Covid-19 information: Taiwan

Latest News: Taiwanese government bars entry of foreign travelers who have recently been to India (Reuters, 03.05.2021).




International Restrictions:

*Entry to Taiwan: Foreign nationals are now permitted to enter Taiwan, with the exception of tourists and social visitors. Passengers who do not hold residence visas will be required to apply for a special entry permit at their local Taipei Representative Office.

All direct passenger flights between Taiwan and the UK are currently suspended. Certain airlines have announced that they will resume direct flights from 26 March 2021 at a reduced capacity. We encourage any passengers to contact their airline if they believe they may be impacted and to monitor advice provided by the local authorities.

Starting from 10 April 2021, all passengers arriving directly from the UK, or those who have been in the UK in the previous 14 days, will no longer be required to complete their mandatory 14 day quarantine at a designated quarantine centre in Taiwan. These passengers instead will be permitted to complete the mandatory 14 day quarantine at either a designated quarantine hotel, or follow the one person per residence requirement to quarantine at their residential property. After completion, all passengers would be required to practice an additional 7 days of self-health management.

You should refer to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for further information regarding entry and quarantine requirements in Taiwan. A link to the CDC’s FAQ page can be found on the CDC website.

All passengers permitted entry into Taiwan before 10 April 2021, who have been in the UK in the previous 14 days, will be required to complete their mandatory 14 day quarantine at a designated quarantine centre. This applies to all nationalities and is irrespective of the purpose of travel. Upon completion of this 14 day quarantine, all passengers are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test before they are allowed to leave quarantine. An additional 7 day self-health management period is then required.

The Taiwanese authorities have provided the following information about the quarantine centres:

• Quarantine centres are designated locations selected by the Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC). Designated locations include: Government owned facilities, student dorms and hotels. There are currently a total of 29 quarantine centres located across northern, central and southern Taiwan

• Upon arrival in Taiwan, transportation will be arranged by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

• Costs for travellers in the UK programme will be paid for by the Taiwan authorities

• All travellers in the UK programme will be transferred to a Quarantine Centre designated by the CECC, and will not be able to request a specific location or room

• Quarantine centres provide 3 meals per day. Meals will be delivered to people’s rooms and consumed there

• You will not be allowed to leave your room or go into another individual’s room during this period. In a case of an emergency, all individuals must follow the instructions provided by the quarantine centre

• In principle, only 1 person is allowed per room. For young children under the age of 12, and individuals who may require health and medical care, one family member would be allowed to stay in the same room with this individual; however, masks must be worn at all times. Requests for exemptions will be reviewed by the quarantine centre in question

• Relatives are not allowed to have physical contact with any individual during quarantine; however, they would be able to deliver packages to the individual by handing this to the reception staff at the quarantine centre. This would then be passed to the individual

• Due to safety concerns the following items are not accepted: fresh products including fruit and vegetables, high power-consuming electronic appliances and other dangerous items such as lighters and knifes. Alcohol consumption and smoking is prohibited in the quarantine centre

• Room facilities: all rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi, a kettle and a television

• Pre-travel arrangements: all passengers should ensure that they prepare sufficient warm clothing and personal belongings before departure

If you have any questions regarding the quarantine centres, contact the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The local authorities have announced that from 15 January 2021, there will be tightened quarantine measures in Taiwan, and group quarantine facilities will now be available for passengers travelling from low-risk countries. Passengers who are eligible and choose to quarantine at a private residence rather than a quarantine hotel or a group quarantine facility will be required to declare that their residence complies with quarantine requirements. You should refer to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for further information.

All passengers arriving or transiting in Taiwan are required to present a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test in order to be able to board their flight to Taiwan. Any exemption due to exceptional circumstances will require prior approval before departure. This test needs to have taken place within three working days before the date of departure. Test Certificates of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR must be issued by a recognised medical institution in the country of departure and include the following information:

• the passenger’s full name as per their passport,

• the date of birth or passport number of the traveller,

• specimen collection date and test report date,

• the virus name, testing method and the test result.

