italdesign

Continuing discussion from this thread (post #109 onward).

I'm still not clear which side - Taiwan or China - is imposing the transit ban. According to my friend, it's Taiwan.

Can someone help me understand what is the protocol normally, i.e. in 2019? Did PRC citizen need any permit/visa/etc to transit in Taiwan en route to US? Did they need 入台证 and 大通证?

FWIW, my friend called a contact who supposedly knows info on the ground; he said CKG-TPE is currently not allowed for Chinese citizens. I am not sure if this is correct. Is there somewhere that has the official and up-to-date info?

I currently have a $2,500 EVA ticket ex-China. I need to decide whether to change it to CKG, which would require $400 fee. If I cancel it and buy a new one-way, it's basically $1,000 fee (the outbound gets priced as one-way and I get almost nothing back) + I need to buy a one-way. I am hoping CKG works, but it's been hard to know.

boat stuck

There is no way that the Mainland-Taiwan relationship will get better any time soon. It's only going to get worse. I would not count on CKG working.

Here's what you should do to minimize your losses:

1. Call Eva and see if you can change the flight to HKG-TPE-USA (and I'd guess there's a small but non-zero chance they will waive the fee if you explain the immigration issues)
2. Book a separate, fully refundable direct HKG-USA flight
3. Have the PRC citizen fly to SZX, and then take the land border into HK. Mainland passport holders can transit in HKG for 7 days when leaving the country, and exiting the mainland at the Hong Kong land border tends to have the fewest issues due to the higher volume and familiarity with Hong Kong transit rules. However, when exiting the mainland, show mainland departure immigration the direct HKG-USA flight. Departure immigration may not allow a HKG-TPE-USA routing.
4. Once in Hong Kong, cancel the refundable HKG-USA direct flight. Check in for HKG-TPE-USA at Hong Kong airport normally. Hong Kong immigration will not care about taking the HKG-TPE-USA flight.

YariGuy

It's China imposing the effective ban. For PRC citizens to fly TO Taiwan, the PRC government needs to issue a permit (the 大通证 you mention above). Right now they're not issuing them for tourism purposes.

For PRC citizens to ENTER Taiwan, they need a document issued by the Taiwanese government, the 入台证. If your mother is transiting and NOT ENTERING Taiwan, this is irrelevant.

Three exceptions are Chongqing, Nanchang, and Kunming. From these 3 airports, PRC citizens are allowed (by the PRC government) to transit through Taiwan onto a third country, provided the passenger has the ticket and valid visa for the destination country. Currently there is only a direct flight to TPE from Chongqing.

Caveat: I haven't done this nor do I have any first-hand knowledge. This is the best info based on what I've read.

Note: if you need to change airports during transit then you'll need a 入台证 since you're entering Taiwan.

uanj

If you put in Chongqing in EVA's website and build a trip transiting in Taiwan to another country you get a warning that Mainland passport holders must also have a Taiwan Travel Permit for Mainland Residents. Not sure if it is correct but it is what their website says.

gudugan

my relevant post here https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35375667-post111.html

There are 3 relevant time periods here:
1. Before 31 July 2019, "normal" times. If a PRC citizen was living overseas, it was relatively easy to apply for a tourist entry permit to Taiwan (入台证). Here is a representative site: https://funbirdtravel.com/visa-to-taiwan/. Basically you fill out an online form with work visa/proof of residence and get approved. If the PRC citizen was living in China, I'm not really sure what the procedure is. This info is not easily available on the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office website as they have updated it saying that PRC citizens living overseas can't apply for this anymore.
2. After 31 July 2019 to 27 January 2020. China stopped issuing individual travel permits to Taiwan (from mainland cities). Maybe it still worked if a PRC citizen was living overseas, but I'm unsure.
3. After 27 January 2020. Same as now.

tauphi

Just checked with the Eva Air website and it clearly states that transits from CKG are allowed.

wutlol

I don’t understand how it could be Taiwan who is causing this issue.

One of my colleagues is presently dealing with this issue and both officials in PRC and Taiwan agree that her issue is that she needs a permit from the PRC, which as of now they refuse to issue.

Eva have been very helpful in rebooking flights without any pushback or unnecessary costs.

moondog

While I realize that the Western media likes to paint an ominous picture about the "relationship", from my perspective, the current chest thumping is no different than the previous 10 times I've witnessed such over the past 25 years...intended mostly for domestic consumption and partly to taunt the West. I don't completely understand the travel permit dynamics or why those three airports are special, but this is one of many policies that I don't feel a need to understand.

YariGuy

I don't think anyone in this thread is saying this is the case.

gudugan

As I stated in my post in the other thread, Taiwan still claims that they are banning mainland residents living overseas from 27 January 2020 because of COVID. This is frankly stupid and should be dropped. Maybe they're holding onto this because of reciprocity.
I say this as a huge Taiwan fan. Many of my friends who are PRC citizens living in the USA would love to visit Taiwan but they can't because of this policy.
For PRC citizens living in PRC this is a separate issue which I am less familiar about.

j223

My understanding is:

1) No tourism entry in Taiwan for overseas PRC, but transitting to mainland is ok since you stay airside.

2) Mainland will not issue you the Taiwan "Exit Permit" even if you have an immediate connection to a third country. So transit from Mainland through Taiwan is impossible.

moondog

See post #3.

tauphi

Technically it's China that's refusing to issue permits for travelling to Taiwan. But Taiwan is also refusing to issue tourist visas to travellers from China.

percysmith

Cathay Pacific (CX) Award Redemption, Booking and Availability (2023)

ChillDude

As far as I know, Chinese citizens can transit through Taiwan when returning to mainland China from overseas, but the reverse is not allowed.