Government Revises Express Immigration Rules for Foreign Businesspeople

     Immigration procedures at Taiwan ˇ¦s international airports became faster for foreign businesspeople when a revision of the Operational Regulations Governing Speedy Immigration Inspection and Clearance of Foreign Businesspeople took effect on March 15. The Regulations make express immigration available to four categories of foreign business people: those who have invested at least NT$50 million in Taiwan , executives or managers of foreign-invested businesses or multinationals in Taiwan who are posted to the island, those who are employed by local businesses as executives or managers, and those who have made contributions to Taiwan ˇ¦s economy. Such qualified people must be recommended by the local chamber of commerce to which they belong and examined by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA); qualified individuals who are not recommended by a chamber of commerce may apply directly to the MOEA. Approved businesspeople who are listed on the National Immigration Agencyˇ¦s website (http://www.immigration.gov.tw/) have access to express immigration counters at international airports. They may also take accompanying spouses and lineal descendants with them when clearing immigration through the express counters.

 

The MOEA transmits the list of approved foreign businesspeople to the National Immigration Agency over the Internet, and the agency then sends the list to immigration offices at international airports. Approved businesspeople can download their data from the Internet, and present it with their passports when clearing immigration. The period of approval is one year, and the original approval may not be extended; when the year is up, the businessperson must be recommended or apply again to the MOEA. Approval may be revoked for persons who violate local laws or become ineligible for other reasons.

 

For more details on the revised Regulations, please consult this website: http://www.immigration.gov.tw/aspcode/LawList1.asp?NodeID=699.

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