For Taiwan's NT$6M investment immigration, does buying property or stocks count?
Under the regulations governing Hong Kong and Macau residents' residence in Taiwan, investing NT$6 million or more in Taiwan, as reviewed and approved by the central competent authority, qualifies you to apply for residence. After meeting the residence-period requirement, you can apply for permanent settlement (ๅฎๅฑ ). This is a separate, lower threshold from the foreign-national investor track (NT$15 million in a for-profit enterprise plus five jobs maintained for three years, or NT$30 million in government bonds).
Who the NT$6M route is for
Under the regulations governing Hong Kong and Macau residents' residence in Taiwan, investing NT$6 million or more in Taiwan, as reviewed and approved by the central competent authority, qualifies you to apply for residence. After meeting the residence-period requirement, you can apply for permanent settlement (ๅฎๅฑ ). This is a separate, lower threshold from the foreign-national investor track (NT$15 million in a for-profit enterprise plus five jobs maintained for three years, or NT$30 million in government bonds).
What counts โ and what doesn't
| Investment | Counts? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Capital into a newly established Taiwan company (your operating business) | โ | Approved operating investment with business registration |
| Capital increase in an existing Taiwan company you operate | โ | Same โ real operating capital |
| Buying a residential apartment | โ | Passive asset, not an approved business operation |
| Buying listed stocks / ETFs | โ | Portfolio investment, handled through a separate securities channel |
| Bank time deposits | โ | Not an investment in a business at all |
| Crypto holdings | โ | Not a recognized operating investment |
The logic is in the review documents. When you later apply for settlement, the National Immigration Agency requires: the invested business's establishment/change registration, the last year's profit-and-loss and tax computation (or business-tax filings), the Ministry of Economic Affairs Investment Commission's approval letter, CPA-audited financial statements, and proof of continued investment and operating results (ๆ็บๆ่ณๅ็้ๅฏฆ็ธพ่ญๆๆไปถ). A property deed or brokerage statement can't produce any of these โ only a real operating company can.
The review points that trip people up
- The investment must be approved first. Money wired in without going through the investment review (็ถๆฟ้จๆ่ณๅฏฉ่ญฐๅธ) doesn't count, even if it's sitting in a Taiwan company account.
- Operation must be genuine and ongoing. Paper companies with no revenue, no staff, and no real activity fail at the settlement stage.
- Residence time still applies. Roughly: one continuous year in Taiwan with no more than 30 days abroad, or two years with at least 270 days in Taiwan each year.
- Job creation commitments matter. If your approval included hiring Taiwanese employees, you'll need to show their labor-insurance records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I invest the NT$6M and hire a manager to run the company while I live elsewhere?
The residence-period requirement means you need to actually live in Taiwan. A company run entirely by others while you're absent fails both the residence test and the "genuine operation" review.
What about buying a franchise โ does that count?
A franchise can count if it's structured as your own registered operating company, capitalized with the investment, reviewed by the authorities, and genuinely operated. Buying into a franchise as a passive investor without an operating entity does not.
I'm not from Hong Kong or Macau. Is there an equivalent?
Foreign nationals have a separate permanent-residence-by-investment track with higher thresholds (NT$15 million in a for-profit enterprise creating five jobs for three years, or NT$30 million in central government bonds). The NT$6 million figure is specific to the Hong Kong/Macau route.
Sources
- https://joyfulrichiconsultants.com/immigration-info-taiwan-investment-immigration-cost/
- https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5385/7244/7250/7296/%E5%AE%9A%E5%B1%85/41965/
- https://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/dir/investment/wHandDirApply_File.ashx?file_id=49