Health insurance in Taiwan.
Taiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.
The rules
What Taiwan asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- You need an ARC
The National Health Insurance Act covers foreign residents who hold an alien resident certificate (ARC), and who are not Taiwan citizens with a registered address.
Source: law.moj.gov.tw - Route 1: a regular employer
A foreign resident with an ARC and a regular employer can join National Health Insurance. There is no 6 month wait on this route.
Source: law.moj.gov.tw - Route 2: 6 months of residence
If you have no employer, you can join after you have had a registered address in Taiwan for at least 6 months.
Source: law.moj.gov.tw - 1 short trip is allowed
The 6 months can include 1 trip out of Taiwan of no more than 30 days. The days abroad are deducted, so the 6 months end later.
Source: goldcard.nat.gov.tw - Route 3: newborns
A newborn in Taiwan can be covered under the same law.
Source: law.moj.gov.tw - Before you are covered, you pay
The UK government says Taiwan hospitals work on a pay as you use basis. It tells visitors to have travel health insurance and money to cover treatment.
Source: gov.uk
Taiwan’s National Health Insurance is open to foreign residents with an ARC. Employed foreigners join through their employer. Others join after 6 months with a registered address. We did not verify what each visit costs, so check with the National Health Insurance Administration.
Source: law.moj.gov.twLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
The gap is the first months. If you are not employed, National Health Insurance can take 6 months to start. A short plan for that gap, or a full plan that stays, is worth comparing.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Taiwan. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Taiwan.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Taiwan and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Taiwan.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Gap cover
If you are not employed, you may have up to 6 months with no National Health Insurance. Check the plan covers that gap.
- What the national scheme leaves out
Check what you would want on top of the national scheme, such as a private room or evacuation, and whether the plan covers it.
- Family cover
Spouses and children need their own cover until they qualify. Check each person is on the policy.
- Trips abroad in your first 6 months
Only 1 trip out of Taiwan of up to 30 days fits in the 6 month wait. If you travel more, check your plan covers you for longer.
Step by step
Getting covered in Taiwan.
- 01Get your ARC. The alien resident certificate is the entry ticket. Without it, you cannot join National Health Insurance on any route.
- 02With a job: your employer enrols you. Your employer adds you and your dependants, and takes your share of the premium from your salary. Self-employed people pay on their business income.
- 03Without a job: count 6 months. You need 6 months of residence with your ARC. 1 trip out of no more than 30 days is allowed, and the days away are deducted, so the 6 months end later.
- 04Sign up at your district office. After 6 months, apply at your local township, city or district office. If your spouse or a direct relative works in Taiwan, join as their dependant instead.
- 05Cover the gap with a private plan. Taiwan hospitals work on a pay as you use basis. The Gold Card office suggests private insurance for people who travel too often to reach 6 months.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Arriving without an employer and assuming you are covered from day 1. The wait can be 6 months.
- 02Cancelling your plan before National Health Insurance has really started.
- 03Forgetting your family. Their route to cover may differ from yours.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Can foreigners join Taiwan National Health Insurance?+
Yes. You need an alien resident certificate and either a regular employer, or at least 6 months with a registered address in Taiwan.
Is there a 6 month wait for National Health Insurance in Taiwan?+
Not if you have a regular employer. Without one, the law asks for a registered address in Taiwan for at least 6 months.
Do I need health insurance before I join the national scheme?+
It is wise. The UK government says hospitals in Taiwan work on a pay as you use basis, so you would pay for treatment yourself.
Does an employer enrol me in National Health Insurance in Taiwan?+
For employed foreign residents with an ARC, yes. Having a regular employer is a route into the scheme.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.