Marriage to a Taiwanese Citizen

Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Taiwanese citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.

If you want to bring your Taiwanese spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for a visitor visa. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our visitor visa page (or eTA article, if your spouse is eligible).

 

Processing Time

If you file a Canadian sponsorship application for your Taiwanese spouse or partner, this application takes an average of 10-12 months.

A visitor visa application for your spouse or partner to visit you in Canada while the sponsorship applications are processing takes an average of 3 –14 days. (eTAs, available to those who are eligible, are approved instantaneously.)

Please see our pages on family sponsorship and Canadian visitor visa for more information on the processing times of these applications.

 

Taiwanese Marriage Basic Requirements

In order to marry a citizen of Taiwan, you must demonstrate to the Taiwanese government that you are eligible to do so. This includes:

• Certificate of no impediment for marriage (proof of being single and unmarried in home country)
• Proof of no criminal background
• Certificate of good health proving you are fit for marriage
• ID

For Canadians and other foreigners, The Household Registration Office requires the declaration of Chinese name adoption signed by the foreign spouse, documentation proving applicants’ marital status authenticated by the designated foreign embassy and translations of these documentations into Chinese.

Foreigners planning to marry in Taiwan are required to provide written proof from their home country that they are single and legally free to marry.

This document must then be authenticated by the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Taiwan authorities can accept a sworn statement of single status.

Couples who go to the District Court must also register the marriage at the HHR office in order for the marriage to be completed under Taiwan law.

The Notary Public can only issue a “Certificate of Notary Public,” and cannot issue a “Marriage Certificate.” The official date of the marriage under Taiwan law is the date that the couple registered it with the Household Registration Bureau, not the date of appearance at the District Court.

Requirements:

• Notarized statement of eligibility to marry
• Must be 18 years and above, those under 18 years must have parental consent
• Passports of both parties
• Fee of $8 or NTD 200

 

Costs of the Process

Government Fees

To learn about the costs of the sponsorship process, click here.

Other Fees – Disbursement Fees

Because the only language recognized in Taiwan is Mandarin, documents must all be translated into Mandarin to be included in an application. Documents are also sent to Taiwan.

 

List of Taiwanese Consulates in Canada

Click here

Currency of Taiwan

Taiwan’s (also known as The Republic of China) unit of currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$), which has five denominations in paper money and five in coins. Paper money comes in NT$2000, NT$1000, NT$500, NT$200, and NT$100 denominations. Coins are in NT$50, NT$20, NT$10, NT$5 and NT$1 denominations.

 

It has been in use since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar. Originally issued by the Bank of Taiwan, it has been issued by the Central Bank of the Republic of China since 2000 onwards.

All major foreign currencies can be exchanged at government-designated banks and hotels. Receipts are given when currency is exchanged, and must be presented in order to exchange unused NT dollars before departure from Taiwan.

Major credit cards such as American Express, Master Card, Visa, and Diners Club are widely accepted and traveller’s checks can be cashed at foreign-exchange banks, and most international tourist hotels.

 

Calling Taiwan from Canada

• The exit code for Canada is 011
• The country code for Taiwan is 886
• Dial 011 – 886 – area code – local number

Bade	3	Hualien	3	Tainan	6
Caotun	49	Hukou	3	Taipei	2
Changhua	4	Huwei	5	Taitung	89
Chaojhou	8	Kaohsiung	7	Taoyuan	3
Chiayi	5	Keelung	2	Tianzhong	4
Dalin	5	Lukang	4	Toufen	37
Daxi	3	Luodong	3	Xiluo	5
Donggang	8	Magong	6	Yangmei	3
Douliou	5	Miaoli	37	Yilan	3
Dounan	5	Nantou	49	Yongjing	4
Erlin	4	Pingtung	8	Yuanli	37
Jhubei	3	Pingzhen	3	Yuanlin	4
Jungli	3	Puli	49	Zhudong	3
Hemei	4	Su’ao	3	Zhunan	37
Hsinchu	3	Taichung	4	Zhushan	49

