Guide for Foreign Investors
Foreign-Invested CompanyFormation Guide
Setting up a foreign-invested company in Taiwan generally involves three stages. Below is what to confirm and what documents to prepare at each stage — the actual process still depends on your specific case and current regulations.
1
Company Name & Business Item Pre-Check
1–3 business daysBefore forming a company, you must first confirm the proposed name isn't already taken and that the intended business items are permitted. Once approved, you'll receive a "Company Name and Business Item Pre-Check Approval Letter."
You'll need to determine
- 01Company organization type (company limited by shares, limited company, or branch office)
- 02The proposed responsible person
Note that the Ministry of Economic Affairs prohibits or restricts foreign/overseas Chinese investment in certain business categories, so be sure to confirm this before investing in Taiwan.
Check prohibited/restricted business categories for foreign investment →2
Investment Approval, Preparatory Bank Account & Fund Verification
6–8 weeksUnder the Statute for Investment by Foreign Nationals, foreign investors must obtain approval from the Investment Commission of the Ministry of Economic Affairs before investing.
Documents needed
- 01Investment application form
- 02Company information and investment plan details
- 03Foreign investor identification documents
- 04Agent authorization letter (if using an agent)
Once approved by the Investment Commission, the company receives an "Investment Approval Letter." The responsible person can then open a company's preparatory bank account using the Investment Approval Letter, the Company Name and Business Item Pre-Check Approval Letter, and other documents required by the bank (requirements vary by bank, so it's best to confirm with each bank in advance).
One thing to note: due to anti-money-laundering regulations, banks have become stricter when reviewing corporate accounts, and some banks require a company registration lease — meaning you may need to lease office space or register an address even before submitting the investment approval application.
Additionally, if the company plans to register in Taipei City, a "Business Location Pre-Review" is required to confirm the business items comply with Taipei City's urban planning and zoning regulations.
Once the preparatory bank account is set up, funds can be remitted in the approved investment amount per the Investment Approval Letter, noting the remittance purpose as "310 Overseas Chinese/Foreign Equity Investment."
After the funds arrive, you must apply for fund verification again. Once reviewed, you'll receive a "Fund Verification Approval Letter."
Documents needed
- 01Verified investment amount application form
- 02Inbound remittance notice
- 03Foreign exchange settlement receipt
- 04Company preparatory account passbook
3
Company Registration, Tax Registration & Converting to a Regular Bank Account
After obtaining the business ID numberOnce the foreign investor has both approval letters from the Investment Commission, formal company registration and tax registration can proceed.
Documents needed
- 01Company formation application form
- 02Promoters' meeting minutes
- 03Promoters' identification documents
- 04Articles of incorporation
- 05Board meeting minutes
- 06Registered address lease and house tax bill
- 07Directors' and supervisors' identification documents
- 08Directors' and supervisors' letters of consent to serve
- 09CPA capital verification report
- 10Company registration form
- 11Other approval letters legally required in advance (e.g. name pre-check approval, investment approval, and fund verification approval letters; if the business items include a specially regulated industry, separate approval from the competent authority is also required)
To check whether a business item is a specially regulated industry, you can check with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Commerce Industrial Services Portal →Once company registration and tax registration with the National Taxation Bureau are complete, the responsible person must go to the tax bureau in person to sign and collect the uniform invoice purchase certificate.
After the tax bureau's process is complete, you can bring the relevant documents to the bank to convert the preparatory account into a regular company account.