Entry requirements to be relaxed for Taiwanese travelers

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Mainland China will relax entry requirements for Taiwanese citizens effective July 1, according to a statement by China’s State Council.

What does the change mean? Taiwanese travelers will not need to apply for a visa-like travel endorsement to visit China and will have simpler documentary requirements in the near future.

• Implementation time frame: July 1.
• Visas/permits affected: Travel endorsement.
• Who is affected: Taiwanese citizens traveling to mainland China.
• Impact on processing times: The changes should shorten the time required for processing of documents.
• Business impact: Frequent business travelers will benefit from simpler procedures.
• Next steps: BAL is in contact with government agencies and will report additional details as they become available.

Background: According to preliminary regulations, Taiwanese travelers will be required to have a valid Tai Bao Zheng, but will be exempt from having to obtain a travel endorsement. A Tai Bao Zheng is a booklet separate from a Taiwanese passport, and a travel endorsement is a visa-like stamp in the Tai Bao Zheng currently required for travel to mainland China. Detailed rules are expected once they are implemented.

BAL Analysis: These significant changes will benefit Taiwanese citizens who travel frequently to mainland China, as processing of relevant documents will be easier and faster.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in China. For additional information, please contact china@bal.com.

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