Taiwan extends visa waiver for Bruneian, Philippine, Russian, Thai passport holders

2020/07/27

Effective Aug. 1, the trial program offering passport holders from Brunei, the Philippines, Russia and Thailand visa-free entry to Taiwan for up to 14 days will be extended for another year through July 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said July 23.
 
 At the same time, the Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists, which took effect in 2015 and applies to visitors on organized tours from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, will also continue for another year until Dec. 31, 2021.
 
 Under the Online Application for ROC (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate for Nationals from Southeast Asian Countries Project, qualified individuals holding visas to Japan and South Korea who apply for conditional visa-free entry to Taiwan must present a record of entry into one of the two countries, the MOFA said.
 
 The ministry also said the adjustments do not take precedence over temporary border control measures put in place by the Central Epidemic Command Center in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
 According to the ministry, the projects have yielded positive results since their introduction as part of the government’s New Southbound Policy. Statistics from the National Immigration Agency show 2019 arrivals from Brunei, the Philippines, Russia and Thailand respectively increased 41.32 percent, 100.37 percent, 407.55 percent and 34.49 percent year on year.

 A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP is enhancing Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)