The government is set to hold a meeting on a proposal to make Taiwanese visa applications simpler for nationals of certain countries.
The proposed move is part of the Tsai administration’s “New Southbound Policy”, which aims to strengthen Taiwan’s ties to Southeast Asia and India. The proposal to simplify the visa application system is meant to encourage tourism and business, but the government says any changes to the current system will also take Taiwan’s national security into account.
The foreign ministry says that the current system evaluates a visa applicant’s reason for travel, job, financial resources, and past record of travel to Taiwan. But the system has been criticized for what some see as excessive requirements after complaints from one Vietnamese businessman recently reached the attention of Taiwan’s media.
The foreign ministry says that the upcoming meeting will look at simplifying the visa application procedure as well as the list of items applicants need to provide.