Taiwan visa requirements for South African citizens
South African citizens need a visa for Taiwan and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Minimum passport validity
- More than 6 months from entry
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 9 October 2026
How this visa is processed
Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa (1147 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield, Pretoria)
South Africans need a visa for Taiwan and are not on the list of nationalities that can apply for Taiwan's e-Visa. The visa is handled by the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria, in Hatfield. The form is filled in online on the Taiwan Bureau of Consular Affairs visa website (visawebapp.boca.gov.tw) and brought printed with the other documents. The consular counter takes applications from 9:00 to 11:30 and returns them from 14:00 to 16:30. The office does not publish a fixed document list: it says requirements depend on each case and asks for enquiries by email to tlorsavisa@gmail.com or zaf@mofa.gov.tw, or by phone (012 430 6071).
Official application site →Application details verified on 9 October 2026. Sources: roc-taiwan.org, Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa: "Visa Requirements" (case-dependent requirements, enquiry emails and phones; updated 14 February 2023), contact details and consular hours, and link to the online form. boca.gov.tw: "Who is eligible for an eVisa?" (updated 18 August 2026). Checked 9 October 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Required documents
- Passport valid for more than six months from entry. Without that, entry is refused.
- A ticket out of Taiwan to any destination: the authorities usually ask for it on arrival, except from residence card (ARC) holders.
- Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) submitted online within the three days before arrival.
Transit rules
Anyone who stays beyond the time granted is fined and may be deported, with possible restrictions on re-entry. Taiwan is in a highly seismic zone: the magnitude 7.4 earthquake near Hualien on 3 April 2024 caused landslides in Taroko National Park, which has only partly reopened. Typhoons are frequent from June to October.
More Taiwan rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Taiwan page:
Official portal: https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/. Destination data verified on 25 September 2026. Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Taiwan, updated 17 March 2026: six-month passport, onward ticket, 90 days visa-free, extension, 180 days, fine and deportation, vaccines, earthquakes, typhoons, safety); gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/taiwan (UK Government: TWAC within three days before arrival, exemptions, animal products and African swine fever, declaration of NTD 100,000 or USD 10,000); immigration.gov.tw (Taiwan National Immigration Agency); data.unesco.org (Taiwan does not appear on the World Heritage List). All checked on 25 September 2026. Also: web.customs.gov.tw (Taiwan Customs Administration, "What are the relevant regulations for inbound passengers carrying tobacco or liquor into Taiwan?": allowances, ages and import licence, 25 September 2026). boca.gov.tw (Bureau of Consular Affairs: eVisa fee and the nationalities that receive it free, page updated 2 March 2026, checked 10 October 2026).
Travel insurance for Taiwan
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
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Things to see and do in Taiwan
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Taiwan need a visa to enter South Africa. See the Taiwan → South Africa page.
Of the 5 passports from Southern Africa that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Taiwan 1 enter visa-free and 4 need a visa. Same result as South Africa: Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.
With a passport from South Africa, in the rest of Eastern Asia you can enter Hong Kong and Macao visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Japan, Mongolia and South Korea; you need a visa for China and North Korea.
A passport from South Africa ranks 97 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 94 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do South African citizens need a visa for Taiwan?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
What minimum passport validity is required?
Passport valid for more than six months from entry. Without that, entry is refused.
What currency is used in Taiwan?
New Taiwan Dollar (TWD).
Where is the Taiwan visa applied for in South Africa?
At the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria (1147 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield), with the form filled in first at visawebapp.boca.gov.tw.
Can South Africans use the e-Visa?
No. South Africa is not on the list of nationalities with access to Taiwan's e-Visa.
Which documents are needed?
The office says they depend on each case and asks applicants to check by email before applying.
What do South African passport holders need for the countries near Taiwan?
With a passport from South Africa, in the rest of Eastern Asia you can enter Hong Kong and Macao visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Japan, Mongolia and South Korea; you need a visa for China and North Korea.
Related pages
See Taiwan requirements for other passports →
See entry requirements to South Africa for other passports →
Every visa-free country for South African passport holders →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.