Filipinos will be able to enjoy visa-free entry to Taiwan after Taipei opened the privilege for a trial period of nine months.
Starting Nov. 1, 2017, Filipino travelers will be allowed to stay in Taiwan for 14 days for the purpose of tourism, business, visiting relatives, attending functions, or events.
The Taipei Economic Cultural Office, however, said that the visa-free privilege will be extended up until July 21, 2018.
“This visa-free initiative shall undergo a 9-month trial period until July 31, 2018 as part of Taiwan’s goodwill and efforts of the ‘New Southbound Policy’ to build closer people-to-people exchange of visits and an economic community between Taiwan and the Philippines,” Teco said.
Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin, Taiwan Representative to the Philippines, emphasized that the Philippines is not only Taiwan’s closest neighbor but also Taiwan’s important partner of its “New southbound policy.”
Lin said the granting of visa-free privilege to Filipinos is one of his longtime visions to build strong bilateral relations and a closer economic community between the Philippines and Taiwan.
He added that this development is aimed to enhance the mutually beneficial bilateral tourism, trade, investment, technology, agriculture, economic, cultural, educational and people-to-people cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and the Philippines.
Lin is hoping that the historical visa-free initiative will attract more Filipino visitors to Taiwan and lay a solid foundation for a genuine friendly bonding between the two nations.
To reciprocate Taiwan’s goodwill and friendship, Lin would also like to urge the Philippine government and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) to grant visa-free treatment to Taiwan nationals as the Philippines has already given visa-free treatment to many other countries.
“Through these significant efforts, we will surely enhance our bilateral tourism, economic, cultural, educational and other areas of cooperation and exchanges which will eventually bring mutual benefits to the peoples of Taiwan and the Philippines” Lin stressed.
TECO said Filipino visa-free visitors must meet the following requirements including 1) an ordinary/regular passport with remaining validity of at least six months from the date of entry (diplomatic & official passport holders are not eligible for visa-free treatment); 2) return ticket or a ticket for the traveller’s next destination and a visa for that destination if it is required; 3) no criminal record in Taiwan; 4) proof of accommodation (hotel) booking or host/sponsor’s contact information /or arrangements of tour, travel, visit, events and meeting etc.
However, those who intend to stay in Taiwan for more than 14 days or for the purpose of study, work, missionary, employment and other gainful activities are still required to obtain appropriate visas before entering Taiwan.
Since 2016, the Taiwan Government has sought to liberalize and simplify visa regulations for Philippine nationals, including the free “Travel Authorization Certificate” (TAC) for qualified visa-free travellers and the payable e-visa (online visa).
These two relaxed visa application systems will be suspended for Filipinos upon the implementation of the visa-free treatment beginning on Nov. 1, 2017.
Passengers who enter Taiwan before November 1 with valid TACs may continue to stay for up to 30 days.
For passengers who do not enter Taiwan before Nov. 1, their TACs will be no longer valid even within its validity.
Teco said all approved e-visas before or on Nov. 1 will still be valid to enter Taiwan with duration of stay up to 30 days.
