I’m from the US and I’m going to be in Taipei for the first two weeks of August and I was wondering how I could get a SIM card for my phone (and also where). It’d be very convenient to have a cell phone to use and call up friends.
I heard you have to have an ROC resident card to get a SIM card? Is this true?
Because you are only going to be here for two weeks, by far the very best option is to get a SIM card at the airport, I cant emphasise this enough, don’t leave the airport without a sim card. As you exit the international barrier/exit doors, to your right there is is a row of phone shops. There are two terminals, so if you come out of the wrong terminal you have a bit of a walk or get the shuttle to get to the other terminal.
If you go here, they speak english, and they know the correct procedures for giving a foreign person a sim card. They take your passport and photocopy it, and give you a sim card. They will give you a sheet (in english) in which you can select what you want for the next two weeks, ie how many calls, internet or no internet, etc… I have gotten my sim card like this on my yearly visit to Taiwan for the past 5 years.
If you dont do it at the airport you will have to go to a phone shop where they more than likely not speak english and probably wont know how to fill out the special forms to allow a foreign person to have a sim card, they will probably just say you cant get one to save themselves the hassle.
We were told last time we got a prepaid sim, that foreigners are limited to getting one pre-pad sim card per year. So if you are planning to come back to taiwan within a year, you need to keep that sim card.
Thanks for that advice!
Just wondering, around how much is the SIM card if i just want to make calls and text?
Also, how much would it be to get it locally? I actually speak Mandarin, so I could at least try to communicate with the local shop people.
The prices is the same at the airport as outside the airport. One time I was in a rush and didn’t get it at the airport and I regretted it as the local shops didn’t want to deal witha foreigner and do all that paperwork. Eventually we found a shop that was happy to do it.
To be honest, Its been a few hears since I did this so I can’t remember the exact price. (I now live here and have a contract). If memory serves me correct it was in the range of about $400-500NT which lasted me two weeks. On top of that I used to pay an outrageous extra $1000 for unlimited internet to use google maps and email and so fourth.
Awesome, thanks so much!
Hi leyown
There’s also some info about phones in this [url=http://tw.forumosa.com/t/how-to-get-sim-card-use-cell-phones/2050/1
Hey everyone,
Thanks again for your tips. It all worked out, I was able to get the SIM card right outside the baggage claim. Such a great convenience!
I’m leaving Taiwan this Saturday. I was wondering if I have to return the SIM card at the aiport or at a 7-Eleven, or if I can just take it with me back to the US (the manual doesn’t say anything).
Thanks!