Taiwan opens to visa-free travel to US, Canada, Australia, NZ, and allies | Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —Taiwan on Monday (Sept. 12) restored visa-free treatment for visitors from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and diplomatic allies, partially ending a travel ban that had been in place since the early stages of the pandemic on March 19, 2020.

On Sept. 5, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that visa-free entry to Taiwan for visitors from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and countries that have diplomatic relations will be resumed on Sept. 12. However, quarantine regulations and on-arrival testing will stay in place and the quota on arrivals will be limited to 50,000 inbound passengers per week.

Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) Director-General Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) said that visa-free visitors from the countries and regions mentioned can engage in business, exhibitions, fact-finding missions, international exchanges, sightseeing, family visits, and social visits without the need to apply for a permit. If they wish to engage in other activities, it is necessary to obtain prior permission from a central governmental agency that oversees such activities.

If visitors wish to stay in Taiwan for a length of time longer than the standard visa-free period or engage in activities such as proselytizing or delivering Dharma sermons that require a qualification review, they must apply for a special entry permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance.

BOCA on Sept. 6 issued the complete list of countries eligible for the visa exemption program with a duration of stay of up to 90 days:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Swaziland*, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras*, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia , Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Island*, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia*(effective till March 31, 2025), Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu*, the United Kingdom, the United States of America*, and the Vatican City State.

Nationals from these four diplomatic allies of Taiwan are eligible for the visa exemption program with a duration of stay of up to 90 days:

Belize*, Nauru, St. Kitts and Nevis*, Saint Lucia*, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Excluded countries

However, the following countries have been “temporarily suspended” from the visa exemption program, meaning that citizens of these countries cannot yet receive visa-free entry to Taiwan:

Chile, Dominican Republic, Israel, Japan*, Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand*, Brunei*, Philippines*, Russia*

*Please visit BOCA’s Visa-Exempt Entry webpage for more information on eligibility.