New feature at convenience stores makes paying taxes easier in Taiwan

便利商店的新服務使在台灣繳稅更方便

Public invited to use convenience store kiosks to make payments, get tax return info


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s tax authorities have joined hands with the country's four major convenience store chains to launch a new feature that makes tax payment more convenient.

Both Taiwanese nationals and foreign residents can now use the kiosks at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, OK Mart, and Hi-Life to access a code to inquire about their Individual Income Tax information. A registered National Health Insurance Card or Citizen Digital Certificate is required to sign into the system to download the code.

People with tax arrears of no more than NT$20,000 (US$669) can pay at the convenience stores with a printout from the kiosks. Those with amounts exceeding NT$20,000 will need to use their code to access the online taxation system for payment, wrote China Times.

The service launched on Tuesday (April 28) and is available until June 30. 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are offering preferential deals, including product discounts and prize draws, to encourage customers to use the service.

The new feature allows Taiwan residents to pay taxes without a card reader, which has been a source of complaints to taxation authorities, wrote TechNews. To avoid the increased risk of infection amid the coronavirus pandemic, members of the public are advised to use either the convenience store kiosks or online taxation system rather than visiting taxation bureaus.