Buzz
Taiwan is now a hot spot for Vietnamese tourists, especially the young ones. Not only does it boast thousands of breathtaking attractions, but it also offers unique cuisine at very affordable prices. Moreover, the visa application process for Taiwan is simpler compared to countries like Japan, South Korea, the US, and European countries. However, recent changes in Taiwan's visa policy for Vietnamese citizens have caused quite a stir on social media.
Amidst these changes, many Vietnamese tourists are feeling anxious and concerned. So, what exactly has Taiwan changed and tightened in its visa policy that has been the talk of the town for the past few days?
According to the official announcement from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam, the duration of stay for foreign tourists using conditional visa-free entry to Taiwan will change as follows:
- Citizens of 6 countries including India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam applying for visa-free entry to Taiwan will have their stay reduced from 30 days to 14 days.
- Moreover, citizens of these 6 countries with valid or expired visas (including long-term residency permits) within 10 years from the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, EU (member countries of the European Union), Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan will also only be exempt from applying for entry permits to Taiwan for a 14-day stay.
- Note that if your passport is not valid for at least 6 months or you fail to present a visa or long-term residency permit from the designated countries, you will be denied entry to Taiwan.
- Furthermore, if your online registration fails or you do not receive a certificate, meaning you do not meet the conditions for visa-free entry to Taiwan, you will have to follow the regular procedure by visiting the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam to apply for an entry permit.
- This new regulation will be effective from August 1, 2018 (those who were granted before August 1, 2018 will still retain the 30-day validity period).
With these tightened regulations on the duration of stay and visa issuance for Vietnamese tourists as mentioned above, obtaining a visa may be slightly more challenging now. However, with a clear travel purpose, a solid background, and a complete dossier, obtaining a visa is still within reach, and you can apply for a visa yourself without relying on expensive services.
Understanding these concerns, today Klook will guide you on important things to note when applying for a Taiwan tourist visa so you can travel without worries. Generally, when applying for an independent tourist visa, there are 4 things you need to prove to the visa authorities:
- You have enough money to cover your trip.
- You have a stable job, assets, and responsibilities in Vietnam.
- You do not intend to stay in that country.
- You have a clear plan of what you will do, where you will go, and actively arrange your trip.
In this sharing, Klook will provide details on the necessary documents and guide you on the visa application process for each specific case to make it easier for you to follow!
1. If you are eligible for visa exemption:
Conditions for visa exemption to Taiwan:
According to the announcement, starting from August 1, 2018, Vietnamese citizens who have the following documents provided by the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea will be considered for Taiwan visa-free entry for 14 days, specifically documents such as:
- Valid residence permit or permanent residency card
- Valid visa (including e-visa, but must be printed)
- Expired residence permit or visa within 10 years.
If you meet the above conditions, please visit the website: https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast to apply for an e-visa. After completing the required information, the website will display whether you are approved or not. If approved, simply print the document and bring it along for airport procedures and entry. If you do not receive approval or receive a rejection notice, you will not be eligible for visa exemption and must proceed with the Taiwan tourist visa application as usual.
Below is a detailed guide for submitting an E-visa for those who meet the criteria (Otherwise, scroll down below!)
Step 1: Access the website above and choose your preferred language. It is recommended to select Vietnamese for ease of use.
Step 2: Review the Taiwan e-visa procedures, then click Next.
Step 3: Read the specified conditions and necessary notes carefully, then click Next.
Step 4: Fill in your personal information
- Full name without accents.
- Flight/Vessel No: flight number on departure date.
- Expected Entry Date: Date of entry into Taiwan.
- Occupation: Your current occupation, if not found in the provided list, select Other.
- Purpose of Visit: Choose Sightseeing.
- Home Address: If staying at a hotel, select Hotel Name and specify the hotel name. If staying with relatives or Airbnb, select the city and specify the address.
- Phone: Include the country code 84 (without + sign), for example, 84 953142125.
- Email: Enter your email address.
