Taiwan’s Schengen visa waivers would not be affected by the EU’s new travel requirements that are to take effect next year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
Under the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), visa-exempt nationals traveling to 30 European countries are required to have travel authorization.
The 30 countries include the 27 in the passport-free Schengen Area, and Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania, Department of European Affairs Director-General Vincent Yao (姚金祥) told a news conference.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Taiwanese passport holders are able to travel to the Schengen Area visa-free as long as they hold a passport valid for a minimum of six months, he said.
The visa-free travel would not be affected by the ETIAS, Yao said.
After the system is implemented, travelers have to fill out the form on the ETIAS’ Web site and pay a fee of 7 euros (US$7.81), he said.
The authorization is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, he said.
With a valid ETIAS travel authorization, people can enter the 30 countries unlimited times for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
The EU is planning to adopt the system following the practice of the US, Canada and Australia to obtain information on visa-free travelers before they arrive at the border, Yao said.
Travelers can also use this system to confirm whether they are allowed to enter the country in advance, he added.
The authorization does not guarantee entry, which would be granted by border officers after verifying the traveler’s passport and other required documents, the ETIAS Web site says.
In other developments, MOFA’s Kaohsiung office is planning to expand service space and implement a number system for people waiting, in response to a surge of passport applications, the ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
To meet demand for passport renewals during the summer vacation, the Kaohsiung office is to open extra space in the building’s first floor for applicants to fill out documents, it said.
The office is planning to hand out numbers every morning before business starts, it said.
Those who have taken a number can wait in the area on the first floor, which can help disperse crowds on the third and fourth floors, it said.
Business hours for passport renewal applications are from 8:30am to 5pm on weekdays, with no lunch break, it said, adding that the hours are extended to 8pm on Wednesdays.
People who get a number during the business hours would be able to submit their application on the day, it said.
The ministry suggested applicants make reservations online in advance or ask travel agencies to apply on their behalf to save time, adding that the waiting time on Mondays and Fridays is often longer.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association
RSS