Calling Canada from Taiwan

• The international code is 00
• The country code for Canada is 1
• Dial 00 – 1 – area code – local number

Province	Code	Province	Code
Alberta	403 / 587 (southern Alberta) 587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta)	Nunavut	867
BC	236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC) 236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver)	Ontario	226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario) 249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario)
Manitoba	204 / 431	PEI	782 / 902
New  Brunswick	506	Quebec	418 / 581 (eastern Quebec) 438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec)
Newfoundland and Labrador	709	Saskatchewan	306 / 639
Northwest Territories	867	Yukon	867
Nova Scotia	782 / 902

Time Differences

Canadian Time Zone	# of Hours Taiwan is Ahead	# of Hours during DST
Pacific (BC, Yukon)	16 hours	15 hours
Mountain (Alberta, western Nunavut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan)	15 hours	14 hours
Saskatchewan	14 hours	14 hours
Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario)	14 hours	13 hours
Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec)	13 hours	12 hours
Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec)	12 hours	11 hours
Newfoundland	11.5 hours	10.5 hours

 

Emergency Information for Canadians in Taiwan

There is no embassy or consulate in Taiwan. However, a Canadian trade office provides some consular support:

Trade Mission of Canada in Taipei 6F, Hua-Hsin (Citibank building) No. 1 SongZhi Road, Xinyi District Taipei 11047 Taiwan Telephone: 886 (2) 8723-3000 Fax: 886 (2) 8723-3590 E-mail: [email protected] canada.org.tw

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The Canadian Government’s Travel Alerts for Taiwan

For travel alerts, click here

Taiwanese Marriage Customs

A traditional wedding in Taiwan must follow six procedures to be considered complete. These include an official proposal, the matching of the couple’s birthdates, the selection of an auspicious date for the wedding, the delivery of gifts, the confirmation of the wedding date and lastly the wedding ceremony.

But due to social changes and parents allowing children more freedom, Taiwan’s wedding customs have become simpler in recent years. Many western wedding elements have also been adopted to create an Asian/Western fusion in weddings.

Gold is a precious metal and in Taiwan it is a symbol of wealth and importance. Gold jewellery is crucial in traditional Taiwanese wedding customs. During the engagement, the betrothal gifts that the male sends the female must include a set of gold jewellery and use the exchange of the gold rings as an agreement to wed.

During the wedding, the bride wears all the jewellery the groom has given her. The huge amount of gold jewellery worn by the bride is seen as an indication that the bride married well. It also means that the bride is loved by the groom’s family.

According to Taiwanese custom, the gold jewellery given to the bride includes a necklace, two bracelets, a pair of earrings and a ring. The groom wears gold rings and necklaces.

 

Proposal

When a man wants to marry, he has to first seek approval from the female’s parents. He brings the matchmaker with him, and both parties discuss the details regarding the marriage and engagement date.

When proposing, apart from the groom, those present, including his parents and the matchmaker, there should be an odd-numbered total of people. Usually there are three or five people. The duration of the proposal must not extend past noon, and the groom’s family does not stay for lunch.

If the bride’s family accepts the proposal, a red paper detailing the bride’s birth date and time is prepared and handed to the groom’s family. It is the responsibility of the groom’s family to ask the fortune teller to select a date for the wedding. If the family of the bride disagrees with the date chosen, a different fortune teller can be chosen to select another wedding date.

Engagement

Engagement, in Taiwan is also known as “Wen Ding”, it is an act of wedding etiquette performed by the the couple before their wedding.

On this day, the groom’s family brings the betrothal gift to the bride’s home. The gifts contained are given following the sequence of the payment of the bride’s price, the betrothal gift, wedding cookies and lastly the gold jewellery. This act is a form of respect to the bride and implies that the bride been “reserved”.

