- Media
Taiwan warns citizens not to misuse visa waivers overseas
The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has issued a statement cautioning citizens not to misuse free-travel visa waivers overseas amidst Lunar New Year celebrations, as it stated that illegal activity could result in countries opting to end visa waivers for Taiwanese visitors.
In its statement, the MOFA said that citizens should not misuse visa waivers in other countries in order to join fraud rings or engage in activities such as online gambling.
Potential consequences
This word of caution came in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year celebrations, which marks one of the busiest travel and festival periods of the year, especially in the Asian continent. Thailand and South Korea have reportedly heightened inspection standards of foreign visitors suspected of engaging or intending to engage in illegal activities, the MOFA commented. With the Lunar New Year holidays in mind, it stated that it is essential to understand the entry regulations of one’s destination country prior to travelling.
The MOFA said that most countries provide travellers with visa waivers specifically with regard to tourism and business. It continued that, therefore, if travellers were to engage in illegal activities or overstay their visas, then doing so could harm Taiwan’s international reputation and could possibly result in countries ending visa waivers for Taiwanese visitors. It added that if any citizens were to become involved in illegal activity overseas, then they are advised to report to local police or immigration authorities, as well as to contact the office of the country’s Taiwanese representative.
With regard to South Korea in particular, Taiwanese passport holders are allowed visa-free entry for tourism and business purposes with stays of up to 90 days.
Warning against fake job offers, the MOFA said that travellers should be vigilant and properly verify all details before responding to online advertisements showcasing offers of high-paying jobs overseas. The ministry warned that falling for such fraudulent offers could result in serious financial losses or even loss of freedom, as well as potential fraud convictions. It strongly urged citizens to thoroughly check and verify any online or unsolicited advertisements, emphasising that the careful verification of authenticity for such advertisements is important in order to avoid becoming victims of fraud due to negligence.
Rise in related arrests
MOFA Spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei reportedly said that there had been a rise in the number of Taiwanese citizens arrested in South Korea in relation to alleged involvement in telecommunications scams since the beginning of the year. He said that six Taiwanese individuals had been arrested by South Korean police in connection with such cases by the time of his statement.
Kuang-wei said that similar cases involving Taiwanese citizens have previously typically occurred around once every one to two months, as he continued that similar cases have also been reported in Thailand within the past few years, where some Taiwanese citizens who entered visa-free were later found to have travelled to Myanmar or Cambodia so that they could engage in gambling or telecommunications fraud.
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