TAIPEI, 3 September 2019: Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed, Monday, that visa-free privileges would be reviewed every three years starting 1 August 2020.
At present, reviews of the visa-free policy for tourists from Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines and Russia are conducted annually at the end of July.
After the next review sessions, due 31 July 2020, Taiwan will extend the visa-free privilege for three years between assessments.
Taiwan extended the 14-day visa-free entry privilege for citizens from Thailand and Brunei in August 2016, as part of its New Southbound Policy aimed at boosting exchanges with southern neighbours.
The same privilege was then extended to the Philippines in November 2017 and to Russia in September 2018.
Extensions followed when annual assessments showed a low crime incidence rate for citizens from the four countries. In the case of Russian tourists, the visa-free stay was extended from 14 days to 21 days last July.
According to a Focus-News Channel report, Taiwan’s MOFA decided not to include Indonesia and Vietnam in the visa-free programme “for border management and national security reasons.”
Instead, it eased visa regulations to
encourage travel from Indonesia and Vietnam.
(Source: Central News Agency Taiwan)
I think it is time for Taiwan to consider it’s visa regulations for Indonesian and Vietnamese passport holders.