Do Taiwan passport holders need a visa to visit United States?

Taiwan ordinary passport holders do NOT need a traditional visa for short US tourism. Taiwan is in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, so you apply online for an ESTA travel authorization before flying and may stay up to 90 days. Taiwan is a participant in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), so Taiwan ordinary passport holders traveling for tourism or business can enter the United States for stays of up to 90 days without a visa, provided they obtain an approved ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) before boarding. You must hold a valid Taiwan e-passport (biometric chip) that contains a national identification (household registration) number, confirming unrestricted right of permanent abode in Taiwan. The ESTA is applied for entirely online, costs USD 40.27 (as of 2026), and is normally approved within minutes to 72 hours. An approved ESTA is valid for 2 years (or until the passport expires) and allows multiple entries, each for up to 90 days. ESTA covers air and sea arrivals; it does not extend the 90-day stay and is not a guarantee of admission — the final decision rests with the CBP officer at the port of entry. Travelers who have visited Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Libya or Yemen since March 1, 2011 (or Cuba since Jan 12, 2021), or who are dual nationals of certain countries, are barred from the VWP and must apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa instead.