Backlogs
EB-5 backlogs follow country of birth. Taiwan-born investors are charged to "rest of world", and under the October 2026 Visa Bulletin the standard category and all set-aside categories are current.
One caution: a main applicant born in mainland China is charged to China even with Taiwan residency. Check with the visa availability checker.
Choosing a category
Without backlog pressure, Taiwan investors can put project quality first rather than choosing a category just for its set-aside visas.
- Rural TEA: priority processing by law; suits families who want speed, or have a child close to 21
- High-unemployment TEA: often urban, with more projects, which makes capital stacks and developer records easier to compare
- Standard: a higher investment with no backlog advantage for Taiwan investors; rarely chosen
Source-of-funds documents
- Income records from the National Taxation Bureau (綜合所得稅各類所得資料清單)
- Property records (財產歸屬資料清單) showing real estate and investments in your name
- For property sales: the sale contract, land registry transcript and evidence of the original purchase funds
- For dividends: board resolutions, financial statements and withholding certificates
- For gifts: the gift contract, the donor's source of funds, and the gift tax filing or exemption
Transfers and foreign exchange reporting
Under Taiwan's foreign exchange reporting regulations:
- Any conversion of NT$500,000 or more must be reported on a foreign exchange declaration form
- Individuals aged 18 or over may convert up to US$5 million a year by declaration; more needs Central Bank approval
- A single conversion of US$500,000 or more needs supporting documents for the bank
An EB-5 investment usually fits within one person's annual limit, but when spouses or family members contribute, plan the transfers per person and keep the declaration forms as path-of-funds evidence.
Would an E-2 visa fit better?
Taiwan is an E-2 treaty country, so Taiwan passport holders can apply for the E-2 treaty investor visa. Its investment threshold is more flexible, but it is a nonimmigrant visa with no direct path to a green card, and children lose dependent status at 21. Families who want permanent residence and domestic-student status for their children usually find EB-5 the better fit.
Taipei office
5F, No. 143, Sec. 3, Civic Blvd, Zhongshan Dist, Taipei
Phone: +886 978 856 217
Led by our Head of Taiwan, Justin Choy, who knows the financial planning, documentation and education needs of Taiwanese families.