Gold Card holders join through the employer from day one of work; many non-employed residents wait about six months of continuous stay (one trip abroad of no more than 30 days can still fit that count). Buy a local mobile number early for landlord and bank SMS. Open a bank account once the ARC and address story are clean.

Tax identifiers and filing calendars follow once you earn locally; treat them as a separate track from the ARC visit. Exchange a foreign licence when you become a long-stay driver: Convert a driving licence. Pet arrivals need APHIA quarantine timing weeks before the flight: Bring pets. Mandarin still appears on many counters even when English help exists: Bureaucracy without Mandarin.