Taiwan: Authorities shorten quarantine period for arriving international travelers effective May 9 /update 66

Event

Officials in Taiwan are shortening the mandatory quarantine period for arriving travelers from 10 to seven days effective May 9. Officials continue to ban most foreign nationals but allow returning Taiwanese or foreigners who have received approval from the government to enter the island. Travelers must take a PCR test on arrival and a rapid antigen test on the last day of quarantine.

Domestic Measures
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. Recreational venues with hostess services may operate. Companies must continue to permit employees to work from home when possible and stagger working hours. Visitors to certain entertainment venues, like bars and nightclubs, must present a COVID-19 vaccine pass proving they are fully vaccinated to enter the premises. Additionally, travelers to Taiwan's offshore counties no longer need to take a COVID-19 test before departure.

Close contacts of COVID-19 cases must undergo three days of home isolation and a rapid antigen test on the third day. Individuals must subsequently undergo a four-day health monitoring period but can leave their residence to work, buy necessities, and take public transport if they test negative for the virus that day; however, authorities prohibit people from dining in, attending gatherings, or visiting crowded places. Individuals can serve the quarantine at home if they can isolate themselves from family members in a separate room.

Facemasks are mandatory in public, with exemptions for outdoor workers in specific industries, sports competitions, exercise, and in certain indoor settings, among others. Exempt individuals must wear masks if crowds materialize nearby or if social distancing is impossible. Local governments can adjust measures depending on COVID-19 activity. 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.

International Travel Restrictions
Officials continue to ban most foreign nationals without valid Alien Resident Certificates from entering Taiwan. Noncitizens are also barred from boarding international transit flights except for emergency humanitarian reasons. Permitted migrant workers and foreign spouses, and children of Taiwanese citizens and residents can apply for a visa to enter the island. International business travelers can apply for special entry permits; foreigners may submit their applications to Republic of China (Taiwan) embassies in their respective countries. Individuals from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau may also apply for entry upon invitation by organizations in Taiwan for business purposes, including internal company transfers.

Inbound passengers must undergo hotel quarantine for seven days, followed by seven days of self-monitoring. Arrivals may opt for home quarantine but must stay alone in the residence; exemptions are possible for family or household members who arrive on the same day. Inbound passengers opting for home quarantine must submit proof that they have suitable accommodations no more than 48 hours before departure. Passengers who do not accurately report their travel and medical history could face fines of up to NTD 150,000.

All arrivals must submit an online Quarantine System for Entry form within 48 hours before entry. Travelers must also hold negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within two days before departure. Additional PCR tests are compulsory upon arrival. Travelers must also take a rapid antigen test on the last day of quarantine. Those seeking exemptions to pre-departure testing for emergencies must provide supporting documents or face penalties; they must pay for an on-arrival COVID-19 test.

Returning airline crew members on long-haul flights who have received a COVID-19 booster vaccine at least 14 days prior must undergo a three-day home quarantine, followed by four days of self-monitoring, and undergo COVID-19 tests on arrival and days 4-7. Fully vaccinated short-haul crew members must observe self-health management for five days and take a rapid or PCR test every five days.

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.

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 (Chinese)
Ministry of Health and Welfare Quarantine System for Entry (Chinese)