Taiwan has allowed from Thursday onward that international travellers – including those from Hong Kong and Macao – can transit through the island.
Entry bans on some students and non-tourist visitors will also be lifted.
From Thursday on, travellers – including those from Hong Kong and Macao – were allowed to transit through the Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, as long as they do not enter the island, according to its Central Epidemic Command Centre.
Travellers are allowed to stay at the airport for no more than eight hours and must take connecting flights from the same airlines to their destinations.
Transit passengers would be required to stay within a designated part of the airport and avoid contact with other travellers but they are able to access duty-free shopping and food in the waiting area.
Travellers will undergo temperature checks before and after they arrived, and anyone found to be over 37.5 degrees Celsius will not be allowed to board another flight. Anyone with a fever would be seen by a doctor at the airport to assess whether they need to go into quarantine in Taiwan.
However, travellers from mainland China are still barred from transiting through Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Taiwan announced on Thursday that it will gradually adjust regulations concerning foreign nationals’ entry into the island.
These adjustments are being made to accelerate Taiwan’s economic momentum and restore normal living conditions.
From June 29, 2020, foreign nationals who wish to travel to Taiwan for reasons other than tourism and regular social visits may apply for a special entry permit with a Taiwanese overseas mission by submitting relevant documents and forms.
Upon entering Taiwan, all foreign nationals must present an English-language certificate showing they are negative from COVID-19, taken within three days of boarding the flight to Taiwan and must have undergone a 14-day home quarantine period.
Visitors of the following categories can be exempted from negative COVID-19 test:
-
- Personnel on diplomatic or official business
- Migrant workers
- Students
- People coming to Taiwan for emergency situations
- Crewmembers on vessels arriving in Taiwan (for whom it may be difficult to obtain a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test).
(SCMP/MOFA/Macau News)
PHOTO © Taiwan Scene
