Starting from 10 a.m. today (September 14th), Vietnamese tourists using South Korean and Japanese advanced visas to apply for e-visas to enter Taiwan (China) will not be accepted.
On the afternoon of September 13th, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City announced changes to the electronic visa (e-visa) for Southeast Asian citizens traveling to Taiwan (China).
As of 10 a.m. on September 14th, tourists using South Korean and Japanese advanced visas to apply for e-visas to enter Taiwan will not be accepted. Previously accepted visas can still be used until they expire.
These changes only apply to Vietnamese tourists; other Southeast Asian countries will continue to follow the previous policy.
New regulations on Taiwan’s e-visa policy for Vietnamese citizens (Screenshot)
As a result, travelers and families with South Korean and Japanese advanced visas who wish to visit Taiwan will no longer be able to apply for instant e-visas for immediate entry. They will be required to submit and have their visa applications processed, which can take up to 8 days to receive results.
Taiwan’s tightening of e-visa issuance conditions may be aimed at preventing cases where travelers obtain South Korean or Japanese visas and then enter Taiwan for a “different purpose,” according to travel companies’ assessments.
Vietnamese travel companies are concerned that this development could have a negative impact on Vietnamese tourism businesses and the market in the last months of the year and in the long term.
Customers who have registered for tours to certain markets like Japan and Korea may be significantly affected, as some travelers only obtained advanced visas for the purpose of entering Taiwan. This will not be allowed from September 14th when the new e-visa regulations take effect.
However, the Group Visa, which is for groups of 5 or more people from Vietnamese travel companies designated by Taiwan, will continue to be implemented as usual.
Travelers who already have a valid U.S. visa (not canceled) or an Australian visa (still valid), they can still apply for e-visas to enter Taiwan as before.
@Vietnamnet