Taiwan: Taiwan imposes tightened gathering and business controls May 20-28, nonresident foreign nationals barred through June 18 /update 42

Event

Officials are further tightening domestic controls amid increased COVID-19 activity. From May 20-28 all of Taiwan will be placed under Level 3 restrictions. Under the controls, residents are asked to avoid all nonessential movement and gatherings. Individuals must wear facemasks in all public places. No more than five people may congregate indoors, while outdoor gatherings are limited to 10 people or fewer. Many classes of nonessential businesses, including bars, clubs, saunas, and internet cafes, are closed. Operating businesses are required to ensure social distancing by allowing employees to work from home when possible and staggering working hours. In-person classes have been suspended at schools. Individuals violating face mask requirements may be fined up to NTD 15,000 (USD 536), while violators of gathering and business restrictions face fines of up to NTD 300,000 (10,730). Level 3 restrictions may be further extended, depending on disease activity.

Thermal scanners remain in place at rail stations, airports, ports, post offices, and bus stations. Staff will deny entry to any passenger with a fever. Enhanced screening could cause delays at transport hubs across the island, especially at airports and main railway stations.

Travel Restrictions
Foreign nationals without valid Alien Resident Certificates are barred from entering Taiwan through June 18. Authorities will also prevent noncitizens from making international transit flights through airports in Taiwan during the same period. Some exceptions to the entry ban may be granted for emergency humanitarian purposes.

Officials require most inbound passengers, including Taiwan citizens and residents, to present a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test obtained within three business days before departure. Exceptions to testing requirements are possible in emergency situations, but passengers receiving them must pay for a COVID-19 test upon arrival. All travelers seeking exemptions to pre-departure testing must provide supporting documents or face penalties.

Most arrivals must self-quarantine for 14 days. All incoming passengers must submit proof that they have suitable accommodations for quarantine in Taiwan. Travelers planning to quarantine at home must sign an affidavit confirming they meet the one-person-per-residence requirements. All inbound travelers who had COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 14 days must undergo a PCR test upon arrival and a second such test 24 hours later. Officials require these travelers to stay at a government quarantine facility until both results are available and to see a physician before completing the remainder of the quarantine period. Passengers bound for Taiwan who do not accurately report their travel and medical history could face fines of up to NTD 150,000 (USD 5,364).

Passengers who have been to the UK, South Africa, eSwatini, India, or Brazil within 14 days of their arrival in Taiwan must follow self-health management procedures for seven days following their mandatory self-quarantine periods. Arrivals with recent travel history in Brazil and India remain subject to the mandatory 14-day quarantine in government-run facilities. Authorities require some inbound arrivals from Southeast Asian countries to quarantine at government-designated hotels; officials will direct arriving passengers living with people with chronic illnesses, children younger than six years old, or adults older than 65 years old to the facilities.

Arrivals from designated low-risk countries and territories may leave isolation on the fifth day of the quarantine, while travelers from medium-risk countries may exit quarantine on the seventh day. After leaving quarantine, business travelers must practice self-health management until the 21st day after entry. As of May 19, the CECC classifies Australia, Brunei, Macao, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, and Palau as low risk. Bhutan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, and Fiji are designated medium-risk locations.

Flights to mainland China remain restricted indefinitely; airlines are only allowed to fly to airports in Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (SHA, PVG), Xiamen (XMN), and Chengdu (CTU). Taiwan continues to ban cruise ships.

Advice

Consider postponing travel to Taiwan if affected by travel restrictions. Confirm entry requirements before traveling to Taiwan. Follow all official instructions. Make allowances for business disruptions. Allow additional time for health screenings when arriving in or traveling across Taiwan. Consider delaying travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny, delays, and quarantine.

Resources

Taiwan Centers for Disease Control
Ministry of Health and Welfare Quarantine System for Entry