Great news for Pinoy travellers: Taiwan has extended visa-free travel for Filipinos for another year, as announced by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO) on 23 July 2020. Effective from 1 August, Philippine passport holders will once again be granted visa-free entry to Taiwan until 31 July 2021.
Aimed at further promoting Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, the extension of the visa-free programme will also be enjoyed by nationals from Thailand, Brunei, and Russia. According to statistics from the National Immigration industry, Taiwan has seen a significant increase in visitors from said countries since they first granted them visa-free privileges. With this, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to continue fine-tuning visa-free measures, as they seek to attract more foreign visitors.
What are the conditions behind this programme?
While visa-free entry to Taiwan for Filipinos has extended for another year, the requirements remain the same. Click here to view the conditions for visa-free travel as stated in TECO’S official website.
So, how soon can I enjoy visa-free entry to Taiwan?
At present, Taiwan’s travel restrictions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic remain in place. It must be stressed that the country’s temporary border control measures shall take precedence over the extension of visa-free privileges until 2021. Visa-free entry to Taiwan for tourism or non-essential purposes will depend on the Central Epidemic Command Center’s (CECC) assessment on the worldwide development of the pandemic.
So, hold on tight, travellers! While we may not be able to travel just yet, one thing’s for sure: We know where we’re headed once it’s possible again. How could we not pick Taiwan, after all? It’s been ranked the second safest country in the world and the happiest country in Asia! For now, we recommend staying inspired by checking out our Taiwan travel guides, stories, and itineraries. There’s no harm in planning your next visit!
