Banking and Finance

For foreigners who are new to Taiwan (including Gold Card holders), opening a bank account in Taiwan can take at least half a day. Once set up, you can transfer money to friends or vendors, set up automatic bill payments for utilities, and shop online, significantly enhancing the convenience of living in Taiwan.

We recommend reading and following the guidelines below, which are designed to reduce your time spent at the bank during account opening, as well as reduce the needs for future in-person visits.

Notes for Gold Card Holders Opening a Bank Account

The Gold Card as an ID Card & ARC

The Taiwan Employment Gold Card is a government-issued identification card that functions as your Alien Resident Certificate. However, due to its relatively smaller numbers among the general foreign population, some bank clerks may not be familiar with the Gold Card, its design and usage. If required, the corresponding Taiwan law verifying the Gold Card as an ARC can be found here .

Lack of Address and Employment

While Gold Card holders can enter Taiwan without an address, and without employment, opening a bank account and getting a credit card without this information can be difficult at some banks. Four of the state-owned banks in Taiwan are more aware of how to service Gold Card holders: Bank of Taiwan , Mega Bank , Hua Nan Bank , and First Bank , but are still required to conduct their own internal risk assessments. Note that upon entry (or a change in address), Gold Card holders are required to update their local address within 30 days . We recommend understanding the bank’s requirements for address (and the proof of your address) before visiting to open a bank account.

You may also want to consider approaching the top five banks whose services are recommended by foreign professionals, Gold Card holders, and international students from our 2024 survey. These are: (in alphabetical order) Cathay United Bank, CTBC Bank, E.Sun Commercial Bank, HSBC, and Mega International Commercial Bank. Not all global banks have linked accounts to their Taiwan branches. HSBC offers this only for their Advance or Premier customers.

We highly recommend reading the rest of the Talent Taiwan banking articles which explains the complex process and guidelines for opening a bank account, and applying for credit card and banking services in more detail.

Taxes

Taiwan’s financial year runs from January 1 to December 31, with income tax filing and payment occurring in May of the following year. While there is no minimum stay requirement for Gold Card holders in Taiwan, the number of days you stay does affect your tax obligations. Always seek professional tax advice, but generally, if you stay in Taiwan for more than 90 days in a calendar year, you start to have tax obligations, even if you work for an overseas company. Once you stay for more than 183 days, you are generally considered a tax resident and can access progressive tax rates and other benefits. As a Gold Card holder, if it’s your first time working in Taiwan and your annual salary exceeds NTD 3 million, you may be eligible for a 50% tax reduction on the amount over NTD 3 million. The National Taxation Bureau provides free professional tax consultation sessions in English and Japanese. The phone number is (02) 2311-3711 ext. 1116. .