How to apply for an exhibition subsidy: the 2026 overseas-exhibition subsidy offers up to NT$160,000 per exhibition and covers up to 90%

Short answer: The exhibition subsidy is NT$120,000 for one booth, plus NT$10,000 for each additional booth, capped at NT$160,000 per exhibition, and covers up to 90% ¹. Payment is only released after post-exhibition reimbursement, which is also where applications most often get stuck.

Scenario: a food manufacturer receives a trade-show invitation in October for next spring

You make seasonings, with both mass-retail and foodservice channels in Taiwan, and want to find importers in Southeast Asia. At the beginning of October, a recruitment email for a Thai food show arrives, with the opening date in May next year. You ask the only salesperson at the company who has exhibited abroad: “Is there a subsidy?” He says there is, perhaps more than NT$100,000, but he did not apply last year because “the reimbursement is troublesome.”

You do the math: one amount for booth rent, one for fit-out, one to ship samples there, one for catalogs, plus flights and accommodation for two people. If there really is a subsidy of more than NT$100,000, it almost covers the booth fee. But if, as the salesperson says, reimbursement gets stuck and the payment never arrives, you have done a lot of paperwork for nothing.

You need to know three things: whether you can apply now, which expenses are eligible, and when the money comes back. We will cover them in that order.

Start with three numbers

NT$160,000. This is the subsidy cap for one exhibition. The structure is NT$120,000 for one booth, plus NT$10,000 for each additional booth, capped at NT$160,000 ¹. So if you take five booths, you still receive NT$160,000 because the cap applies.

90%. This is the ceiling on the subsidy ratio. The formula is “eligible expense amount × 90%,” so the company must fund at least 10%. Actual spending is the basis: if venue rent is NT$100,000, the subsidy is NT$90,000. Not every company receives the cap.

10–11 (October–November) and 4–5 (April–May). The Trade Administration accepts applications twice each year: October–November for exhibitions in the first half of the following year, and April–May for exhibitions in the second half of the current year ¹. The May exhibition in the scenario is therefore within the application window now. One more reminder: funding ends when the budget is exhausted. Even if you meet every condition, you may not receive it once the budget is used up.

The limits are higher in this round because the 2026 exhibition subsidy is financed through a special budget responding to international developments, intended to help businesses diversify markets in response to U.S. tariff measures ². Whether the same limits will remain in later years depends on the Trade Administration’s announcement for that period; we will not predict it for the authority.

Who should apply in this round

Three types of brands are most likely to benefit:

• First-time exporters in food, consumer goods, or electronic components. For you, booth rent is the largest fixed cost, and the subsidy directly addresses that expense.
• Manufacturers whose U.S.-export revenue has fallen over the past one or two years. The policy purpose is to help you develop new markets in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East ². Startups and New Southbound agricultural businesses have separate eligibility relaxations ¹.
• Brands that already have overseas agents but want direct contact with end buyers. Exhibitions are one of the few opportunities to speak directly with buyers instead of going through an agent.

Conversely, two groups should not apply just yet:

• Teams whose product packaging and SKUs are not yet stable. An exhibition requires samples, catalogs, and a sales script. If the product differs from one week to the next, taking a subsidy to a show will only harm the first impression.
• Sales leaders who have never exhibited abroad. A show does not produce orders simply by laying out catalogs. If you have not rehearsed exhibition-floor messaging, scheduled buyer meetings, or set up a follow-up process, attending will not help. Visit the exhibition in this round and apply in the next one; that is not slower.

Three points most likely to prevent payment

The “reimbursement is troublesome” point from the salesperson in the scenario comes down to these three things:

1. Payment is released only after post-exhibition reimbursement, not when the subsidy is approved. The sequence is: pre-exhibition application → review and allocation of the approved amount (the amount is reserved) → exhibition attendance → submit supporting documents for reimbursement within 1 month after the exhibition → payment after review approval ³. You must advance the money first and receive it back after the exhibition. If cash flow is tight, calculate this with your accountant in advance.

2. The Taiwan Excellence mark must be displayed prominently at the booth, at A3 size or above. When seeking reimbursement, you must submit complete color photos and video of the booth taken during the exhibition ³. If you forget to display it, make it too small, or the photos do not show it, the entire subsidy may have to be returned.

3. Not every expense is eligible. Six items are eligible: venue rent (mandatory), venue set-up costs, interpretation fees (capped at NT$14,000 per day; the interpreter must not be an exhibitor and must provide a declaration), exhibit-shipping costs (only to overseas destinations), printing for catalogs, brochures, and business cards, and promotional advertising costs. Travel expenses such as flights, accommodation, and employee salaries are not eligible ³. Do not include flights and accommodation for the two people in the scenario in the subsidy calculation from the start.

There are several other details. Printed materials must be provided as physical items or photo samples, and promotional advertising must include photos of the materials (purely digital placements require screenshots). Each is checked individually at the reimbursement stage.

How to apply for the exhibition subsidy: five steps from invitation to reimbursement

Assume this is your first application. Start from the invitation email:

1. Decide which exhibition to attend. Assess the show’s B2B character, buyer mix, and whether the Taiwan delegation is well organized. The Trade Administration announces a list of overseas exhibitions it particularly supports each year; choosing from that list is more reliable ¹.
2. Prepare the application documents: company basic information, exhibition information, and a budget. The budget is crucial: state the amount, vendor, and schedule for every expense clearly. If it is too vague, it will be returned for supplementary documents.
3. Submit online ⁴. The system will give you a case number; use it in every later communication.
4. Handle the pre-exhibition work after receiving the allocation: exhibit shipping (this is when international logistics must be booked), recruiting an interpreter, proofing printed materials, and contracting the booth set-up. The preparation period is compressed, and problems are most likely on opening day.
5. Submit reimbursement within 1 month after the exhibition. Put together all original documents, invoices, booth photos, logo photos, interpreter declarations, and printed-material samples. The most common problem is not missing documents but a vendor name on an invoice that does not match the budget, or a document missing the company stamp.

What LUFÉ can and cannot help with here

Your company must submit the application itself; that is the rule, and we are not an application agent. We can help you assess which exhibition suits your product and target market (choosing the wrong exhibition cannot be fixed by a NT$160,000 subsidy); organize market analysis and an execution plan in a format usable for the budget and proposal; and help with exhibit export clearance and tax refunds, which Jumping Freight already handles.

Frequently asked questions

Will I receive the money once my application is approved? No. You submit for reimbursement within 1 month after the exhibition, and payment is released only after review approval ³. You advance the funds first and receive them back after the exhibition, so calculate the cash flow with your accountant in advance.

Can I claim flights, accommodation, and employee salaries? No. Only six items are eligible: venue rent (mandatory), venue set-up costs, interpretation fees (capped at NT$14,000 per day), exhibit-shipping costs (only to overseas destinations), printing for catalogs, brochures, and business cards, and promotional advertising costs. Travel expenses are not eligible.

When can I apply for the overseas-exhibition subsidy? Applications are accepted twice each year: October–November for exhibitions in the first half of the following year, and April–May for exhibitions in the second half of the current year ¹. Funding ends when the budget is exhausted; it is not first come, first served, but unavailable once it is used up.

One small next step

The subsidy is a means, not the goal. If you already plan to attend this exhibition, list the six budget items now and message us (LINE or email). We can tell you which items will be queried during reimbursement. If you are thinking, “I will only go because there is a subsidy,” ask yourself first: are the show’s buyers the people you need? If not, the wrong exhibition loses money even if you receive the full subsidy.

Last verified: October 1, 2026. Subsidy amounts and application periods are subject to the Trade Administration’s announcement for the relevant period.