TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The visa waiver for visitors from Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines will be extended by one year until July 31, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Friday (June 30).
The measure was launched under the government’s New Southbound Policy framework, but was to have ended Aug. 1. Government departments called a meeting in late April to discuss the visa waiver programs.
The meeting concluded that with the campaign to revive tourism in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the measures should be extended by one year. Taiwan is hoping to attract 6 million visitors in 2023, compared to 11 million per year in the period just before the pandemic.
In addition to the visa waivers, the Guan Hong Project, a simplified visa program for tour groups from Southeast Asia, will be extended to Dec. 31, 2024, MOFA said. Taiwan will continue to review its visa policies, taking national security and convenience for travelers into account, while also communicating with other countries to help improve visa treatment for Taiwanese travelers, according to the statement.
