MANILA, Philippines — Good news for Filipino travelers! Taiwan has announced a one-year extension of visa-free entry for nationals of the Philippines, including Thailand and Brunei.
The visa-free privilege, initially set to expire on July 31, 2023, has been extended until July 31, 2024. The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed the extension on Friday, citing the need to revive mutual bilateral exchanges in the post-pandemic era.
"After evaluating the effectiveness of the above convenience measures over the past years and considering the need to revive mutual bilateral exchanges and tourism in the post-pandemic era, participating agencies decided to extend the trial visa-free entry measure for one year for nationals of Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024," MOFA said.
To take advantage of the visa-free entry, Filipino travelers must fulfill certain requirements before their trip. These include providing proof of accommodations, contact details of their host or sponsor in Taiwan, and sufficient travel funds to cover their expenses during their stay.
Under the visa exemption program, Filipino travelers can enjoy a stay of up to 14 days in Taiwan. However, individuals holding diplomatic, official, or service passports are not eligible for the visa-free entry.
As Taiwan continues its efforts to revive tourism, it aims to attract over 320,000 visitors from the Philippines in 2023