Taiwan closed to all foreign visitors as of 19 Mar 2020
Mar 18, 2020, 5:44 am
#1
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Taiwan closed to all foreign visitors as of 19 Mar 2020
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/new...uMszE3Kgaykv4U
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday (March 18) announced that as confirmed cases of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to stream in, all foreign visitors will be barred from entering the country effective Thursday (March 19).
During a press conference held on Wednesday morning, Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that starting Thursday, all passengers arriving in Taiwan must undergo a 14-day quarantine.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) then 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, also effective on Thursday.
During a press conference held on Wednesday morning, Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that starting Thursday, all passengers arriving in Taiwan must undergo a 14-day quarantine.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) then 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, also effective on Thursday.
Mar 18, 2020, 3:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2010
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There are passengers that are only transiting through Taiwan on their way to another country as their final destination?
This scenario is not mentioned in the article.
Does anyone know if this ban also applies to transit passengers?
This scenario is not mentioned in the article.
Does anyone know if this ban also applies to transit passengers?
Mar 18, 2020, 9:29 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Note that it is technically "foreign nationals" that are not allowed, with the exception of ARC holders.
There was a post in BR forum suggesting transit is still allowed, from the thread Effective 00:00 19 Mar - No Foreign Passport Holders Allowed into Taiwan (ARC OK):
Last edited by gengar; Mar 19, 2020 at 9:43 am
Mar 22, 2020, 2:10 am
#5
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Taiwan further tightened travel controls on Sunday to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, suspending the transit of airline passengers through Taiwan from March 24 until April 7...
Mar 24, 2020, 10:37 am
#7
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I saw an article in the local news about an American exchange student whose home university in California abruptly canceled the exchange program, and instructed the students to return to CA immediately. She went to the Taiwan immigration office to beg them to find a way to get her a new visa so she could stay in Taiwan. She felt a lot safer here than she'd be in CA. But unfortunately, they couldn't help her at the time. The day after she flew home, however, the govt announced a program that would give automatic visa extensions to foreigners already in Taiwan. But it was too late for her.
Mar 25, 2020, 1:48 pm
#8
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Given the facts, it's very difficult to believe a foreign national ban will have any impact at this point, especially as imported transmission begins to turn into local transmission - all the while a substantial portion of the recent surge of cases were from tour groups that visited known heavily-infected regions, which just boggles the mind. Taiwan has done incredibly well (so far) at containing the spread and I'm very happy about that, but it appears also down to a great deal of luck given questionable priorities.
Last edited by gengar; Mar 25, 2020 at 6:33 pm
Mar 25, 2020, 7:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2014
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In other news, Computex was postponed too, until the last week of September (source): that's Taiwan's largest trade show.
Apr 4, 2020, 9:52 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 1999
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Any info if the ban on transit passengers, supposed to end on April 7th, will be extended or not?
The airlines have created their own dates, I just saw. China Airlines' ban on transit passengers extends to April 30.
The airlines have created their own dates, I just saw. China Airlines' ban on transit passengers extends to April 30.
Last edited by Freebird; Apr 4, 2020 at 10:04 am
Apr 4, 2020, 1:04 pm
#11
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Apr 25, 2020, 9:10 am
#13
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Update re. transit at Taiwanese airports: https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202004230013
"The CECC said its ban on the entry of airline transit passengers, which was imposed March 24 to April 7 [30, actually], will also be extended indefinitely."
"The CECC said its ban on the entry of airline transit passengers, which was imposed March 24 to April 7 [30, actually], will also be extended indefinitely."
Apr 26, 2020, 10:14 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 85
This sucks. Kills so many flight options that transited in Taiwan. Outright ban hurts, could have at least just set maximum flights per week for airlines so at least some traffic could reach Taiwan.
Last edited by givionte; Apr 27, 2020 at 11:59 pm
Apr 27, 2020, 1:28 am
#15
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Update re. transit at Taiwanese airports: https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202004230013
"The CECC said its ban on the entry of airline transit passengers, which was imposed March 24 to April 7 [30, actually], will also be extended indefinitely."
"The CECC said its ban on the entry of airline transit passengers, which was imposed March 24 to April 7 [30, actually], will also be extended indefinitely."
At this point, there're hardly any new cases of Coronavirus in Taipei. They are being extremely careful.
I've got YVR-TPE-KIX in late July. What conditions would satisfy Taiwan enough to have lifted bans on certain countries by that point?
I just don't think new incidences of Coronavirus will be eliminated in either Canada or Jpn this summer.
Do you guys think my flight's more likely not happening?