The National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior has amended entry permit issuance regulations to provide travel agencies and mainland Chinese visitors with more time to make relevant arrangements for their planned visits to Taiwan.
Among the revisions jointly announced by the MOI and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is an extension of entry permit validity to three months. Currently, the period of validity for mainland Chinese citizens traveling directly from the mainland is one month from the date of issue of the permit, and two months for permits issued to mainlanders visiting from a third location overseas.
The NIA stated the new measure is in line with the government’s policy of continuing to open Taiwan up more to mainland tourists as well as aimed at boosting the number of visitors from across the Taiwan Strait.
The agency stated that it also hopes the measure will help reduce use of airlines’ “OK Board” service for mainland visitors. The service is a provisional arrangement employed internationally to help passengers who have obtained entry visas but have still not received them when they board a flight.
Under the practice widely used up until now by mainland travelers to Taiwan, tour operators distribute the entry permits to the tourists upon their arrival at the island’s airports. The revised regulations will allow more time for processing of permit applications and therefore lessen the need for the “OK Board” expedient.
Several other notable revisions to the entry permit regulations have also been passed. These include allowing mainland citizens residing in Hong Kong, Macau or overseas locations with dependent status and proof of more than NT$200,000 (US$6,248) in savings to apply for Taiwan tourist permits.
In addition, mainland citizens with overseas student visas, dependent visas or permanent residency in another country who meet the financial requirements of above NT$200,000, and those who have resided abroad or in Hong Kong or Macau for over one year and with valid work visas in these locations, can now apply for Taiwan tourist permits for themselves as well as their spouses and other close relatives of second-degree consanguinity.
Furthermore, under strict new review procedures, any mainland citizens who apply for permits and are subsequently found to have been involved in disrupting public order or any other inappropriate behavior while in Taiwan in the past can be denied entry into the country.
Also under the revised regulations, mainland tour groups will no longer be required to immediately inform local authorities about any changes to their travel itineraries while in Taiwan.