In Taiwan, the degree of simplicity or complexity of customs, practices and standards of the betrothal gift are decided based on the requests of the bride’s family, whereas the wedding ceremony is determined by the groom’s family.

If the groom’s family prepares a valuable betrothal gift for the bride, the bride’s family is expected to prepare a suitable dowry in return.

The groom, accompanied by his parents, six or ten people (preferably even numbers), delivers the red wooden box containing the gift to the bride’s home.

After the groom arrives, the betrothal gifts are properly arranged, and the bride is led by the “lucky woman” from her bedroom to the living room.

The bride then serves tea to the groom’s friends and family, and retreats back into her bedroom. The groom’s guests place a red pocket in the teacup after the tea is finished. The bride comes out from her bedroom to collect the teacups, marking the end of the tea ceremony.

Afterwards, the bride’s party prepares a high chair and a short stool for her to sit and place her feet on. The ring ceremony begins with the groom standing on the right hand side of the bride. The engagement rings comprise of one gold ring and one copper ring. They are tied together with a red string, which symbolizes “two hearts as one”.

The groom places the ring on the bride’s right middle finger, while the bride places the ring on the groom’s left middle finger. The parents show their blessings by helping the couple don their gold necklaces.

After the ring ceremony, the bride’s party organizes the engagement banquet. Wedding cookies are distributed to all the guests at the same time, which allows everyone to experience the joy.

In northern Taiwan, friends and family of the bride are usually invited to the engagement banquet. The groom’s guests only occupy around one or two tables.

However, in southern Taiwan, the engagement banquet invites close family members. The bride has to wait three days after the wedding to hold the “Gui Ning” banquet, to which she invites all her friends and family.

The groom and guests who accompany him to the engagement ceremony must first leave the function when the fish course arrives. The meaning of this is that the groom will not ‘eat off’ the bride all the way till the end. The groom leaves behind a red envelope and must not bid farewell to his fiancé when he departs.

Gifts from the Groom

1. Wedding cookies.
2. Traditional wedding cookies.
3. Rice cookies.
4. Incense and Firecrackers.
5. Four-coloured sweets (Tangerine biscuit, winter melon lolly, crystal sugar, longan).
6. Betrothal gift box that includes the betrothal payment and gold jewellery that the mother-in-law prepares for the bride.
7. New clothes, socks, watch, leather bag, leather shoes and accessories for the bride.

 

Gifts from the Bride

According to custom, the bride’s family should not accept all the gifts, a portion must be returned to the groom’s side.

1. Modern and traditional wedding cookies, six or twelve boxes are returned to the groom’s side.
2. Incense and firecrackers, one packet each.
3. Four-coloured sweets, the bride’s family can only accept two longans, which must be consumed by the bride and this signifies that the groom will not lay eyes on other females.
4. Betrothal gift box containing gold jewellery for the groom.
5. A new suit, ties, socks, watch, wallet and leather shoes for the groom.

Preparing the House

Before the wedding, the groom’s family has to prepare a new home for the couple. Traditionally, the wardrobe and dressing table are supplied by the bride.

The word Taiwanese word that meanings “double happiness” is inscribed in red and attached to the door inside the house, mirrors and furniture. The wedding silk scroll is hung on the door and can only be removed four months after the wedding.

Wedding Bed Ceremony

In accordance with custom, the bed in which the couple will be sleeping in must be brand new and properly placed at a selected time.

This is known as the ‘Wedding Bed Ceremony’. After the ceremony, a male child born in the year of the dragon is rolled around on the bed.

This is a blessing to the couple and is meant to give them hope that they will soon give birth to children. Furthermore, it is believed that leaving one side of the bed empty is a curse of death on either side of the couple’s family. The couple is therefore not allowed to sleep in the bed until the night of their wedding.

Sisters’ Table

One day before the wedding, the bride is supposed to have dinner with her parents, brothers, sisters and other close family members. All those present are requested to speak words of blessings to the bride to be.

