The Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced on Friday that it is extending its visa-free entry policy for the Philippines for another year, starting from August 1 to July 31, 2024.
The announcement was made as Taiwan ramps up its efforts to revive pre-pandemic tourism figures.
Wallace Chow, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines, emphasized the potential for enhanced tourism exchanges between Taiwan and the Philippines, particularly in light of the increased demand for leisure travel following the pandemic.
“In this year of tourism recovery, Taiwan is targeting more than 320,000 visitors from the Philippines. I cordially invite all Filipino friends to come and join us in exploring Taiwan’s beauty, especially with the 14-day visa-free program,” Chow stated.
The number Filipino arrivals in Taiwan has already reached 60,723 in the first quarter of 2023 since the Asian country reopened its border on October 13 last year.
According to a report from Philippine News Agency, the Taiwan MOFA has announced its commitment to regularly review and modify visa policies, aiming to attract more visitors while maintaining border security and public safety.
“We will also continue to communicate with the governments of related countries to enhance visa treatment for Taiwan nationals and make their overseas travel more convenient,” it said.
Initially introduced as a trial program from November 2017 to July 2018, Filipinos were granted visa-free entry to Taiwan for a minimum of 14 days. The success of the initiative led to its annual extension, providing continued visa-free access for Filipino travelers.
