For years, Taiwan sat quietly in the shadow of its East Asian neighbours overshadowed by Japan's cherry blossoms, Korea's K-pop pilgrimage, and Thailand's backpacker trails. But something has shifted. Dramatically and decisively. Indian travellers are discovering that this compact, electric island packs more variety, safety, style, and soul per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in Asia. The numbers tell the story: Indian arrivals in Taiwan grew by over 20% in 2024, reaching 38,158 visitors, and early 2025 figures show an even sharper acceleration, up 30.73% in just the first five months. India's overall outbound travel grew at 8–11% over the same period. Taiwan is growing at roughly 2.5 times that rate. Something extraordinary is happening. Here's why.

Entry Made Simple

The Visa Process Is Finally Working in India's Favour

Visa friction has historically been one of the biggest barriers holding Indian travellers back from lesser-explored destinations. Taiwan has been quietly dismantling those barriers one policy at a time and it's paying off.

Indian passport holders holding a valid visa or permanent residency from select powerhouse countries the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, or any Schengen nation are eligible for a simplified 14-day Travel Authorisation Certificate (TAC), entirely online, with rapid processing. For everyone else, Taiwan's standard visitor visa is processed in as little as 2 working days normally, or 1 working day on express. Compare that to the weeks-long uncertainty of visas to some Western or even regional destinations and Taiwan suddenly becomes the smart choice.

"Standard visa fees start from INR 4,200 for single-entry visitor visas, with processing taking just 2 working days some of the fastest turnaround times available to Indian passport holders for a high-quality destination."

— BTW Visas India, 2025

Taiwan has also gone fully digital with immigration from October 2025, all travellers complete a Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online before flying. No paper forms, no queues, no scrambling at the airport. For India's increasingly tech-savvy millennial and Gen Z travellers, this frictionless experience sets the tone for the entire trip. Easy in, easy out and India's travel trade has noticed.