{"id":747,"date":"2026-07-02T07:57:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T07:57:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T13:05:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:05:31","slug":"taiwan-living-guide-newcomers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/taiwan-living-guide-newcomers\/","title":{"rendered":"Living in Taiwan as a New Resident: Renting, Banking, Health Insurance, and Getting a Phone Number All Sorted"},"content":{"rendered":"<style class=\"lt-tbl-css\">.entry-content table,.lt-tbl{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:1.2em 0}.entry-content th,.entry-content td,.lt-tbl th,.lt-tbl td{border:1px solid #d4dcd7;padding:8px 11px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top}.entry-content th,.lt-tbl th{background:#eef3f0;font-weight:600}<\/style>\n<p>Updated: 2026-07-02 | For real-time information, always refer to official announcements.<\/p>\n<p><em>Just got your residence permit and getting ready to settle down in Taiwan? Sort out these four things at once\u2014renting a home, banking, National Health Insurance, and a mobile number\u2014and save yourself a lot of wasted effort.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>After helping several foreign friends who had just moved to Taiwan, I found that what trips people up first is usually not language or culture, but four very concrete things: renting a livable home, opening a bank account that can receive your salary, enrolling in National Health Insurance, and getting a mobile number that can receive SMS verification codes. These four things are interlinked\u2014almost every official procedure in Taiwan will ask for your \"residence permit (ARC \/ Alien Resident Certificate)\" and the \"Uniform ID Number\" printed on it, which serves as your identity credential in Taiwan and is used for renting, opening accounts, joining National Health Insurance, and getting a phone number. So the real first step is to get your residence permit sorted out first, and everything else will go more smoothly afterward. If your residence permit hasn't come through yet but you already need to get things done, you can first apply for a \"Republic of China Uniform ID Number Basic Information Form\" at any National Immigration Agency service station as a temporary substitute; once your official residence permit arrives, go back and complete the account details. For the actual documents and procedures, please refer to the official announcements of the National Immigration Agency. To understand local living details more fully, you can refer to our<a href=\"\/en\/category\/taiwan-living-guide\/\">Taiwan Living Guide<\/a>\u3002<\/p>\n<h4>Renting, opening a bank account, and National Health Insurance: the three things most likely to get stuck<\/h4>\n<p>The most commonly used tools for finding a home are still local rental platforms and rental groups. When you see a listing you like, be sure to view the property in person and confirm its condition and the surroundings. Before signing, keep a few legal points in mind: under the Ministry of the Interior's \"Rental Housing Market Development and Regulation Act,\" the deposit (security deposit) may not exceed two months' rent, and when you move out with no unpaid rent or damage, the landlord must return the deposit; if a landlord wants to charge more than two months, that's non-compliant, and you can negotiate directly. Read the contract carefully to see whether \"may\" or \"may not\" terminate early is checked\u2014if early termination is allowed, you usually only need to give the landlord one month's notice; if it says \"may not\" terminate early and you move out early, the penalty is generally capped at one month's rent. It's advisable to use the \"Standard Housing Lease Contract\" version published by the Ministry of the Interior, which offers better protection for both parties. Landlords often ask to photocopy your passport and residence permit to verify your identity, and some also require a local guarantor, which is fairly common when renting to foreigners, so you can ask about it in advance or prepare beforehand; for longer leases, the contract and your residential address will also affect your subsequent residency and tax filing information.<\/p>\n<p>At the bank account stage, foreigners in Taiwan usually cannot open an account online and must appear in person at a branch with their documents. Generally you'll need a valid passport (with a legal entry stamp), a residence permit stating your Uniform ID Number (if you don't have a residence permit yet, you can substitute a passport plus the \"Uniform ID Number Basic Information Form\"), and a second form of ID (such as a National Health Insurance card, driver's license, student ID, or other document sufficient to verify your identity). Different banks have slightly different requirements for non-national customers; some branches have more experience opening accounts for foreigners and offer English-language service. It's advisable to explain the purpose of the account (salary transfer, remittance) to the teller in advance. For the actual documents required and whether there's a minimum deposit threshold, please refer to each bank's latest rules.<\/p>\n<table class=\"lt-tbl\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Item<\/th>\n<th>Highlights<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>How to apply<\/td>\n<td>Mostly requires appearing in person at the counter; online account opening is rare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Core documents<\/td>\n<td>Passport + Alien Resident Certificate (Unified ID Number) + a second form of ID<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>If you don't have an ARC yet<\/td>\n<td>You can first apply for a Unified ID Number Basic Information Form as a substitute<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Tip<\/td>\n<td>Choose a branch that is foreigner-friendly and offers service in English<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>National Health Insurance is the most important protection for seeing a doctor in Taiwan, so you don't have to worry about a minor illness dragging on into a serious one, but the timing of enrollment differs by status. Employees with an employer are enrolled by their employer from the date of employment, with no need to wait six