How to Apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Tapei, Taiwan
This page explores how Taiwanese citizens can apply for the 1-year Working Holiday Visa for Germany at the German Embassy in Taipei.
If you are from Taiwan, you have the opportunity to live in Germany for up to 1 year on a working holiday. The Working Holiday Visa provides you with a unique opportunity to experience the German culture, learn the language and pick up jobs to help fund your stay.
But before we look at how to actually apply for the visa at the German Embassy in Taipei, you first need to determine if you are eligible for the visa.
❗ Note: We endeavour to keep our visa information up to date. However, before applying, we recommend always cross-referencing our information with the official application information from the German Embassy in Taiwan.
Who can apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Taiwan?
There are some basic requirements you must fulfill in order to apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Taipei. These include:
✔️ You must be between 18 and 30 years old.
✔️ You must be a Taiwanese passport holder.
✔️ You must not be travelling with children.
If you meet these requirements, then you are eligible for the German Working Holiday Visa and can start preparing your application following our guidelines below.
How to apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Taiwan?
1️⃣ Prepare your application documents, book a visa appointment and apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Taipei.
2️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address, set up a bank account, find a job.
1️⃣ Prepare your application documents, book a visa appointment and apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Taiwan
How to book a Working Holiday Visa appointment at the German Embassy in Taipei
📅 Once you have determined that you are eligible for the Working Holiday Visa, the next step is to apply for the visa at the German Embassy in Taipei. Here, the first step is to secure an appointment at the embassy, which can be booked through the embassy’s appointment booking platform.
Once you have secured an appointment, the next step is to prepare your application and apply at the embassy, which is located at:
33F, No. 7, Sec. 5,
Xinyi Rd.,
Taipei 11049
Essential documents for your appointment at the German Embassy in Taiwan
You are required to submit a number of documents at your visa appointment, including:
✅ A valid passport and photocopy of the passport data page
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended stay, have at least 2 free pages, and not be older than 10 years old.
✅ Two current biometric passport photos
Guidelines recommend a 35 mm x 45 mm frontal shot with neutral facial expression, closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, with a light background.
✅ One completed visa application form
✅ Motivational letter
This can just be a typed/written signed letter stating your plans for your working holiday.
Standard things to include are that you would like to experience German culture, learn the language and work to supplement your stay.
You can also include details about where you will be staying after you arrive, etc. There is no set format for this.
✅ Information on the planned stay in Germany
The embassy has indicated that this may include an accommodation reservation, language course booking, employment contract, etc.
✅ Proof of funds
In order to be granted the visa, you must show that you have at least €4,000 in your account to demonstrate that you can afford your stay in Germany.
Bring a formal bank statement from your bank showing your name and account balance over the past three months.
✅ Travel insurance
An essential requirement for the Working Holiday Visa is that you have a travel insurance policy that is valid for the full duration of your visa – here is a list of requirements for the insurance as specified by the embassy.
Helpfully, the German embassy in Taiwan has also put together a list of approved insurance companies.
✅ Flight reservation
This can just be a reservation – you do not need to have paid for the ticket at the time of your appointment.
✅ C.V.
Your C.V. can be in German or English.
All application documents must be in English or German. If a document is in a different language, then you are required to have this translated into English or German before attending your appointment.
Processing of your visa at the German Embassy in Taiwan
🕓 Visa processing at the German Embassy in Taipei generally takes one week. Once your visa has been processed, you will be notified and invited back to the embassy to collect the visa.
🎉 Congratulations, this is the final step in the visa process! You can now start preparing for your move to Germany. On arrival in Germany, follow the advice in step 2 below to ensure that you have a smooth relocation.
How much does the Working Holiday Visa for Germany cost?
💰 The visa cost is €75 payable in cash or by card in the local currency.
Is there a limit on the number of German Working Holiday Visas that are awarded to Taiwanese citizens?
⏳ Yes. Only 500 German Working Holiday Visas are awarded to Taiwanese citizens per year. Before applying, always check with the embassy whether the quota has already been reached.
Where else can Taiwanese citizens apply for the German Working Holiday Visa?
🧭 Taiwanese citizens can only apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Taipei.
2️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address, set up a bank account, find a job.
Once you have successfully applied for the Working Holiday Visa in step 1 above, you are ready to make the move to Germany. On arrival in Germany, there are a number of key things you should do to ensure you have a smooth relocation.
🏠 Officially register at an address (Anmeldung)
Once you arrive in Germany, it is essential that you officially register at an address in Germany, a process that is known as Anmeldung. Without Anmeldung, you cannot receive your German tax ID (which you need when starting work in Germany) or perform most administrative tasks, such as signing up with an internet or energy supplier.
If you are struggling to find an address to register at in Berlin, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio accommodation and offer Anmeldung so long as you book for at least 14 nights. By opting for Smartments, you can get registered within days of arriving in Berlin.cking in to our accommodation.
We have also put together a guide on securing longer-term accommodation in Berlin, which may come in handy.
💰 Set up a German bank account
When starting out on your working holiday, it is important to have easy and (preferably) free access to your funds in Germany. To ensure this, we highly recommend that you set up a German bank account shortly after your arrival.
For Taiwanese working holidaymakers in Germany, a Vivid bank account is a great option. The account is 100% free to set up and maintain. When you factor in a free Debit Mastercard and free ATM withdrawals, it is definitely a good choice for your working holiday. For further details about why Vivid might be a good option for you, check out our Vivid review.
If you are also interested in doing lots of travel around the rest of Europe during your working holiday in Germany, then you may also benefit from getting a free borderless account with Wise, formerly TransferWise. Wise’s borderless account allows you to spend money in any currency at a market-leading exchange rate.
For further banking tips for Germany, see our banking page.
🧑💼 Find a job in Germany
One of the great benefits of the Working Holiday Visa is that it permits you to pick up work in Germany to help fund your stay. But you will still need to land a job – to get you started, we have put together some free job-hunting resources:
👍 Best board job boards in Germany
👍 Startup jobs, hospitality jobs and teaching jobs in Berlin