The Wedding Day

Before the groom leaves to pick up his bride, he must first worship the gods and his ancestors. An even number of bridal cars is preferred, two or six cars are preferred.

When the bridal car is close to the bride’s house, firecrackers are ignited to notify the bride’s arrival. A male child from the bride’s family is sent to welcome the groom with an apple. The groom then gives the child a red envelope in return for their courteousness before entering the bride’s home.

After entering the house, the groom and the bride offer incense and pray to their ancestors. The couple then bows to the bride’s parents to bid their farewell and thank the parents for their care and upbringing.

The father helps his daughter cover the bridal veil. The belief is that that the bride is protected by the bridal god. Hence, her head cannot be exposed to the sun, therefore, when the bride leaves the house, a senior member of the community must either use a bamboo sieve or black umbrella to cover the bride’s head while escorting her to the bridal car.

A whole bamboo stem uprooted with its leaves, a sugar cane and pork are hung from the top of the bridal car. This indicates that the bride is getting married, and the pork is specifically used to keep off evil spirits during the journey.

As the bride gets ready to leave, she throws a fan out from the car window to signify that all her bad habits are thrown away. At the same time, the bride’s parents splash water to represent a daughter as being water that has just been poured and no longer belongs to them any more.

Rice grains and white rice are scattered towards the bride to wish her success in marriage. When the bridal car arrives at the groom’s house, firecrackers are lit to celebrate. A child carrying two oranges welcomes the newlyweds. The bride has to touch the oranges and give the child a red envelope in return.

Before entering the groom’s house, the bride is supposed to step over a fire pan and walk through tiles to get rid of all evil.

The bride worships the gods and ancestors after entering the house and serves tea to the elders of the groom’s family. This procedure is performed to recognize the bride as a new member of the family.

Entering the Bridal Chamber

The newlywed couple sits on a bench, which has the groom’s trousers laid out on it. This represents two hearts as one. The groom lifts the bride’s veil and they drink wine from each other’s’ cups by crossing arms.

The couple also drinks sweet soup containing lotus, peanuts, longans and lotus seeds or sweet glutinous rice balls, which is a symbol of giving birth early.

Food for Weddings

Taiwan borrows heavily from Chinese culture which means that Chinese culture influences the diet and cuisine of Taiwan, including food typically served in a wedding.

Chinese food has special symbolism, mostly wishes of happiness, longevity, and fertility for the couple. The number of courses is also significant. At a Chinese wedding banquet, eight dishes are usually served excluding dessert.

Wedding banquet starts with appetizers such as “dragon-phoenix” various sliced meats, jellyfish, and different types of nuts shaped like dragons and phoenixes and served chilled.

Lobster in Chinese literally means “dragon shrimp” chicken feet are referred to as “phoenix feet”. In a marriage, the dragon symbolizes the male role while the phoenix symbolizes the female role.

Serving lobster and chicken at the dinner represents balance in the new relationship.

Shark Fin Soup

Soup usually follows the appetizers. The type of soup served should mean something, shark’s fin soup indicates wealth because it is a delicacy and is very expensive.

Roast Suckling Pig

Roasted pork is a symbol of virginity. The groom presents whole roasted pork to the bride’s family at the engagement party.

Peking Duck with Lobster

In Chinese culture, red is the color of happiness, serving Peking duck and lobster would signify joy and celebration. Serving the dish whole, with the head and legs, would symbolize completeness.

Squab or other poultry

Pigeon has tender meat and it symbolizes peace. Usually two pigeons are offered to wish the newlyweds peace as they start their new life together. Squab (pigeon) is similar to quail, so they both symbolize peace.

Quail is offered whole to each guest so that each and every one experiences a peaceful life. Serving fried chicken is to wish the couple to a good life.

Crab

Crab should be served whole and not just the claws, which is separated from its other parts.

Vegetables with Sea Cucumber

Serving sea cucumber with vegetables is a sign of selflessness because “sea cucumber” sounds like “”good heart” and this dish is to encourage the couple to think in a similar way and avoid conflict.

