(FWA 2026/7/10)The Taichung Branch of the National Taxation Bureau of the Central Area, Ministry of Finance, stated on the 10th that for the 2025 Alien Individual Income Tax Refund settlement declarations, the first batch of tax refunds for those who opted for a “deposit account tax refund” will be transferred to the taxpayer’s designated account on August 3, 2026.
The branch explained that the Alien Individual Income Tax refund can be processed via direct transfer. Taxpayers only need to fill in their deposit account details when filing, and the National Taxation Bureau will directly transfer the tax refund into the designated deposit account.
If the refund cannot be transferred to the designated account for any reason, a national treasury tax refund check will be issued, and the taxpayer will be notified to collect it. For those who did not opt for direct transfer, a national treasury check will be mailed to the taxpayer, who must then cash it at a financial institution.
The branch noted that there are two batches for the direct transfer of the Alien Individual Income Tax Refund: the first batch on August 3, 2026, and the second batch on September 11, 2026. Foreign nationals who opted for deposit account refunds but do not receive the transfer on August 3 or September 11, 2026, can contact the National Taxation Bureau of their residence at the time of declaration (based on the residential address on their Alien Resident Certificate or Entry/Exit Permit).
Those whose residential address is in Taipei City or Kaohsiung City should contact the head office of the Taipei National Taxation Bureau or Kaohsiung National Taxation Bureau. Those living in other counties and cities should inquire at the respective branch, collection office, or service office of the National Taxation Bureau in their area.
In addition to the tax refund schedule announced by the National Taxation Bureau, the Foreign Workers Agency (FWA) has compiled relevant information regarding Taiwan tax refunds for readers’ reference.
1. Does everyone get a refund? What are the qualifications?
Not all tax filers will receive a refund.
Generally, you qualify for a tax refund only if your “withheld tax” plus “deductible tax credits” exceeds your “tax payable.” For example, if you have a high salary or a large year-end bonus resulting in advance tax withholding, or if you have higher deductible expenses such as significant investments or property purchases, or if you actually overpaid your taxes, you might get a refund.
Moreover, you must complete your Individual Income Tax return within the stipulated deadline. In principle, if you have a refund, it will be displayed in the system. The refund will only be issued after your filing is verified and approved by the National Taxation Bureau (NTB).
Therefore, not everyone will get a refund. In reality, a refund means you might have pre-paid or overpaid your taxes, and you will only get it back if you meet the qualifications. If you haven’t had taxes withheld or paid any taxes, there will be no refund.
2. I received a text message notifying me of a tax refund. Is it real? How can I verify it?
This is highly likely a scam, please absolutely do not click on any links or provide personal data! Scam tactics are constantly evolving, so please pay special attention to the following details:
The National Taxation Bureau (NTB) states that it will NEVER:
Proactively notify you of a tax refund via text message, email, social media, or phone calls.
Ask you to go to an ATM or use online banking to perform related operations.
If there is a tax refund check, it will be delivered via double-registered mail with a notification to collect it. If the mail is unclaimed and overdue, the post office will not proactively notify the taxpayer by phone.
In fact, simply by entering the relevant information on the National Taxation Bureau’s website, you can quickly find out if you have a tax refund. You can go to the “Alien Tax Refund Inquiry” section of the Ministry of Finance’s eTax Portal for online inquiry. Depending on the National Taxation Bureau of your filing location, please choose the corresponding URL:
Taipei National Taxation Bureau: https://www.etax.nat.gov.tw/etwmain/etw142w1/a05
National Taxation Bureau of the Northern Area: https://www.etax.nat.gov.tw/etwmain/etw142w1/h01
National Taxation Bureau of the Central Area: https://www.etax.nat.gov.tw/etwmain/etw142w1/b01
National Taxation Bureau of the Southern Area: https://www.etax.nat.gov.tw/etwmain/etw142w1/d01
Kaohsiung National Taxation Bureau: https://www.etax.nat.gov.tw/etwmain/etw142w1/e01
Information needed for inquiry:
Inquiry Year (Gregorian year)
UI No. (Alien Resident Certificate Number)
Date of Birth (Gregorian Year/Month/Day)
The above is written based on relevant information from the National Taxation Bureau and is for reference only. For specific tax refund issues, please refer to official regulations. If you have detailed questions, please contact the foreign national service hotline of each National Taxation Bureau: contact list, or visit the local National Taxation Bureau in person for over-the-counter consultation.
