Registration of Foreign Representative Office in Taiwan
| Q: | May a representative office engage in business activities? |
| A: |
No. it is limited to non-profit activities such as liaison, market research, providing quotations, negotiating, bidding, and procurement. It may not directly engage in commercial acts such as the sale of goods or services. |
| Q: | Is a representative office required to file taxes? |
| A: |
Since a representative office does not engage in profit-making activities, it is not required to file income tax. However, it must submit withholding tax filings each January. |
| Q: | Is a bank account required for a representative office? |
| A: |
Since the registration of a representative office does not involve a capital verification process, a bank account is not mandatory. One may open an account with a bank as needed. |
| Q: | Can the head of a foreign representative office apply for a work permit? |
| A: |
Yes. They may apply as long as they meet the requirements published by the Ministry of Labor and the National Immigration Agency. |
| Q: | How can one verify if a representative office name is already registered? |
| A: |
A representative office is not required to conduct a company name reservation, so verifying registration of the name is unnecessary. |

