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Booking a U.S. Visa Appointment in Taiwan
Applicants in Taiwan book through USTravelDocs, and the interview is not at an embassy or a consulate. It is at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which performs consular functions in the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
Nothing can be booked until the DS-160 is submitted and the visa fee has activated. The general sequence is on how to book a U.S. visa appointment; the Chinese-language version of this guide is at 美國簽證面談預約.
We read the Taiwan USTravelDocs pages on 17 September 2026.
The most generous bag allowance we have found
Most posts admit a bag you can hold in one hand. AIT publishes a size, and it is large:
Any bags, backpacks, briefcases, suitcases, leather bags, cloth bags, or shoulder bags larger than 18 × 14 × 8 inches [are prohibited]
For comparison, Japan's limit is 10 × 10 inches and Hong Kong's is 12 × 10 × 3. An ordinary daypack fits inside AIT's allowance and would be refused at either of the others. Do not carry this number to another country.
Phones and smartwatches can be stored; laptops cannot
AIT splits electronics into two tiers, which is the practical distinction to get right:
- Small personal electronic devices — cell phones and smart watches — are not allowed in the consular waiting room but CAN be stored at AIT during your appointment. Also in this group: pagers, portable music players, handheld game players, USB drives, cassettes and CDs, headphones and other listening devices.
- Large ones — laptops, tablets, cameras, video recorders — are prohibited and cannot be stored at all. Those must be left elsewhere before you arrive.
Hearing aids are explicitly permitted. Where the list bans "headphones or other listening devices", it carves out hearing aids by name.
Remote controls are named as prohibited, which is unusual enough to mention.
Bottled water is refused
Food items, including bottled water (baby formula/food may be excepted)
Named explicitly, as in Egypt. Baby formula and baby food may be excepted. Cigarettes including electronic cigarettes, cigars, matches and lighters are prohibited, as are sealed packages, weapons and sharp objects.
The list is explicitly not exhaustive, and the consequence is stated:
AIT cannot store prohibited items for you… Failure to follow these guidelines may result in significant delays or cancellation of your appointment.
No walk-ins
There is no information window for walk-in visitors at AIT. Only applicants with scheduled appointments are admitted.
Why no slots appear
- The fee has not activated. Check the method you used on the Taiwan fee guide.
- There is genuinely no availability. AIT is the interview location for Taiwan.
- You created a profile on AIS instead of USTravelDocs. It will never show Taiwanese appointments — see which appointment site is yours.
- The DS-160 was saved but never submitted, so no confirmation number exists.
Frequently asked questions
Is the interview at a U.S. consulate in Taiwan?
No. It is at the American Institute in Taiwan, which carries out consular functions there.
How big a bag can I bring to AIT?
Up to 18 × 14 × 8 inches. That is considerably more generous than Japan's 10 × 10 or Hong Kong's 12 × 10 × 3 — the allowance is AIT's alone.
Can I bring my phone?
It cannot go into the consular waiting room, but AIT can store it during your appointment, along with a smart watch. Laptops, tablets and cameras cannot be stored.
Can I bring water?
No. Food items including bottled water are prohibited, though baby formula and baby food may be excepted.
Are hearing aids allowed?
Yes. They are carved out by name from the ban on listening devices.
What happens if I arrive with a prohibited item?
AIT cannot store it, and the published consequence is significant delays or cancellation of your appointment.
Official sources
- USTravelDocs Taiwan — interview and security pages, read 17 September 2026
- American Institute in Taiwan