The government has stopped processing foreign students’ applications to enter the country. That’s as Taiwan prepares to close its borders to most foreign nationals for a month-long period starting Friday due to the spread of a new strain of COVID-19.
Health officials announced Wednesday that the new variant of COVID-19 had been detected in a patient who had arrived in Taiwan from the UK several days before.
The border closure will affect all foreign nationals except legal residents of Taiwan, immediate family of Taiwanese citizens, and those with special permission to enter the country such as certain businesspeople.
The education ministry has told universities to expect a temporary stop to the processing of foreign students’ entry applications, and to wait for the announcement of further details.