Fish

Serving fish is to wish the couple a life together with abundance because “fish”” sounds like “plentiful” in Chinese.

Noodles served at the end would symbolize longevity because noodles are long strands. When served, the longer the noodles are, the deeper the significance.

Red Bean Soup with Buns

Serving dessert wishes the newlyweds a sweet life. The hot sweet red bean soup should contain lotus seeds (lian zi) and a bark-like vegetable (bak hop) to wish the newlyweds many years of togetherness.

The sweet lotus paste in sweetened steamed bread symbolizes fertility. It is shaped and coloured to resemble peaches (ta zi), because peach represents long life.

At the end of the banquet, waiters usually pass out take out boxes to the guests because there is usually enough food for everyone and some left over, this represents abundance. It is acceptable to take some food home because Chinese culture states it is not good to waste good food.Offering tea is a sign of respect and it is also served in plenty.

 

Religion in Taiwan

Taiwan is a country of various religious beliefs. There are currently thirteen registered religions on the island practised by nearly half of the population of Taiwan.

These religions include Buddhism which is the most popular, Taoism, Catholics, Protestants, Hsuan-yuan Chiao, Islam, Li-ism, Tenrikyo, Baha’i, T’ienti Teachings, Tien Te Chiao, I-Kuan Tao, and Mahikarikyo.

Buddhism

Buddhism is the most prevalent national religion in Taiwan, and is practised by almost 4.9 million people. Buddhism originated from India and was introduced into Taiwan in the late 16th Century.

The more prevalent type of Buddhism in Taiwan today is the Mahayana (Great Wheel). Devotees of this religion chant mantras and sutras, and practice meditation in the many temples in Taiwan.

Bahai

The Baha’i faith was founded in Iran in 1844 by ‘Bab’.They believe that the family is the foundation of human society, and God sent messengers like Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed to fulfil his purpose.

In 1954, an Iranian missionary couple came and constituted Taiwan’s first Baha’i centre in Tainan. Now, the local headquarters is located in Taipei city.

 

Catholicism

Approximately 304,000 people in Taiwan belong to the Catholic faith. Christianity came to Taiwan in 1626 through the Spanish conquerors. A Catholic priest Father Martinez, together with four Dominican priests from Philippines begun on a mission to introduce the Catholic faith to the people.

Hsuan-Yuan Chiao

Hsuan-yuan Chiao was established by Wang Han-sheng in 1957. ‘Hsuan-yuan’ is the name of Huangti, the Yellow Emperor who unified China, while ‘Chiao’ means teachings or religion in Chinese. This religion was conceived because of Wang’s sorrow over the dispossession of the Chinese mainland to the Chinese communists.

I-Kuan Tao

I-Kuan Tao is a fairly new faith and also the third most popular religion in Taiwan. It tries to distinguish common principles underlying Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism. Worshippers believe that by unveiling the universal truths, the world can achieve peace and harmony.

Islam

Islam was introduced into China during the reign of Tai Tsung (627-649 AD). A massive migration of Muslims into China saw the adoption Muslim arts, sciences, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and military science into the Taiwanese culture.

Li-ism

Li-ism was founded by Yang Lai-ju in the 17th Century. Li-ism means ‘the doctrine of order’ and it upholds traditional Chinese morals and ethics.

It is a summary of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism while attempting to promote the worshipping of Kuanyin (Goddess of Mercy). Customs and practices of Li-ism are similar to that of Buddhism in terms of worship.

Mahikarikyo

Mahikarikyo is another Japanese religion founded by Yosikazu Okada in 1959. Mahikarikyo believes that anyone can attain healing powers by taking a three-day seminar on the Spiritual Art of Divine Light.

Followers believe that their teachings of the righteous law will bring happiness to all in the coming Holy Twenty-First Century.

Mahikarikyo was introduced to Taiwan in 1983, but was only registered by law in 1996.

