Guide to Taiwan Travel Agencies License
According to the definition as “Act for the Development of Tourism ?and “Regulations Governing Travel Agencies? travel agencies refers to a profit-seeking enterprise licensed by the Taiwan Travel Administration to provide tourists with arranged travel schedule, board and lodging, tour guide, and to purchase transportation tickets and apply for travel documents and visas on tourists?behalf, as well as to provide related services for remuneration. Any of individual or incorporation who intends to offer the abovementioned services shall apply for Travel Agencies License at the Travel Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taiwan. The Travel Administration is the authority responsible for the issue and supervision of Travel Agencies License.
To apply for Travel Agencies License in Taiwan, the applicants must meet certain requirements. Travel agencies in Taiwan have been categorized into Class-A, Class-B and consolidated, in which the capital and scope of business are different. The wording “travel agency?must be registered as part of the company name and the agency must hire manager possess specific qualifications and certificate from the Taiwan Travel Administration.
The service fees for application of Taiwan Travel Agencies License are USD 2,200, which does not include the registration fee, license fee and guarantee deposit. Kaizen shall reimburse the above fees after the application has been submitted. The travel agency shall start business within 1 month after the license is obtained and shall report the commencement to the Travel Administration. Kaizen service fee shall not include the commencement report.
In general, if the submitted documents and information are correct., the license will be issued within 4-6 weeks by the Taiwan Travel Administration. The license has no validity period.
- Application Fees of Taiwan Travel Agencies License
The service fees for applying the Taiwan Travel Agencies License are USD 2,200, including the following services:
(1) Guide clients on how to apply for the Taiwan Travel Agencies License and provide clients with the suggestions and advises.
(2) Prepare the required documents and information for clients.
(2) Submit the required documents to Taiwan Travel Administration.
(4) Liaise between clients and the Taiwan Travel Administration throughout the application process.
(5) Settle the application fees on behalf of clients.
(6) Receive the license for clients.
The aforementioned service fee does not include the registration fee, license fee, guarantee deposit and courier fee (if any).
- Payment
After taking the case from client officially, Kaizen will issue and provide clients with the invoice and guideline of payment via e-mail. While proceeding the payment, please leave our invoice reference or document number on the remark of your proof of remittance. After settling the payment, please send over the proof to our e-mail, so as to track your amount of payment more smoothly. Based on the policy, the service fees shall be charge fully in advance. Except for the special conditions, the request of refund is not accepted from the start of service.
The payment is accepted in the format of cash, bank transfer, remittance and Paypal (credit card). In the condition of payment proceed in Paypal, the extra 5% processing fees will be incurred.
- Businesses Requires Employment Service License
According to the definition as “Act for the Development of Tourism ?and “Regulations Governing Travel Agencies? travel agencies refers to a profit-seeking enterprise licensed by the Taiwan Travel Administration to provide tourists with arranged travel schedule, board and lodging, tour guide, and to purchase transportation tickets and apply for travel documents and visas on tourists?behalf, as well as to provide related services for remuneration. Any of individual or incorporation who intends to offer the abovementioned services shall apply for Travel Agencies License at the Travel Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taiwan. The Travel Administration is the authority responsible for the issue and supervision of Travel Agencies License.
- Application Requirements
Travel agencies in Taiwan have been categorized into Class-A, Class-B and consolidated, in which the capital and scope of business are different.
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Class-B
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Class-A
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Consolidated
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Minimum Capital
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TWD 1.2 million
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TWD 6 million
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TWD 30 million
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Company Name
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“Travel Agency?must be indicated in the company name.
