TAIPEI – Taiwan will end preferential visa measures for Cambodian nationals from August 1 while extending visa-free entry for citizens of the Philippines, Thailand and Brunei for another year.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the preferential arrangements for Cambodian travellers under the Guanhong Project and the online Travel Authorisation Certificate (TAC) scheme will be discontinued, as reported by Taiwan News.
The ministry said the decision was made to safeguard border security and uphold respect for Taiwan's sovereignty.
It added that although the visa concessions had been in place since 2018, Cambodia had not reciprocated the policy and had aligned with China's position on Taiwan.
The ministry also cited Cambodia's reputation as a base for large international fraud syndicates as another factor behind the decision.
From August 1, Cambodian nationals will be required to apply for the appropriate visa through Taiwan's overseas representative offices.
The ministry said the restoration of the visa privileges would depend on future policy changes by the Cambodian government.
Meanwhile, Taiwan has extended visa-free entry for citizens of the Philippines, Thailand and Brunei until July 31, 2027.
It also renewed the Guanhong Project for travellers from Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Myanmar and Laos for another year, extending the scheme until Dec 31, 2027.
