Long lines form at Taoyuan Airport due to Taiwan travel ban, quarantine rule

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/03/19
By: Keoni Everington , Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the first day of a ban on foreign visitors went into effect on Thursday (March 19) the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) was swarmed with thousands of foreign passengers confused about their eligibility to enter the country and bewildered by the new quarantine policy.

During a press conference held on Wednesday morning, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) announced that all foreign nationals will be barred from entering Taiwan, with the exception of persons holding an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC, 居留證), diplomatic officials, and businesspeople with special entry permits, effective on Thursday.

Later that same day in Taipei, Director-General Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) of the foreign ministry’s Bureau of Consular Affairs clarified that foreigners holding a visitor or landing visa must leave the country before their visas expire. The only exception would be "force majeure" (unforeseeable circumstances that prevent an individual from fulfilling a contract), such as a national disaster or serious illness.

Many foreigners were not aware of the sudden policy change and the 12 a.m. March 19 deadline. By Thursday morning, many foreigners were landing at TPE unaware that they could no longer enter the country with visa-exempt status.   [FULL  STORY]