TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Preferential visa measures for visitors from Cambodia will end on Aug. 1, but visa waivers for citizens of the Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei will be extended for one year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.
The decision for Cambodian nationals referred to the “Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian Countries,” also known as the Guanhong Project, and to the online Travel Authorization Certificate, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the decision was motivated by the need to maintain respect for the country and safeguard border security. The visa benefits had been in place since 2018, but the Cambodian government never reciprocated and followed China’s denigration of Taiwan’s sovereignty, the ministry said.
The statement also mentioned Cambodia’s reputation as a haven for large international fraud rings. From Aug. 1, Cambodian citizens will have to apply for the appropriate visa from Taiwan offices overseas. If and when the visa benefits are restored, depended on the policies of the Cambodian government, the ministry said.
In contrast, citizens of the Southeast Asian nations of Thailand, the Philippines, and Brunei will see visa waivers extended for a year until July 31, 2027. The Guanhong Project for visitors from Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, and Laos will be extended by a year to Dec. 31, 2027.