Test Certificates are required to be produced in either English or Chinese; however, in situations where the passenger provides a certificate in either French or Spanish, if the certificate is in the official language of the place of departure, and ground personnel of the airline are able to assist with the inspection of the content, the certificate may be accepted.

Anyone found to provide false or incorrect test results, or evade or obstruct the quarantine measures, may face a fine of between NT$10,000 to NT$150,000 and further criminal charges.

Refer to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control for further information regarding Test Exemptions, Test Certificates and COVID-19 test requirements.

You should arrange to take a private test. If you already hold a valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) or Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC), you do not require a visa to enter Taiwan. For more information, you should visit the website of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If you are in Taiwan you can also contact the ‘Information For Foreigners In Taiwan’ helpline on 0800-024-111.

If you are unsure if you are permitted to enter Taiwan, or you have further questions about entry restrictions and conditions, you should contact your local Taipei Representative Office (TRO) or airline before you attempt to travel. Entry procedures are being regularly reviewed, so may change at short notice.

The Taiwanese authorities announced in March that travellers already in Taiwan who arrived under a visa waiver, visitor visa or landing visa before 21 March 2020, and had not overstayed their entry conditions, would be granted an automatic 30-day extension of their stay. This has now been extended by further 30 day periods. The extension will be applied automatically, no application is required. Your total period of stay, including extensions, cannot exceed 450 days (comprised of 180 days on a visitor visa, plus 9 automatic 30 day extensions). For more information, you should contact the National Immigration Agency (NIA).

If you arrived after 21 March 2020, your maximum stay is determined by your visa. If you wish to stay over 180 days, you may apply to do so if you have a legitimate reason for needing to remain in Taiwan or are unable to leave. Restrictions apply and not all British nationals will be eligible. You cannot apply more than 15 days before the 180 day point. For more information, you should contact the National Immigration Agency (NIA). The British Office is unable to issue letters or endorsements to support any application to remain.

*Transiting Taiwan: International airport transits are now permitted. Transiting passengers must arrive in and depart Taiwan within eight hours on flights operated by the same airline group. Rules and procedures may change at short notice. For further information, you should contact your airline or provider.





Internal Restrictions:

*Public spaces and services: Starting from 1st December 2020, face masks must be worn in the following types of public venues: healthcare facilities, public transportation, places of consumption, learning facilities, sports and exhibition venues, entertainment venues, religious and places of worship, offices and business venues. Members of the public who do not wear a face mask as required and refuse to wear a mask after being advised to do so will be fined up to NT$15,000.
If individuals choose to dine at the above-mentioned public venues, as long as social distancing is maintained or partitions are installed inside those locations, masks can be temporarily removed while eating.


*Travel in Taiwan: There are no domestic travel restrictions in Taiwan.

-Travelling to and from the airport: On arrival in Taiwan, you will be required to take an allocated taxi to your designated quarantine destination. For more information about self-isolation see Entry requirements. Taxis and public transport systems are operating normally in Taiwan. The wearing of face masks is mandatory on all public transport. If you use public transport and are not wearing a face mask, you may be fined up to NT$15,000. Be aware that some taxi drivers may refuse to take a passenger who is not wearing a face mask.


*Accommodation: Any passenger arriving directly from the UK, or those who have been in the UK in the previous 14 days will be required to complete their quarantine at a designated quarantine centre. See Entry requirements. for more information.
Due to an increased number of travellers now entering Taiwan, demand for the limited number of hotels permitted to host self-isolating travellers has increased, and you may find it difficult to find accommodation at short notice.
For a list of designated quarantine hotels in Taipei, please visit Taipei City Government’s FAQ page.. If you are planning to stay in a hotel outside of Taipei, you may need to contact the local authority in that area prior to booking or making final arrangements. For more information and contact details, please visit the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s ‘Taiwan Stay’ website.
If you have access to private accommodation in Taiwan, you may choose to self-isolate there rather than in a hotel. You should confirm that you will be permitted to self-isolate in your preferred accommodation before travelling.