Taiwan Today
Date: June 17, 2016
Taiwan will increase the number of Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states in its
Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, central Taiwan, is one of the island’s top tourist attractions, and can expect to see increased visitor numbers after the government further eases visa restrictions for citizens of ASEAN nations. (Courtesy of SML National Scenic Area Administration)
streamlined visa application program from five to eight as part of efforts to expand bilateral exchanges and promote the President Tsai Ing-wen administration’s New Southbound Policy.
The announcement was made at an Executive Yuan news conference attended by officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transportation and Communications June 15 in Taipei City.
According to the MOFA, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar will be added to the streamlined visa treatment program before Sept. 1. Citizens of these three nations are then allowed to apply online for Taiwan visas if they previously held travel visas or resident permits for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the EU or the U.S.
Tourism Bureau Director-General David Hsieh said the number of visitors from Southeast Asia was around 1.42 million last year.“After the easing of visa restrictions is implemented for eight ASEAN nations, we expect to see an annual increase of at least 20 percent in visitor numbers from the region for 2016, generating foreign exchange earnings of NT$13 billion [US$400 million].” [FULL STORY]