months\u2014this is the most common situation for office workers. Non-employees holding a residence permit must enroll from the date they have resided in Taiwan for six months (six continuous months, or a period with only one departure of no more than 30 days, with the departure days deducted and then totaling six months); this waiting period is where new residents most often get stuck, so be mentally prepared and plan for out-of-pocket medical care during the transition. As for premiums, employees are calculated according to the insured salary bracket table, with part of it usually shared by the employer and the government; for those without work who enroll as area residents (Category 6), the monthly out-of-pocket amount for a single person with no dependents is roughly in the range of a bit over NT$800, and eligible dependents (spouse, minor children, etc.) can be enrolled as dependents. The actual rates, insured salary brackets, and amounts payable may be adjusted each year, so please refer to the latest announcements of the National Health Insurance Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare.<\/p>\n<h4>Mobile number: a prepaid card is fastest, then switch to a monthly plan later<\/h4>\n<p>To receive SMS verification codes from banks, the government, food delivery, and all kinds of apps, a Taiwan phone number is practically a life necessity. When you've just arrived and haven't opened an account or received your residence permit yet, a prepaid card (such as Chunghwa Telecom's Ruyi Card) is the fastest option. Foreigners applying for a prepaid card usually need \"two forms of ID\": the first is a passport or valid residence permit, and the second is another official document that can verify identity (such as an entry permit, visa, residence permit, international student ID, or an official document with a photo from your home country). You must apply in person, and those under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Once you have both your residence permit and a bank account, you can switch to a monthly contract plan as needed (which can be linked to automatic payment and tends to be more cost-effective); for plan details and rates, please refer to the latest announcements on each carrier's official website.<\/p>\n<p>If you're still waiting for your residence permit, don't want to go to a store in person for now, or want internet access before you even arrive, an eSIM is a hassle-free stopgap\u2014get online the moment you land, with no card to swap. A Taiwan eSIM like Holafly is well suited to the gap before you settle in, so you can arrange a local number at your leisure afterward. If you want to do things step by step, this order usually goes most smoothly: first get your residence permit (or Uniform ID Number Basic Information Form) \u2192 get a number and internet with a prepaid card \/ eSIM \u2192 sign a rental contract \u2192 open a bank account \u2192 enroll in National Health Insurance according to your status. Get your identity documents ready first, and the rest is just running through one station at a time. On this same settling-in trip, you can also check out our<a href=\"\/en\/category\/transportation\/\">Transport Guide<\/a>, and plan out your routes to the various service stations at the same time.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"lt-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/holafly.sjv.io\/L0RdLZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow sponsored noopener\">View Taiwan eSIM plans (Holafly)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Note: the above is an affiliate link. If you purchase through it we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See details in<a href=\"\/en\/affiliate-disclosure\/\">affiliate disclosure statement<\/a>\u3002<\/p>\n<h4>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h4>\n<h5>Can I open a bank account or get a phone number before getting my residence permit?<\/h5>\n<p>You can first apply to the National Immigration Agency for a \"Uniform ID Number Basic Information Form\" as a substitute for the residence permit, and use it together with your passport and a second form of ID; however, the actual acceptance conditions vary among banks and carriers, so it's advisable to confirm by phone first.<\/p>\n<h5>Do new residents always have to wait six months before they can enroll in National Health Insurance?<\/h5>\n<p>Not necessarily. Employees with an employer are enrolled from the date of employment with no waiting period; only non-employees holding a residence permit need to have resided for six months before enrolling.<\/p>\n<h5>Is it legal to be asked for a three-month rental deposit?<\/h5>\n<p>It's non-compliant. Under the regulations, the deposit may not exceed two months' rent, so you can negotiate with the landlord on that basis.<\/p>\n<h5>How much is National Health Insurance per month?<\/h5>\n<p>It depends on your status and insured salary. A single person enrolled as an area resident pays roughly a bit over NT$800 out of pocket per month; the actual amount may be adjusted each year, so please refer to the latest announcements of the National Health Insurance Administration.<\/p>\n<h5>How do I choose between a prepaid card and a monthly plan?<\/h5>\n<p>When you've just arrived and your documents aren't complete, a prepaid card is fastest; once your residence permit and bank account are both ready, switch to a monthly plan linked to automatic payment, which is usually more cost-effective.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just got your residence permit and getting ready to settle in Taiwan? This new resident's guide clearly explains rental deposits, opening a bank account, when to enroll in National Health Insurance, and getting a mobile phone plan, all in one place, with suggested step-by-step order and FAQs. For rules that change, always refer to the latest official announcements.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":798,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-taiwan-living-guide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=747"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":826,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747\/revisions\/826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalriceball.website\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}