Opening/running a company in Taiwan as a foreigner

[user86]

@Andrew

Don’t you need one to bill them/issue them to companies inside Taiwan, and for fapiao?

No. You can just issue them invoices under your own name.

You might need to register a company though, if your clients request an official fapiao rather than a receipt. (At least according to another commenter above.)

[Marco]

@meishijia

@Marco

This is not true. You can most definitely start without an ARC.

But you need to do it through an agent if you haven’t got an ARC, no? That’s what investment comission told me when I asked whether or not I should do it through an agent. Since I had an ARC they said it’s pointless. Come to think of it, I’d imagine one of the reasons you need to do it through an agent if you haven’t got an ARC is that you wouldn’t been able to open the 籌備處戶頭 without an ARC.

No. You need the paid in capital of $500000 to get the work permit. The work permit gets you the ARC. You can do this on a visitor visa. (Not visa free status)

you have an open work permit. It is obviously much easier if you already have an open work permit.

To be honest, anyone can open a company here. It is fully legal to be headless and hire a Taiwanese head. For the company you opened to hire and sponsor you without a work permit, well. Capital requirements

[Andrew]

@user86

No. You can just issue them invoices under your own name.

You might need to register a company though, if your clients request an official fapiao (according to another commenter above).

I always issue invoices under my own name (to overseas companies), but the point I was getting at is that I thought (possibly incorrectly) that most Taiwanese companies would want/prefer fapiao with a business registration number etc. rather than an invoice from an individual, for VAT and so on.

[meishijia]

But you can’t get the investor approval from the investment comission as a foreigner without an ARC unless you go through an agent. That’s what the investment commission told me and if I remember correctly it also says that in the notes section of the application form.

[Marco]

@meishijia

But you can’t get the investor approval from the investment comission as a foreigner without an ARC unless you go through an agent. That’s what the investment commission told me and if I remember correctly it also says that in the notes section of the application form.

Nope. No agent. But the CPA knows what to do.

Hi @VisitorTW. Here is the CPA I recommend and use. He speaks English. Rates are reasonable. He can help with opening and sales taxes/VAT.

[meishijia]

@Andrew

I thought (possibly incorrectly) that most Taiwanese companies would want/prefer fapiao with a business registration number etc. rather than an invoice from an individual, for VAT and so on.

Most companies prefer fapiao because it’s a hassle to claim money paid to individual freelancers against their taxes if they don’t have a fapiao.

[Andrew]

@meishijia

Most companies prefer fapiao because it’s a hassle to claim money paid to individual freelancers against their taxes if they don’t have a fapiao.

Yeah, that’s what I suspected. So it’s a hassle, rather than impossible?

[meishijia]

They can do it, it’s just extra work for their accountant. I heard from one customer that some accountants charge extra for it.

[user86]

@meishijia

They can do it, it’s just extra work for their accountant. I heard from one customer that some accountants charge extra for it.

And it’s not extra work for me to register a business? Maybe I should start charging extra to clients who request fapiao.

[izzy]

but thats what businesses do… include overhead costs into their pricing and roll it to their clients

[VisitorTW]

Thanks Marco!