Looking for an eSIM in Taiwan? All three Taiwanese mobile operators, Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone, offer eSIM. Their tourist plans come with a local phone number, but you sign up in person with your passport and a second ID. A travel eSIM is simpler for most visits: you buy it online, install it before you fly and it connects when you land in Taipei or anywhere else in Taiwan. This guide covers each operator's eSIM, where to buy, and the travel eSIMs that work in Taiwan.
Just visiting? Our Taiwan eSIMs are data only, so you keep your home number for calls and texts. Here are three plans for three typical trip lengths.
Taiwan 5GB (7 days) · Taiwan 20GB (15 days) · Taiwan 50GB (30 days) · data only · See all Taiwan eSIMs · All destinations
eSIM providers in Taiwan at a glance
Taiwan has three main mobile operators. Apple lists Chunghwa Telecom, FarEasTone and Taiwan Mobile for eSIM on iPhone, and also lists them for prepaid plans for international travelers (Apple: carriers that offer eSIM service on iPhone). Here is how the options compare:
- Chunghwa Telecom: tourist prepaid plans as SIM or eSIM, bought at airport counters and service centers.
- Taiwan Mobile: tourist plans of 3, 5 or 7 days as SIM or eSIM, bought at the airport or in a store.
- FarEasTone: eSIM is set up in a store only, not online or in the app.
- Travel eSIMs: sold online by providers like SimOptions. Data only, no store visit, ready before you leave.
Chunghwa Telecom eSIM
Chunghwa Telecom is one of the three operators. Its tourist page lists prepaid SIM and eSIM products, with day plans that include unlimited mobile data and free use of CHT Wi-Fi hotspots (Chunghwa Telecom tourist SIM). According to Chunghwa Telecom:
- Plans: day plans from 3 to 30 days with unlimited domestic browsing, plus a few plans with a fixed amount of data (Chunghwa Telecom: tourist prepaid cards). Prices change, so check that page.
- Where to buy: service centers across Taiwan and counters at the four major airports. You apply in person and pay in cash, in New Taiwan dollars.
- ID: your passport or national ID plus one secondary document, for example a visa or an entry permit.
- Good to know: once activated, a plan can't be changed, canceled or refunded. Mobile data works within Taiwan only.
Taiwan Mobile eSIM
Taiwan Mobile sells tourist 4G/5G prepaid cards as a SIM or an eSIM (Taiwan Mobile: tourist card). According to Taiwan Mobile:
- Plans: 3, 5 or 7 days with unlimited data and some free call credit. Days run in 24-hour blocks from activation and can't be extended.
- Where to buy: at an airport counter, in a Taiwan Mobile store, or reserve online and pick it up in a store. You can pay in cash, by credit card, China UnionPay or Alipay.
- ID: foreign visitors show a passport plus a second ID such as a visa. All IDs must be originals.
FarEasTone eSIM
FarEasTone (遠傳, FET) says eSIM applications are only available in store. You can't apply online, in the FET app or by phone (FarEasTone: eSIM service). According to FarEasTone:
- Prepaid eSIM: visit a FarEasTone retail store. At the airport, its tourist page says you can choose a physical SIM or an eSIM on supported models (FarEasTone: tourist card).
- ID: two original IDs, such as a passport and a visa. You must be at least 18, your IDs need at least six months of validity left, and a first-time customer has a photo taken in store.
- Fee: the eSIM page lists a setup fee per application, waived during some promotions.
- iPhone: give the staff your phone's EID (dial *#06#). After the phone is on Wi-Fi, the eSIM download notification arrives automatically.
- Tourist plans: the validity runs for the number of days you buy and can't be extended or topped up.
Looking for the NT$999 plan from FarEasTone (999方案)? Its eSIM page doesn't mention it, so ask in store or check its current plan list.
Which phones work with a Taiwanese eSIM?
Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked. FarEasTone lists iPhone XR, XS, XS Max and later, plus models such as the Galaxy Z Flip, Pixel 4 and later, and Xiaomi 13 series and later, and says to confirm with the maker. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID number, your phone supports eSIM. More in our guide to checking eSIM compatibility and our list of eSIM devices.
Taiwan travel eSIM: data without a store visit
A travel eSIM is a data plan you buy online. You get a QR code by email, install it on Wi-Fi at home, and it connects when you arrive. Here is what the SimOptions Taiwan plans include, according to the plan details on our Taiwan eSIM page:
- Data and days: from 1 GB for 3 days to 60 GB for 90 days.
- Speed: 5G where the network has it, and 4G elsewhere.
- Data only: no Taiwanese number, no calls or SMS. You call and message with apps like WhatsApp, LINE or FaceTime. See how to make calls with a data-only eSIM.
- Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you arrive in Taiwan.
- No paperwork: no passport check and no queue at the airport.
- Top-ups: available if you run low on data.
- Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year of buying it, it becomes invalid.
- Coverage: Taiwan only. Our Asia plans don't include Taiwan, so if you also visit Japan or Hong Kong, add a Japan eSIM or a Hong Kong eSIM. See our guide to the best eSIM for Asia.
Need a Taiwanese number, for example for SMS codes from local apps? None of our number plans cover Taiwan. Get a tourist SIM or eSIM from one of the operators above instead.
Want help choosing a plan? Our best eSIM for Taiwan guide matches plans to trip length.
How to set up your Taiwan eSIM
- Check your phone. It must support eSIM and be unlocked.
- Buy your plan and wait for the QR code by email.
- Install it on Wi-Fi before you fly. Step by step for iPhone and Android: how to install an eSIM.
- Label the line "Taiwan" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
- When you land, make the travel eSIM your data line and turn on data roaming for it. Turn data roaming off on your home line.
No signal after you land? Go through our eSIM activation fixes.
Local eSIM or travel eSIM: which one is right for you?
An operator eSIM fits if
- You need a Taiwanese phone number for local apps or services.
- You live, work or study in Taiwan, or stay for a long time.
- You don't mind signing up in person with two IDs.
A travel eSIM fits if
- You're on a short trip and want data the moment you land.
- You'd rather skip the airport counter and the ID check.
- You want to keep your home number active at the same time. See how to set up a dual eSIM.
Planning the rest of your trip? Our Taiwan travel guide has more ideas.
FAQs
Which eSIM providers are there in Taiwan?
Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone are the three main operators, and Apple lists all three for eSIM on iPhone. Travel eSIMs, such as the SimOptions Taiwan plans, are sold online.
Which eSIM should I get for Taiwan?
If you're visiting, a travel eSIM is the simplest choice. You buy it online and install it before you leave. If you need a Taiwanese number, buy an operator tourist plan in person.
Where can I buy an eSIM in Taiwan?
Operators sell tourist plans at airport counters and in their stores, with eSIM available on supported phones. FarEasTone sets up eSIMs in store only. For a travel eSIM, buy online on our Taiwan eSIM page before you fly.
Does FarEasTone support eSIM?
Yes, but only in store. FarEasTone says you can't apply for an eSIM online, in its app or by phone, and you need two original IDs.
Can I get an eSIM for Taipei?
Yes. Our Taiwan plans cover the whole country, including Taipei, and activate automatically when you arrive.
Do I get a Taiwanese phone number with a travel eSIM?
No. The SimOptions Taiwan plans are data only. For a local number, get a tourist plan from Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile or FarEasTone.
Can I use one eSIM for Taiwan and Japan?
Not with our plans. The Taiwan plans work in Taiwan only, and our Asia plans don't include Taiwan, so you install a Taiwan eSIM and a Japan eSIM.
