《TAIPEI TIMES》 Entry rules for foreign relatives relaxed

MIGRANT WORKERS EXCLUDED: Applicants must provide proof that they are related to the citizen or foreign resident they intend to visit in Taiwan, the foreign ministry said

/ Staff writer, with CNA

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Foreign relatives of Taiwanese and some foreign residents can now apply for a visa to enter the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.

However, the relaxation of border restrictions, which took effect immediately, does not apply to migrant workers, the ministry said in a statement.

Before Tuesday’s update, Taiwan only allowed family visits by foreign spouses and minor children of Taiwanese or some residency holders, after tighter rules were relaxed in December last year.

With Taiwan planning to gradually remove border restrictions after having closed its borders in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has allowed the entry of migrant workers, foreign business travelers and foreign-language students in the past few months.

Those who intend to apply for a visa to visit their relatives in Taiwan should fill out a form available on the Web site of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, which can provide more details about the application process, the ministry said.

Proof of the applicant’s relationship to the people they plan to visit in Taiwan must be provided, the ministry added.

Those who are granted a visa to visit relatives that expired between May 19 and Aug. 18 last year, when Taiwan tightened its border rules amid a surge in locally transmitted COVID-19 infections, can file their application again free of charge, the ministry said.

The visa applications should be submitted to the nation’s embassies or representative offices abroad for processing, it said.

The ministry did not rule out further rule changes depending on the COVID-19 situation in Taiwan.

Following an uptick in domestic COVID-19 cases late last month, Taiwan has reported daily case counts of more than 100 since April 1, with spikes of more than 500 daily cases.

Many of the recently reported cases involve the highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, Central Epidemic Command Center data showed.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES