What Happens When Your Taiwan Compatriot Permit Expires? Renewal, Replacement and Fees

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What Happens When Your Taiwan Compatriot Permit Expires? Renewal, Replacement and Fees

An expired Taiwan Compatriot Permit can be renewed no matter how long it has lapsed, and the process is the same as a first application. What deserves your attention is not the renewal itself — it is what breaks while the permit is expired, and what you still have to do once the new one arrives.

Permit agencies usually stop explaining at "how to get the new card issued". At LyrikTrip we plan mainland trips, and the travellers we most often meet are the ones who renewed and then discovered their accounts were still frozen — so this guide covers both ends.

Key takeaways

- Renewal is possible however long the permit has been expired, using a passport, national ID card and a two-inch photo. - ⚠️ While expired, mainland bank accounts can be restricted. Users widely report that mainland banks auto-check document validity regardless of whether you are in Taiwan or on the mainland. - Alipay, WeChat Pay and 12306 rail bookings are affected too, because they all hang off the permit's real-name verification. - A new permit does not restore things automatically — the last two digits of the permit number represent the issue count and change on renewal, so banks and platforms have to be updated separately. - Old-permit return rule: an expired permit need not be surrendered; one renewed before expiry must be. - ⚠️ Renewal does not count as first-timer status, so neither the fee waiver nor the nationwide admission waiver applies.

Can you still use an expired permit, and what breaks?

No, and the blast radius is wider than most people expect. The permit is not only a border document — it is your real-name identity credential on the mainland, and a lot of services are tied to it.

Mainland bank accounts can be restricted

This is the most easily overlooked consequence and the most troublesome. Users widely report that mainland banking systems automatically check the validity of a customer's identity document, regardless of where the holder happens to be. Once the permit lapses, some or all account functions may be restricted.

That is also why so many people search for "[bank name] Taiwan Compatriot Permit expired" — China Construction Bank, China Merchants Bank, ICBC, ABC, Ping An, SPD Bank, Bank of Xiamen, Fubon Huayi. It is not one bank's rule; it appears to be a shared mechanism.

⚠️ Note the evidence level: this section rests on multiple user reports from forums and social platforms, not on published bank policy. Follow your account-holding branch's guidance.

Alipay, WeChat Pay and 12306

- Alipay and WeChat Pay: both the real-name verification and the linked bank cards hinge on the permit. If the permit lapses or the bank account is restricted, payments can fail. - 12306 rail bookings: an expired document causes booking or collection failures. - E-commerce and hotel platforms: transactions may fail when real-name details don't match.

In short, once the permit expires, most of your mainland "digital life" stalls — even if you are nowhere near the mainland.

Is there a time limit on renewing?

No — an expired permit can be renewed at any point, however long ago it lapsed. There is no rule that a long-expired permit forces you to start over; the process mirrors a first application.

This is worth stating plainly, because people who have not visited the mainland in a decade or more often assume they must begin from scratch. In practice, you simply prepare the documents and submit.

What documents does renewal need?

Three core items: a passport valid for at least six months, your national ID card, and one two-inch white-background colour photo taken within the last six months.

- Original passport (six months' validity; verified and returned) - National ID card, original or copy (verified and returned) - One two-inch white-background colour photo (taken within six months; specifications are strictly enforced) - The old permit (see the return rule below)

Additional items in special cases:

- Under 16: a guardian's ID card - Under 14 without an ID card: a copy of the household registration booklet with full remarks, or a household registration transcript issued within three months - Name change, ID-number change, or twin status: a household registration copy or transcript issued within three months, with the remarks column intact

Does the old permit have to be surrendered?

Few guides state this clearly, but it decides whether you need to dig the old card out before you leave the house:

Fees and working days for renewal, loss and damage

Standard renewal runs about NT$1,500 over seven working days; a lost-permit replacement about NT$2,600. Pricing varies by agency and service tier — the ranges below were checked in August 2026, and each agency's published rates govern.

Three things push the real issue date later: document supplements, mainland system issues, and extended review. Express fees are not refunded when this happens. Same-day and next-day applications usually have to be submitted before 11:00.

The practical advice is the same as for a first application: book flights after the permit is issued.

