TAIWAN’S Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a one-year extension of its trial visa-free privilege for four countries including the Philippines.
The decision was reached after the MOFA convened a meeting with other related government agencies on visa measures for nationals from New Southbound Policy partner countries—the Philippines, Thailand and Brunei—and Russia.
The agencies participating in the meeting, having evaluated the status and outcomes of the measures so far, jointly made these decisions:
1. From August 1, 2020, trial visa-free entry for nationals from Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei and Russia will be extended for one year until July 31, 2021.
2. The Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian Countries will continue for another year, lasting until December 31, 2021.
3. From August 1, 2020, those applying for conditional visa-free entry who hold visas for Japan or South Korea must present a record of entry into one of these countries.
In line with epidemic prevention measures taken by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), MOFA has announced entry regulations for foreign nationals during the epidemic. These adjustments to visa measures for nationals from New Southbound Policy partner countries and Russia are based on previously existing policies and do not take precedence over temporary border control measures put in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether restrictions on foreign nationals (other than the exempted groups listed above) coming to Taiwan for tourism purposes will be relaxed depends on the CECC’s assessment of the worldwide development of the Covid-19 pandemic, said Taipei’s announcement.
Since the visa measures were first implemented, the number of visitors from related countries has risen steadily. According to statistics from Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency, the number of nationals from Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei and Russia visiting Taiwan under these measures in 2019 increased by 34.49, 100.37, 41.32 and 407.55 percent respectively, indicating that the measures have had a considerable effect in attracting foreign travelers.
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