Taiwan: Officials ease self-health monitoring rules for inbound travelers from Sept. 1 /update 71

Event

Authorities in Taiwan will ease self-health monitoring rules for inbound travelers from Sept. 1. Arrivals may serve the last four days of self-health monitoring at home if they are able to abide by the "one person per room" principle. Travelers must continue to serve their initial three-day quarantine at a designated hotel or at home on a "one-person per residence" basis. Other international travel curbs remain in place.

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. 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.

The government requires locally acquired COVID-19 cases to self-quarantine for seven days, followed by seven days of self-health monitoring. Household contacts of COVID-19 cases must self-isolate for three days, followed by four days of self-health monitoring if they have not received at least three COVID-19 vaccine doses. Household members who have received three COVID-19 vaccine doses are exempt from isolation but must undergo seven days of self-initiated epidemic prevention during which they may leave home if they test negative in a rapid antigen test taken within the past two days.

International Travel Restrictions
Officials continue to ban most foreign nationals without valid Alien Resident Certificates from entering Taiwan. 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, volunteers, missionaries, interns, international exchange participants, religious scholars, and holiday workers can apply for special entry permits; foreigners may submit their applications to the Republic of China (Taiwan) representative offices 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. Transit passengers, except those traveling to or from mainland China, are allowed at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). Transit travelers cannot stay at the airport for more than 12 hours and must connect on the same calendar day.

All arrivals must submit an online Quarantine System for Entry form within 48 hours before entry. Passengers who do not accurately report their travel and medical history could face fines of up to NTD 150,000. Inbound passengers are not required to take a pre-departure test but must take a saliva-based PCR test on arrival. Travelers must quarantine for three days, followed by a four-day self-health monitoring period. Passengers can leave accommodations to work or purchase essential goods during the self-health monitoring period with a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) taken within 48 hours. Authorities also permit travelers fulfilling contractual obligations in public during the prevention period for work, site visits, and speeches, among other reasons. People in public during the prevention period must maintain social distancing and use facemasks at all times.

Returning airline crew members on short- and long-haul flights who have received a COVID-19 booster vaccine are exempt from quarantine but must undergo five and seven days of self-health management respectively. All crew members must undergo PCR tests on arrival. Fully vaccinated crew members on short- and long-haul flights must undergo rapid or PCR tests every five and two days, respectively.

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