No visa-free entry for Singaporeans to Taiwan as it eases Covid-19 restrictions on some visitors

SINGAPORE — Visitors from Singapore will not be granted visa-free entry to Taiwan when it allows such entry to visitors from some other countries from Sept 12 as it eases Covid-19 restrictions.

Information published by the island's Bureau of Consular Affairs listed various countries whose citizens would be granted visa-free entry, including Britain, Germany, New Zealand and the United States.

Singapore was among a list of countries under the heading "temporarily suspending". Others included Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. No reason was given for this temporary suspension.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Singaporeans were entitled to visa-free entry to Taiwan for up to 30 days.

On Monday (Sept 5), Taiwan announced the move to resume visa-free entry for visitors from various countries from Sept 12. The nationals from these countries would be able to stay on the island as part of the visa exemption programme for up to 30 days for some countries and up to 90 days for others.

In a statement to the media, the Taiwan Representative Office in Singapore clarified on Tuesday there was a misunderstanding arising from a government press release issued the previous day which gave the impression that from Sept 12, Singaporeans can enter Taiwan without a visa. The error was rectified on Tuesday, it added.

Reuters reported on Monday that Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Centre chief Victor Wang had told the media that visitors will continue to be quarantined for three days as well as be subjected to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival.

The current limit of 50,000 arrivals into the island every week will also remain.

Taiwan, a popular tourist destination prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, has already previously ended its requirement for pre-departure negative PCR tests.

To date, it has recorded 5,503,725 Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020.

The number of Covid-19 fatalities in Taiwan rose to 10,115 after 21 more deaths were reported Tuesday.