Taiwan reinstates the Quan Hong visa policy for Vietnamese tourists.

According to the new regulations, the Quan Hong visa is only available to companies on the list designated by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. This means fewer travel agencies can apply for this type of visa than before. Normally, the application processing time takes at least 7 days. However, the current processing time will be longer.

When traveling on Taiwan tours organized by designated travel companies, tourists will benefit from the Quan Hong visa policy, which requires a minimum visa application dossier including: a passport valid for at least 6 months before the departure date, and a visa application form. All tourists will complete the visa application process online, and are required to enter and exit the country according to the tour itinerary of the travel company.

In addition, for the Quan Hong visa group, a group leader is required to accompany them through customs, entering and exiting the country on the same day. The submitted documents must include the group leader's name and a return flight ticket with the applicant's name on it.

On the day of departure, tour groups need to inform the Taiwanese travel company of information such as the e-code number, the number of registered participants, the actual number of participants departing, and the names of those who will not be traveling, so that the Taiwanese travel company can notify the relevant authorities. The required documents remain the same, but verification with the Taiwan tourism authority in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) is necessary.

Specifically, companies designated to have fewer than three customers overstaying their registered stay in Taiwan or absconding will have their Quan Hong application process suspended for two months. If the number exceeds six, the company will be removed from the list of designated companies. This penalty also applies to travel companies that arbitrarily accept groups from companies not on the list, use borrowed names, or combine groups without authorization.

Furthermore, travel agencies on the designated list that have three or more customers overstay their registered dates or abscond will be suspended from accepting Quan Hong visa applications for two months. If the number exceeds six, the company will be removed from the list of designated companies. This penalty also applies to travel companies that arbitrarily accept groups from companies not on the list, use borrowed names, or combine groups without authorization.

In late December 2018, following the disappearance of 152 Vietnamese tourists in Taiwan, representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam confirmed that they had temporarily suspended the processing of Quan Hong visas for all domestic travel companies. This decision affected many legitimate businesses.

In fact, there are currently three types of visas to Taiwan: regular sticker visas, advanced e-visas, and Quan Hong e-visas. The Quan Hong e-visa is a new type of visa created to promote tourism in Taiwan. However, this visa is only issued to tour groups sponsored by Vietnamese and Taiwanese travel companies. In other words, this type of visa is issued to travel agencies.

Besides announcing the reintroduction of the Quan Hong policy, Taiwan also stated that it is preparing to open a Taiwan Tourism Promotion Office in Vietnam. This office is expected to be located in Ho Chi Minh City and will not only be responsible for the Vietnamese market but also for the markets of Laos and Cambodia.

Additional information:

Previously, on September 1, 2016, Taiwan implemented a relaxed visa policy for Vietnamese tourists. Accordingly, Vietnamese citizens with valid or expired visas from the US, Canada, Japan, the Schengen Area, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea (expired within the last 10 years of the entry date) would be considered for a 30-day visa exemption to Taiwan.

Nga Nguyen