Tom's Tips

We live in a digital age. The Taiwanese banking system ... a little less so. Transferring money overseas typically involves a visit to the bank between 9am and 3pm. You'll queue, fill out an outbound remittance form in duplicate, stamp and sign some things and just generally wait while staff do their best with the unfamiliar procedure. There is another way.* * for transfers < 500,000 TWD, to accounts you've previously set up in a special way :(  Background: Remittance Classifications One of the reasons for the myriad of complicated forms when dealing with foreign exchange in Taiwan is the precise codification of transfer types required by the Central Bank. Your knowledge of the existence of these two documents will boost your standing above that of the average banker: 匯出匯款之分類及說明  Code and Description of Outward Remittance Classification 匯入匯款之分類及說明 Code and Description of Inward Remittance Classification These are updated every few years, with new versions fou

 Taiwan offers a smart card to adult foreign residents that can be used to verify their identity online. This allows some government services previously only available in person to be provided online, including: Tax return submission Applying for credit reports Accessing healthcare data from the NHI Requesting a police check Certificate of Entry and Exit dates from the NIA Ordering Face Masks Sounds great! However, the system relies on some ironically insecure/outdated technology, a mishmash of different browser plugins and very few support staff know about its existence. Here's a tip on how to use yours... How to pay Taiwan income taxes online I've successfully paid taxes online for the past few years using this method. It is straightforward, thanks to the automated data download powered by the Digital Citizen Certificate. Get a Digital Citizen Certificate and set it up in your card reader Change your computer's regional format to be "Taiwan&q

 Taiwan offers a smart card to adult foreign residents that can be used to verify their identity online. This allows some government services previously only available in person to be provided online, including: Tax return submission Applying for credit reports Accessing healthcare data from the NHI Requesting a police check Certificate of Entry and Exit dates from the NIA Ordering Face Masks Sounds great! However, the system relies on some ironically insecure/outdated technology, a mishmash of different browser plugins and very few support staff know about its existence. Therefore, here are some tips to let you take most advantage of your card. How to apply for Alien Citizen Digital Certificate[外籍人士自然人憑證] Application for the card is potentially the most painless process. Three steps: Visit the NIA to apply, get a piece of paper with a number on it Use the piece of paper with the number to complete the application on the MOICA website Pay the NT$275 fee using the CHT