The National Health Insurance Act stipulates that foreign nationals who with Valid Alien Resident Certificate or Resident certificate for the Taiwan area( including those from Hong Kong, Macau and China) must be registered in the National Health Insurance program upon living in Taiwan for 6 months (6 months of continuous residence in Taiwan or with one trip abroad not exceeding 30 days when the actual residency period of 6 months is reached after the days abroad have been deducted). But those people who get work permits with ARC must join the National Health Insurance program by their employer starting the day they are employed.
Foreign students
- Foreign students can apply to enroll in the program through their school.
- Those who receive permission from the National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior to extend their stay after graduation shall proceed to the district office of residence to extend their enrollment in the NHI program.
Those with fixed employers Those with a steady job can register for the program through their employers.
Foreign newborns(Infants born in Taiwan)
- From December 1, 2017, a foreign newborn who was given birth in Taiwan and with an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), should be enrolled in the National Health Insurance program since the date of birth and became a dependent of his/her parent who is employed; if both of the parents are employed, either may be selected. The selected parent must fill out the enrollment document and apply for enrollment through his/her insurance registration organization and the newborn may receive the National Health Insurance coverage.
For spouses, minor children and disabled adult children of foreign professionals
- The latest amendment of The Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals was set to be effective since Oct. 25, 2021, once get the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), spouses, minor children, and major children who are unable to live independently due to physical or mental disability of foreign professionals under the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals shall enroll in the NHI program and be the dependents of the foreign professionals through their companies.
Those who are unemployed but able to enroll as a dependent through a relative (i.e., parents, spouses, or children) could participate in the National Health Insurance program through a relative's insurance registration organization after six months continuous residence in Taiwan.
Those without a fixed employer or family members with whom dependency can be claimed, must, after six months of consecutive residence, enroll through the local administrative office where they reside.
Foreign special professionals and foreign senior professionals who are employers or self-employed business owners can register for the program through their companies from the date their business is founded.
Other company chairpersons/owners They must enroll in the program through their companyies after six months of consecutive residence.