About Taiwan

Taiwan is situated in the West Pacific between Japan and the Philippines. Its jurisdiction extends to the archipelagoes of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, as well as numerous other islets. The total area of Taiwan proper and its outlying islands is around 36,197 square kilometers. At about the size of the Netherlands, but with a population of some 23 million, Taiwan is more populous than three-quarters of the world’s nations.

Climate
Taiwan experiences a subtropical climate, with summers from the month of May to September. The annual average temperature is a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius (71 Fahrenheit).

Time Zone
Taiwan is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

Currency
The currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$). The exchange rate in recent months is around NT$30 for US$1, foreign currencies can be exchanged at the banks, airport and hotels. Payment by major credit card is accepted almost everywhere around Taiwan. 

Electricity

·   Taiwan uses an electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles. Many buildings also have 220-volt sockets.

·   Visitors with appliances of different voltages are urged to bring adapters with them. 

   

Tipping & Tax
Sales tax is included in the listed price in Taiwan
Tipping is not customary in Taiwan, but some hotels and restaurants automatically add a 10% service fee to the bill.

Getting Around
Taiwan High speed Railway
The THSR goes through 10 main cities along the western part of Taiwan at the moment.
Taiwan High speed Railway: http://www.thsrc.com.tw/

Railway
Trains on the round-the-island rail network provide extremely convenient services. Tickets may be purchased two weeks in advance 
Ticket information: http://www.railway.gov.tw/ 

Visa Information

Visa-Exempt Entry
The following countries are eligible for visa-exempt entry:

·   Nationals of the following countries are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 90 days: Andorra, Australia (effective from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Honduras*, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan*, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia(effective from May 21, 2018 to March 31, 2019), Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu*, the United Kingdom, the United States of America*,and Vatican City State.

·   Nationals of the following countries are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 30 days: Belize*, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Malaysia, Nauru*, Saint Christopher and Nevis*, Saint Lucia*, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore.

·   Nationals of the kingdom of Thailand (effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018)-except those holding diplomatic or official/service passports-are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 30 days.

·   Nationals of Brunei* (effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018)-except those holding diplomatic or official/ service passports-are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 30 days. In addition, effective from December 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018, those holding a Brunei Certificate of Identity are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 30 days.

·   Nationals of Philippines (effective from November 1, 2017, to July 31, 2018), except those holding diplomatic or official/service passports, are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 14 days.
(For more updated visa-exempt information: https://www.boca.gov.tw/np-137-2.html )

E-visa
General Information on E-visa Application

ELIGIBILITY:
Nationals of the following countries are eligible for an eVisa when they meet relevant criteria: Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Kiribati, Kuwait, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Montenegro, Oman, Palau, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Eswatini, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.

Furthermore, foreign nationals who have been invited to attend international conferences, sporting events, trade fairs or other activities in Taiwan—organized, co-organized, or sponsored by central government agencies—are also eligible for an eVisa. Such foreign nationals must obtain an Ecode from the host organization in Taiwan prior to submitting an online application for an eVisa.

REQUIREMENTS & PROCEDURES:
eVisa applicants must possess an ordinary, official, or diplomatic passport with validity of at least six months as of the date of intended entry into Taiwan. To obtain an eVisa, applicants must submit relevant personal information and pay the required fee by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) online. ROC overseas missions may, depending on the applicant’s nationality and purpose of visit, request through email that the applicant submit additional documents within a specific timeframe. If these documents are not submitted by the given deadline, the application may be denied. When an eVisa application has been approved, the applicant will receive a notice by email containing a webpage link to download and print the eVisa. The eVisa holder is required to present a paper copy of the eVisa at the immigration checkpoint for verification by the National Immigration Agency upon arrival in Taiwan. However, immigration officers at ports of entry in Taiwan have the right to deny entry to eVisa holders without providing further explanation.

For more enquires about E-visa, please contact:
Email: joint_conf@email.ncku.edu.tw

Note:
Applicants can file their applications with the necessary documents and visa fee online. For detail of the visitor visa application, please visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ (BOCA) website at https://www.boca.gov.tw/np-137-2.html

Visa for Mainland China Passport Holders
For participants holding Mainland China passports, it is suggested that you contact visa application office 3 months prior to the conference. For the requirements of materials and the online visa application, please refer to the following: 

https://ncp.immigration.gov.tw/GlobalQA/pages/china/cp1.html

·   For more detail information about Visa for Mainland China Passport Holders, please contact: 
Assistant:Sharon Lee 
Email:  sharonlee@nctu.edu.tw
Tel:03-5712121 Ext.55241

Official Invitation Letter
ICM 2018 invitation letter can only be issued to accepted author or registrant who has completed registration payment.
If you require an official invitation letter or further assistance on Taiwan visitor visa you may contact:

Conference Registration Office
Conference Secretariat

Email: joint_conf@email.ncku.edu.tw