What if the permit is lost?

Establish two things first: whether the permit was still valid, and whether you are in Taiwan or on the mainland. Those two variables lead to completely different procedures.

Lost in Taiwan

- Old permit still valid → file a police report first, then apply for a replacement through an agency with the original report - Old permit already expired → no police report needed; a written statement of loss is enough

The difference exists because a valid lost document carries impersonation risk, while an expired one does not.

Lost on the mainland

Apply for a replacement at the local exit-entry administration.

🔴 While you are on the mainland, mailing the permit back to Taiwan for renewal or replacement is prohibited. Multiple agencies flag this consistently.

Damaged permits

You must bring the damaged original; a written statement is not sufficient.

What does the permit number mean? The last two digits matter

The permit number is ten digits: the first eight are a personal number that never changes, and the last two are a version number representing the issue count.

``` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | 0 1 └── never changes ──┘ └ issue count ```

That single rule answers three questions:

One — you can check your own first-timer status. First-timer eligibility is defined by an issue count of "01" — meaning the last two digits are `01`. Pull out the card and you can verify it on the spot, without asking an agency.

Two — the number changes on renewal. The last two digits increment (02, 03…). That is precisely why every account tied to the permit needs updating — the system matches the full number, and yours is now different.

Three — there may be an input trap when re-verifying. Some users report that entering the full ten digits fails during re-verification while entering the first eight succeeds. If verification stalls, that is worth trying.

⚠️ This section rests on user explanations from community forums, not official documentation. You can, however, verify it against your own card.

⚠️ After renewal, you are no longer a "first-timer"

Renewals, replacements and lost-permit reissues never qualify as first-timer applications. Under the exit-entry administration's policy interpretation, first-timer status means a first-ever application for a Taiwan Compatriot Permit — covering both the five-year and single-entry types — and a renewal means you already have a permit record.

No agency's policy page states this outright, but it changes your trip budget directly. To work out which category you fall into, see the eligibility test in our Taiwan Compatriot Permit guide.

Once the new permit arrives, update these

A new card does not mean everything works again. The last two digits have changed, and each of the following needs your attention:

The bank visit is the time-consuming one. If you have opened a mainland account, put the branch visit on day one of your next trip rather than discovering the problem when you need to pay for something.

Frequently asked questions

My permit expired years ago — can I still renew it? Yes. There is no time limit; renewal is available however long the permit has lapsed, and the process mirrors a first application. Prepare your passport, national ID card and a two-inch photo, then submit.

What happens to my mainland bank account when the permit expires? Users widely report that account transaction functions get restricted, because banking systems auto-check document validity regardless of where you are. Follow your account-holding branch's guidance; after renewal most banks require an in-branch update.

How much more does a lost-permit replacement cost? Standard renewal is about NT$1,500 and a lost-permit replacement about NT$2,600, both over seven working days. Express versions run about NT$2,400 and NT$3,400 over four working days. Agency pricing varies.

Do I have to hand in my old permit? It depends on validity. An expired permit does not need to be surrendered — bring it for cancellation if convenient. A permit being renewed before expiry does have to be surrendered. Check before you set out.

My permit expires while I'm on the mainland — what then? Apply at the local exit-entry administration. Note in particular that mailing the permit back to Taiwan while you are on the mainland is prohibited, a point multiple agencies flag consistently.

Am I still a first-timer after renewing? No. First-timer status means a first-ever application for a Taiwan Compatriot Permit, covering both the five-year and single-entry types. Renewals, replacements and reissues are all excluded. Check the last two digits of your permit number: only `01` is a first issue.

Conclusion

Three things are worth remembering about an expired Taiwan Compatriot Permit: it can be renewed however long it has lapsed, your mainland accounts are probably frozen while it is expired, and renewing is not the last step.

If you are returning after a decade or more away, renewal is only the beginning. Check the last two digits of your permit number first — that determines whether the first-timer benefits are available to you, and how your first trip back should be planned.

For eligibility and the benefits, see our Taiwan Compatriot Permit guide; if you are starting to travel the mainland again, Xiamen has the lowest barrier and Tibet the highest return.

Fees and requirements may change; each agency's announcements and the reviewing authority's decision govern.