Quick answer
What photo does the Taiwan travel permit need?
Mainland residents applying for the Travel Permit to and from Taiwan supply a photo that meets NIA's exit-entry photo standard, the same as for passports: 33 × 48 mm, in colour and taken within 6 months. The electronic permit costs 60 yuan, and a single-trip endorsement costs 15 yuan.
The Taiwan travel permit photo (台湾通行证照片) uses NIA's exit-entry photo standard, the same as a Chinese passport. It is a 33 × 48 mm colour photo taken within 6 months, on a white, light grey or light blue background. As a digital file it is a 354–480 × 472–640 pixel JPEG of 20–80 KB. The electronic permit costs 60 yuan, a single-entry endorsement 15 yuan and a multiple-entry endorsement 80 yuan.
Mainland residents apply for the 往来台湾通行证 at a county-level or higher public security exit-entry office, or online in pilot cities. The full head-size and digital rules are on our Chinese passport photo page. Below are the permit's own materials, fees and endorsements from NIA's service guide, which is dated 2019, plus changes since then.
Photo requirements
| Standard | 《出入境证件相片照相指引》, NIA's exit-entry photo guide |
|---|---|
| Print size | 33 × 48 mm, with a 30 × 40 mm effective area |
| Face and head | Face 16–24 mm wide, head 30–34 mm high, 1–3 mm above the crown |
| Background | Even white, light grey or light blue, with no gradient |
| Digital file | 354–480 × 472–640 px (3:4), JPEG, 24-bit colour, 20–80 KB |
| Taken within | 6 months |
| Head coverings | Only for religious, medical or cultural needs, not covering the face or casting shadows |
A photo receipt is usually how you hand it in
Most exit-entry offices take the digital photo from an approved studio or police photo point, which gives you a photo receipt (回执). For online renewal you upload a digital photo yourself.
Sample photos
Applying: materials, time and validity
| Where | A county-level or higher public security exit-entry office, in person |
|---|---|
| What to bring | The application form, a photo to the NIA standard and your resident ID card (under-16s without an ID card may show the 户口簿) |
| Under 16 | A guardian, or someone the guardian authorises, comes with you, with proof of guardianship |
| Fingerprints | Taken as required |
| Processing | 7 working days; up to 20 working days in special cases; 20 days if you apply outside your household registration area |
| Validity | 10 years from age 16; 5 years under 16 |
Registered state functionaries and military personnel also need a letter of consent from their unit. You can renew the permit if it has less than 6 months left, will expire before the endorsement you want, or your details change. You can also replace a paper-booklet permit with the electronic card, and replace one that is damaged, lost or stolen.
Fees and endorsements
| Electronic permit | 60 yuan |
|---|---|
| One-time permit | 15 yuan |
| Single-entry endorsement | 15 yuan |
| Multiple-entry endorsement | 80 yuan |
The guide lists endorsements by purpose: group tour (L), individual travel (G), family visit (T), settlement (D), invited exchanges (Y), business (F), study (X), crew (C) and other reasons (Q). Many need approval papers from a Taiwan affairs office or a Taiwan-side entry permit. The guide is from 2019, so ask your office which endorsements it is issuing now. Since 5 November 2025, family-visit endorsements can be applied for at any county-level or higher exit-entry office in the country.
The permit alone is not enough
NIA's guide notes that travellers must also obtain the Taiwan-side entry documents before they go.
Renewing online (全程网办)
Since 20 November 2025, residents aged 16 or over in 50 pilot cities can renew or replace a Taiwan travel permit online on the NIA government service platform, as well as a passport or a Hong Kong and Macau permit. Registered state functionaries and serving military personnel cannot. You upload a photo for the document (制证照片), a handwritten signature and both sides of your ID card, then pay online once the application is approved. See photos for online renewal.
How to get a Taiwan travel permit photo
- Check what your office accepts. Most offices want a photo receipt from an approved studio or police photo point. For online renewal you upload a digital photo yourself.
- Follow the NIA photo standard. Wear dark clothes with a collar, face the camera with a natural expression and your mouth closed, and keep hair off your eyes and eyebrows.
- Use a plain light background. White, light grey or light blue, evenly lit, with no gradient and no shadow on your face.
- Check the size. A 33 × 48 mm print, or a 354–480 × 472–640 pixel JPEG of 20–80 KB, taken within 6 months. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
- Apply in person or online. Bring the form, your ID card and the photo or receipt to the exit-entry office, or apply on the NIA platform if your city is a pilot city.
Taiwan travel permit photo FAQ
One that meets NIA's 《出入境证件相片照相指引》, the same exit-entry photo standard as the Chinese passport. It is 33 × 48 mm, in colour, taken within 6 months, on a white, light grey or light blue background. The digital file is a 354–480 × 472–640 pixel JPEG of 20–80 KB.
The electronic permit costs 60 yuan, and a one-time permit 15 yuan. A single-entry endorsement is 15 yuan, and a multiple-entry endorsement 80 yuan.
10 years if you are 16 or over, and 5 years if you are under 16.
Not at the counter: NIA's guide says the permit itself must be applied for in person, and gives the example of a relative being refused. In 50 pilot cities you can now renew or replace it online yourself, uploading your own photo and signature. Some endorsements can be applied for by someone you authorise, if you already hold a valid permit.
No. NIA's guide reminds travellers that they must also obtain the Taiwan-side entry documents before they go.
Since 5 November 2025, at any county-level or higher public security exit-entry office in mainland China, with the same paperwork as in your household registration area.
Official sources
- National Immigration Administration: 大陆居民往来台湾通行证和签注签发服务指南 (permit and endorsement guide)
- National Immigration Administration: 出入境证件相片照相指引 (exit-entry photo guide)
- National Immigration Administration: Notice No. 4 of 2025 (50 pilot cities, family-visit endorsements)
- National Immigration Administration: online renewal measures (April 2024)
- Guangzhou Public Security Bureau: online renewal of exit-entry documents
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.