Taiwan eases visa procedures for more ASEAN nations

TAIPEI - Taiwan will increase the number of ASEAN member States in its streamlined visa application programme from five to eight as part of efforts to expand bilateral exchanges and to promote President Tsai Ing-wen administration’s New Southbound Policy.

Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar will be added to the programme before September 1. This will allow citizens of the three countries to apply online for Taiwan visas if they have previously held travel visas or resident permits for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the EU or the US.
Tourism Bureau Director-General, David Hsieh, said the number of visitors from Southeast Asia was around 1.42 million last year, and following easing of visa restrictions for the eight ASEAN nations, an annual increase of at least 20% in visitor numbers from the region was expected for 2016, generating foreign exchange earnings of NT$13 billion [US$400 million].  www.taiwantoday.tw (ATI).