I’m from Europe so I can stay in Taiwan for up to 90 days visa free. In March 25th I will have to leave taiwan since the 90 days will be over but I want to come back again. I have book tickets with return to Okinawa, Japan but cause of the coronavirus I’m terrified of using the plane. Is there any other way that I can keep staying in Taiwan?
I read somewhere that I can just pass the x ray with my boarding pass and stay at the transit area of the airport and after enter Taiwan again from the immigration without boarding on the plane. Is that possible?? Has anyone try this before??
Probably, but if you’re scared of boarding a plane due to the Wuhan Flu keep in mind you’re going to be hypothetically equally exposed to it in an airport.
Why don’t you be a big boy instead and just go to the NIA office and ask for an extension?
1 hour on a plane each way, plus airport time, mask up and go. In the current situation you might find that the plane is half empty as well. I doubt that the NIA will let you stay over 90 days as its not impossible to leave Taiwan. And please don’t leave it to 90 days, book for a few days earlier as missing your flight wont cut it either.
Wherever you read that is incorrect. The plane might not leave without you especially if you have bags checked. And if they do leave without you then immigration will be alerted and they will be looking for you. Either inside the airport or outside the airport if you manage to get outside. And then when they do find you… trouble. Maybe incarceration, maybe immediate deportation, on and on potential ideas.
The system may even flag you when you try to enter immigration without leaving the airport if it sees you haven’t actually departed.
Just because immigration isn’t at the door of the airplane doesn’t mean they aren’t trusting you to actually depart.
Similar situation that does work is when people fly to another country, but don’t pass immigration and instead transit return immediately to Taiwan.
You probably have an equal opportunity to catch the virus in either of the international airports and the public transport or taxi to/from the airport as you do on the plane. If you don’t eat anything, use the bathroom, take off your mask or sit down, you should be fine.
OK you can extend your Visa to 180 days, however bad part, has to be done within a month of 90 day visa free and 180 day starts from day you arrived not after application.
I suggest do that next time, check out immigration bureau online closest to you.
True you can’t return to Taiwan from the departure/transit zone after exiting customs, but you can spend all the time you want there. The immigration authorities’ computers don’t cross reference your name to a manifest.
And it’s also plenty fine to fly to another country, not enter it, then head back out. Data isn’t shared at that level.
Also, there’s a checkpoint between departures and arrivals on a separate floor where you would need to go to reach immigration back into Taiwan. Is primarily for people and employees on official business. They don’t let just anyone roam through the checkpoint. There is hardly a reason for passengers in departures to go to arrival area. Is normal for people to go from arrivals to departures.
I’ve done HK Taiwan return without passing immigration, also transited abudhabi like that.
A lot of airports have a ‘transit’ area. Tricky to know in advance though.
Had booked my same-day-return to Okinawa for today (March 18) but the outgoing flight got cancelled. Not sure if I can re-book to another airline and still make the trip.
As far as I know, all restrictions including quarantine, no public transportation from airport etc only apply for those arriving from Japan on or after March 19?
Also not sure if this applies:
Duration of stay
2. Visa-exempt entry cannot be converted to visa-based stay, unless any of the following applies:
Foreign nationals entering the ROC on a visa exemption may only apply for conversion to a visitor visa within the permitted duration of stay at the Bureau of Consular Affairs or MOFA branch offices in the event of situations that prevent them from leaving the ROC, such as severe acute illness, natural disaster, or other force majeure reason. Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China(Taiwan)-Visa-Exempt Entry