Class-A and Consolidated travel agency must obtain English name
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Minimum Guarantee Deposit
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TWD 300,000
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TWD 1.5 million
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TWD 10 million
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Registration Fee
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1/1,000 of total invested capital
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License Fee
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TWD 1,300
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Scope of Business
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Class-B
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Class-A
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Consolidated
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Being commissioned to sell passenger tickets for land, sea, and air transportation operators, or to buy passenger tickets and handle shipment of luggage on behalf of travellers
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Taiwan Only
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No restriction
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No restriction
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Being commissioned to handle inbound and outbound procedures and visa applications for travellers
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Soliciting of business from or receiving tourists; arranging for their tour, food, accommodation, and transportation
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Taiwan tourists or foreigners with legal residence permits, including the people of the Mainland Area, the residents of Hong Kong and Macau only
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No restriction Tourists
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No restriction Tourists
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Commissioning other agencies to solicit business as indicated
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No
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No
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Yes
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Tour group business
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Soliciting of businesses related to Taiwan group tours on behalf of consolidated travel agencies as indicated in sub-paragraph 7 of Paragraph 2 of this Article
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Arranging of overseas tours, food and accommodation, and transportation for travellers as well as provision of related services, through self-organized tour packages
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Arranging tours, food and accommodation, and transportation for travellers as well as related services, through chartered or self-organized tour packages
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Planning and providing travel advice
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Taiwan Only
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No restriction
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No restriction
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Handling of communication, promotion, and price quotation on behalf of foreign travel agencies
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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The Manager of the Tourism Industry shall meet one of the following qualifications and must obtain a completion certificate issued by MOTC.
(a)
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Graduated from college or above, or passed the senior civil service examination, and served as the representative of a travel agency for more than two years;
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(b)
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Graduated from college or above, or passed the senior civil service examination, and in charge of the operating unit of an enterprise by providing sea, air, or land transportation services for passengers for more than three years;
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(c)
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Graduated from college or above, or passed the senior civil service examination, and worked in the travel agency as a full-time employee for more than four years, or as a tour manager or tour guide for more than six years;
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(d)
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Graduated from senior high school, or passed the junior civil service examination, or completed at least two-thirds of the required credits at two-year vocational college, three-year vocational college, or university, or five-year vocational junior college, and worked in the travel agency as a representative for more than four years, or as a full-time employee for more than six years, or as a tour manager or tour guide for more than eight years;
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(e)
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Worked as a full-time employee at a travel agency for more than ten years;
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(f)
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Graduated from college or above, or passed the senior civil service examination, and having taught courses in professional tourism at a university or college for more than two years;
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(g)
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Graduated from college or above, or passed the senior civil service examination, and worked as a full-time employee at an operating unit of a tourism administrative agency for more than three years, or graduated from senior high school and worked as a full-time employee at an operation unit of a tourism administrative agency or an association of travel agencies for more than five years;
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(h)
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Those who have successfully completed a training course as indicated in I but have not been employed by a travel agency for the following three years, may not be employed as manager unless they retake and successfully completed the training course.
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- Application Procedures and Estimated Time
The license application has been divided into 2 phases: the first phase is the pre-screening, second phase is the license issuance after the company is registered. If the required documents and materials are well prepared, it will take 4-6 weeks for approval at the earliest.
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Steps
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Description
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Working Days
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1
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Client confirms the service. Kaizen issue the service invoice.
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1
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2
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Client provides required materials and settle payment.
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Client’s Schedule
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3
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Kaizen prepares the application documents for client’s signature.
(Kaizen will share the documents with client through email.)
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2-3
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4
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Client mails the original signed copies to Kaizen.
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Client’s Schedule
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5
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Kaizen submits the documents to the Taiwan Travel Administration for pre-screening after receiving the documents.
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7-14
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6
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Client arrange the guarantee deposits after the company is registered
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Client’s Schedule
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7
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Kaizen submits the license issuance application to the Taiwan Travel Administration, arranges the registration and license fees payment.
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7-14
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- Materials for Application
The following documents required to be prepared in advance before submitting an application of Travel Agencies License:
(1) Filled out and signed the order form;
(2) Business plan;
(3) A copy of front and backside of Taiwan ID of the travel agency manager;
(4) A copy of certificate of business registration, articles of incorporation and shareholders?agreement.
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