Taiwan: Authorities ease COVID-19 restrictions islandwide from July 27 /update 48

Event

Authorities in Taiwan will lower the alert for the island to Level 2 July 27-Aug. 9 amid reduced COVID-19 activity. Officials will permit indoor gatherings to take place with up to 50 people and outdoor groups of 100 people. Individuals must still wear facemasks in all public places.

Operating businesses must limit capacity to one person per 2.25 square meters (24 square feet) indoors and one person per square meter (10 square feet) outdoors. Companies must permit employees to work from home when possible and stagger working hours. Restaurants, markets, and food courts have already resumed dine-in services with social distancing measures. Outdoor recreation areas can operate at 40-percent capacity and some fitness facilities at 25-percent capacity; group classes can occur with testing measures in place. Many nonessential businesses, such as bars, clubs, internet cafes, and swimming pools will remain closed. Local governments maintain the ability to adjust measures depending on COVID-19 activity, and restrictions could vary by location. Individuals and organizations that violate business closure orders and gatherings rules face fines of up to NTD 300,000. Individuals violating facemask requirements may face fines up to NTD 15,000.

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

Travel Restrictions
Foreign nationals without valid Alien Resident Certificates cannot enter Taiwan. Authorities also prevent noncitizens from boarding international transit flights; exceptions are possible for emergency humanitarian purposes. Officials require most inbound passengers to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test obtained within three business days of departure. Exceptions are possible in emergencies, but affected passengers must pay for a COVID-19 test upon arrival; all travelers seeking exemptions to pre-departure testing must provide supporting documents or face penalties. All inbound travelers who had COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 14 days must undergo a PCR test upon arrival and 24 hours later.

Taiwan requires all international arrivals to quarantine for 14 days in government-designated facilities. Most arrivals can quarantine at their own expense in hotels, and inbound passengers must submit proof that they have suitable accommodations no more than 48 hours before departure. Individuals with recent travel history in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Peru, Israel, Indonesia, and the UK must quarantine in specific group facilities. Arrivals who have been in the designated countries must also undergo additional rounds of PCR COVID-19 testing at the beginning and end of their quarantine periods. Passengers who have been to the UK, South Africa, eSwatini, India, or Brazil within 14 days of arrival must follow self-health management procedures for seven days after self-quarantine. Passengers who do not accurately report their travel and medical history could face fines of up to NTD 150,000.

Advice

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