- Special Conditions: Select the type of document you have (Visa or residence permit from the listed countries) to fill in the information. Typically, you will have tourist visas for those countries, so select “person with entry permit,” then select the Country that issued the Visa to you. Next, enter the Visa number in the “Card number” field. Once completed, click “NEXT,” or if you need to revise, select “RE-FILL.”
Step 5: The website will display all the information you entered. Double-check carefully. If you find any mistakes, you can select “Back” to go back and correct the information. If you have thoroughly reviewed, click “Submit.”
Step 6: If you meet the specified conditions, the system will immediately display the e-visa result for you. Underneath the image, it will say “Approved,” meaning it's approved. Now simply click “PRINT” to save the e-Visa file (in PDF format) to your computer.
This is the e-visa you will receive after successfully applying for visa exemption
Step 7: Print out the file and bring it with you on your trip. That completes the e-visa application process.
As you can see, applying for a visa on your own is not difficult at all if you understand the process and prepare your documents carefully following the steps provided by Klook. If you still hesitate because you're in a difficult visa situation, consider contacting service centers for more detailed assistance.
2. If you don't qualify for visa exemption:
If you don't meet the requirements for visa exemption to Taiwan or if you don't receive a notification or receive a negative result when applying for an e-visa, you must submit an independent tourist visa application at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. Below are the required documents you need to have:
1. Passport: valid for at least 6 months: original and 1 photocopy
2. Visa application form: Visit the link https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw select General Visa Applications and fill in the form, then print it out along with other relevant documents.
3. 2 photos 4×6: white background taken within 3-6 months
4. Employment Certification:
- Labor contract (Submit photocopy, original for verification)
- Health insurance (Submit photocopy, original for verification)
- Social insurance (Submit photocopy, original for verification)
- Copy along with leave permit for travel signed by authorized representative of the company where you are employed.
- If you are a business owner, provide a certified copy of the business registration certificate under your name.
5. Financial Proof:
- Copy of bank savings book
- Land, house, property certificate
- Property value of at least 100 million VND.
- Note: Submit photocopy, original for verification.
6. Round-trip Airline Ticket
7. Hotel Booking
Contact Number: 08-39621745/50
Email: [email protected]
- Normally, you will need to visit this Office 3 times: once to collect appointment date/time for submitting documents, another day for submission (you can submit on the appointment date if you go early), and one day to collect the Visa.
Processing time for visa is approximately 5 working days.
Tourist visas can only be submitted in the morning, so please avoid going in the afternoon to avoid having to return the next day. Plan to dedicate a morning for submitting your documents as you may not know when your turn will come, even if you queue early.
The official notice regarding visa submission time is available on the website of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.
Here are some important notes:
- If you are traveling with your parents and: They are still of working age without a job or are homemakers, you'll need their Labor Contracts, Social Insurance, Health Insurance along with your Family Household Registration Book, and your Birth Certificate to prove the relationship (Bring both original & photocopy, no need for translation or notarization).
- The simplest (and perhaps most trustworthy) financial proof is a savings account. Some attempts with other documents like land titles may not be accepted, and you might be asked to submit a savings account instead. Additionally, if you have assets in investment funds or other sources, you can print them out for proof, of course, they must be stamped and confirmed by those organizations.
- If you're a student, instead of asking for a leave request, you ask for a school leave letter (stamped by the student political affairs office for example), and of course, since you're not employed, but documents related to financial capability and employment must be your parents'. Therefore, you submit your parents' labor contracts, savings accounts under their names, and submit along with household registration or birth certificate to prove your relationship with them (the person named in the aforementioned documents). The rest of the document checklist, you prepare similar to the above.
That's it, your documents are ready, just need to prepare some confidence and relaxation and you'll get your visa – Don't worry too much. Wishing you successful visa application soon and have a wonderful trip to Taiwan with Klook. Don't forget to click now to discover various travel services and attractive offers in Taiwan from Klook!
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