Taiwan: Officials to ease COVID-19-related quarantine measures from June 15 /update 67

Event

Authorities to ease COVID-19-related quarantine measures for international arrivals from June 15. Domestic measures remain unchanged.

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.

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 will ease the mandatory quarantine requirement from seven to three days from June 15. Arriving passengers will be administered a saliva-based PCR test at the airport and must immediately quarantine; after three days persons enter a four-day period where they are encouraged not to go out in public. Individuals may take a rapid antigen test in order to go into public, should they wish to do so. After a total of seven days the requirements are lifted and normal movement can occur. Passengers who do not accurately report their travel and medical history could face fines of up to NTD 150,000. Authorities will limit the number of people entering the country each day to 25,000.

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.

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. 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)