Protestantism

Georgius Candidus of the Reformed Church of Holland was the first successful missionary to introduce Protestant church into Taiwan. In 1997, there were at least 65 Protestant groups, 2,700 Protestant churches, and 2,550 ministers in Taiwan.

Taoism

Taoism is the second most popular religion in Taiwan, followed by 4.5 million people. This religion evolved from the philosophy of Lao Tzu, who lived during the 6th Century BC. The key focus of the religion is the fulfillment of divinity. Taoists use incense for prayer and worships.

Tenrikyo

Tenrikyo, is a Japanese religion founded in 1838 by Miki Nakayam, who was a daughter of a peasant family.

It teaches people how to abide by God’s will by gaining control of their own destiny so they can lead a joyful life.

This religion was introduced in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation. Due to its similarity to Buddhism, it was accepted and developed in Taiwan. The Tenrikyo headquarters is located in the Yuanshuan area of Taipei.

Tienti

The Tienti teachings were founded by Lee Yu-Chieh in the mid-1980s. Tienti teachings focus on some of China’s oldest religious traditions and honour the Lord of Heaven (T’ienti), ruler of the universe.

The religion stresses the need for co-existence between the spiritual and material worlds. However, the absolute goal of Tienti teachings is a world of universal love regardless of race or belief.

Tien Te Chiao

Tien Te Chiao is a combination of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. The religion was formed in mainland China in 1923.

The founder, Hsiao Chang-Ming had the gift of healing, which attracted much attention. He inducted many principles in which followers were to adhere throughout their lives. Wang Ti-ching, a disciple of Hsiao in Kaohsiung, then spread Tien Te Chiao.

 

Romantic, Scenic and Historic Places in Taiwan

Changhua

This is the most beautiful location in Taiwan. It is surrounded by mountains to the north, south, and east. Towards the west Changhua faces the Taiwan Straits. The scenery makes it the most visited place in the country.

It is known for its numerous attractions.

 

Chih-Pen

Hot spring resorts are popular in Taiwan, this is an amazing place to have a honeymoon. One of the most popular Chih-pen attractions is the natural gushing hot water.

 

Chin Shan

Chin-shan provides a charming feeling as it is surrounded by scenic mountainous landscape and meandering rivers. The mountains are the perfect place for couples to enjoy outdoor activities on a honeymoon.

 

Hualian

The climate of Hualian is perfect for a holiday any time of around. There are scenic areas, adorned with palm trees and landscaped greenery all throughout the city. The views over the Pacific Ocean are especially spectacular at sunrise and sunsets.

 

Jui-Sui

This place is a popular destination for the adventure lovers who love water rafting. The travellers can pay an offering of Chingtao beer or a few betel nuts to The Great god of white water that is believed to bring good luck to the revellers.

 

Nan-Tou

Tourist Attractions in Nan-t’ou are many, any couple looking for a holiday destination for a honeymoon should consider this place.

There are many historical buildings, beautiful and well-maintained parks and other sightseeing attractions in the region.

 

Pa-Li

This is the place where the river Tanshui meets the sea. There are plenty of mangrove forests in thE region.

Good food is available since the restaurants serve a variety of international cuisines. Various handicraft items are available in the shops in Pa-li to take home as souvenirs.

 

Pu-Li

Couples can take a long and relaxing walk along the Li Yu Lake. It is a wonderful place to walk along the waterside and drink coffee at the lakeshore. There are some great local wines to sample as well.

 

Bringing Goods with You to Taiwan

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How to Sponsor Your Taiwanese Spouse to Canada

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Sponsorship Review

Immigroup will review your completed spousal sponsorship application.. Immigroup will make sure you have not made any mistakes on your application or in gathering the documentation of your relationship. We will assess your sponsorship letter and give you peace of mind that you are submitting an application with a very good chance of success. Don’t lose sleep at night worrying about whether you’ve done enough. Call us at 1-866-760-2623 for a review.