Summary
- Exercise normal safety precautions and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.
- In the typhoon season (May to November) flooding and mudslides are common. You should keep informed of regional weather forecasts and plan accordingly. Monitor local media reports and follow the instructions of local emergency officials. For more information see Natural disasters, severe weather and climate section below.
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Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
- organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
- register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency
- subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued.
Entry and exit
Visa conditions are subject to change. For up-to-date visa information, contact the nearest Taiwan representative office well in advance of travel. In Australia, current visa information may be obtained from:
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO)
Unit 8, 40 Blackall Street
Barton, ACT 2600
Telephone:
(02) 6120 2025
Facsimile:
(02) 6273 0748
Email:
teco@teco.org.au
Website:
http://www.teco.org.au
.
Australian passport holders are normally allowed to enter Taiwan without a visa for up to thirty days (no extensions permitted) as long as they have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry into Taiwan and a confirmed return or onward air ticket.
If your passport has less than six months’ validity, you may be refused entry and returned to your point of departure at your own expense. You should carry recent passport photos with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
If you are planning to work in Taiwan you will need to obtain a work permit. You may be fined or deported for not possessing a valid work permit.
As a preventative measure against pandemics (e.g. SARS and Avian Influenza – H1N1), local quarantine measures require all individuals to undergo a body temperature check upon entry to Taiwan. Depending on results, further medical examinations may be required.
Safety and security
Terrorism
Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers .
Civil unrest/political tension
You should avoid demonstrations and protests as they may turn violent.
Crime
Taiwan has a low incidence of crime, including petty crime.
Although there have been some instances of assault on passengers by taxi drivers, taxis in Taiwan are generally safe. We advise that you use radio taxis or taxis booked on the internet or through your hotel.
Money and valuables
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place from the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority .
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate or to the Australian Office in Taipei as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
Local travel
Traffic may not stop at pedestrian crossings.
Care should be taken when driving on mountain roads, which are generally winding and narrow. Typhoons and heavy rains can lead to landslides and road blockages. For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety .
Airline safety
Please refer to our travel bulletin for information about Aviation Safety and Security.
Laws
When you are in Taiwan, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter .
Penalties for drug offences in Taiwan are severe and include the death penalty.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 25 years’ imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.
Information for dual nationals
Australian/Taiwanese dual national males over 18 years of age may be subject to compulsory military service in Taiwan. Dual nationals are advised to seek further information from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office regarding exemptions that may be available to overseas residents.
Our Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Health
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for staying healthy while travelling overseas.
The standard of medical facilities provided by public hospitals in Taiwan and other major cities is reasonable. Physicians are well trained and state of the art medical equipment is often available. Doctors may see as many as 30 patients in an hour and waiting areas to see a doctor may be crowded. Treatment at private clinics and priority care centres is expensive. Doctors and hospitals may expect payment prior to providing medical and dental services, including for emergency care.
The mosquito-borne illness dengue fever occurs in Taiwan especially in the tropical southern regions. We recommend you take measures to avoid mosquito bites including using insect repellent at all times.
The mosquito-borne disease Japanese encephalitis is found throughout many regions of North, South and South-East Asia and Papua New Guinea. A Japanese encephalitis vaccine is registered for use and is currently available in Australia. For further details please consult your travel health doctor.
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is common in Taiwan with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. In Asia, outbreaks of HFMD usually start in March/April and peak in May but can continue until August to October each year. It mostly affects children under the age of 10 years but adult cases (particularly young adults) are not unusual. The illness is characterised by fever as well as blisters and rashes on the hands, feet and buttocks. HFMD is spread by direct contact with nose and throat discharges and faeces of infected people. Normal hygiene precautions should be taken including careful and frequent hand washing.
Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw or undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
Avian influenza . The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of locations throughout the world, including Taiwan. For a list of these locations, visit the OIE website . For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Where to get help
The Australian Office in Taipei represents Australia’s interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic relations.
In Taiwan, you can obtain consular and passports assistance from the:
The Australian Office, Taipei
27th and 28th Floor, President International Tower
9-11 Song Gao Road
Taipei, 110
Telephone:
(886 2) 8725 4100
Facsimile:
(886 2) 8789 9599
Website:
http://www.australia.org.tw
Email:
consular.taipei@dfat.gov.au
If you are travelling to Taiwan, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate and at the Australian Office in Taipei. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency-whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency, if you are unable to contact the Australian Office, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
Australians in Taiwan can access a 24-hour English language emergency line for foreigners on 0800 024 011.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
Additional information
Natural disasters, severe weather and climate
Taiwan is in an active earthquake zone and is also subject to typhoons. In the wet/typhoon season (May to November) flooding and mudslides are common. Information on earthquakes, typhoons and other severe weather is available from the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau.
If you are travelling during typhoon season, you should contact your tour operator to check whether tourist services at your planned destination have been affected.
The direction and strength of typhoons can change with little warning. You can check the latest typhoon information from the World Meteorological Organisation Severe Weather Information Centre and Asia Pacific Disaster Alerts .
In the event of an approaching typhoon, flights in and out of affected areas could be delayed or suspended. Available flights may fill quickly. You should contact your airline for the latest flight information. The typhoon could also affect access to sea ports in the region. In some areas, adequate shelter from a severe typhoon may not be available to all who may choose to stay. You should review and follow hotel or cruise ship evacuation plans. You should carry your travel documents at all times (i.e. passport, photo IDs, etc.) or secure them in a safe, waterproof location. We also suggest that you contact friends and family in Australia with updates about your welfare and whereabouts. For further information, see our Travel Bulletin: Severe Weather – Cyclones, Hurricanes and Typhoons .
When a typhoon is approaching Taiwan, 'typhoon days' can be declared by the local authorities at very short notice. 'Typhoon days' are announced on local radio and television stations. The International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) provides all of Taiwan with English-language programming 24 hours a day. In the event of an emergency or an approaching typhoon, travellers in Taiwan should tune their radios to FM 100.7 for English-language updates. You can find out more information on 'typhoon days' on the local weather website . The Australian Office in Taipei will be closed on 'typhoon days' and Australians who require consular assistance on these days should call the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305.
All oceanic regions of the world can experience tsunamis, but there is a more frequent occurrence of large, destructive tsunamis in the Indian and Pacific Oceans because of the many large earthquakes along major tectonic plate boundaries and ocean trenches. See the Tsunami Awareness brochure .
Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service . If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Wildlife
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
For parents
For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling with Children brochure.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page , Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council .
