A top Taiwanese health official says reopening visa-free entry into the country is a top priority for Taiwan’s government. Deputy Health Minister Victor Wang says government ministries are discussing the issue and he’ll have an answer from them “soon.”
Taiwan suspended visa-free entry for foreign nationals in 2020 when the COVID pandemic began.
But as the country gradually abandons the last remnants of its zero-COVID strategy, visa-free travel looks set to return.
Wang says Taiwan is currently experiencing its third wave of COVID cases since the pandemic began. He says he predicts a peak at the end of September before the number of COVID cases should drop. Once authorities are sure case numbers are dropping, Wang says Taiwan may resume visa-free entry and raise the cap on the number of inbound travelers. Right now, each week is capped at 50,000.
Wang also says his office is working on optimizing the entry process for overseas Taiwanese who don’t have citizenship so that it will be easier for them to return to Taiwan.