Taiwan offers visa-free entry to qualified PH passport holders

The Taiwanese government has eased its visa requirements for qualified Philippine passport holders, according to the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines.

Based on the new rules, Philippine passport holders who have been granted entry to selected countries may go to Taiwan for up to 30 days without a visa starting last Sept. 1.

TECO said applicants who have either a valid entry visa or permanent resident card issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, any of Schengen countries, the United Kingdom and the United States are qualified for visa-free travel to Taiwan.

All Philippine passport holders were previously required to apply for visa before they could visit Taiwan.

Expired visa or resident card in the abovementioned countries is also valid provided that it had expired less than ten years before the date of arrival in Taiwan, TECO said.

To be eligible for the exemption, applicants should also have an onward/return air or ferry ticket and passport with a remaining validity of at least six months before the date of arrival, and should have never been employed as blue-collar workers in Taiwan.

Applicants may apply for exemption authorization certificate online. CDG

READ: Filipinos among Asia’s top travelers, says Visa