TAIPEI: Taiwan will resume visa-free entry for visitors from countries including the United States and Canada from next week, the government announced on Monday (September 5), as it continues to ease controls in place to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Taiwan kept its entry and quarantine rules in place as large parts of the rest of Asia relaxed or lifted them altogether, although in June it reduced the number of days spent in isolation for arrivals to three against seven previously.
Taiwan has reported more than 5.3 million national cases year-to-date, driven by the more infectious variant of Omicron. But with more than 99% of those showing no or mild symptoms, the government has eased rather than tightened restrictions in what it calls the “new Taiwan model”.
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center said the resumption of visa-free entry for visitors from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and diplomatic allies would begin to from next Monday.
The decision was made based on the fact that most countries in the world have already reopened their borders and resumed pre-pandemic border measures and the need to balance epidemic prevention, economic and social activities and international trade. .