Taiwan suspends special visa program for Vietnamese after disappearing act

Taiwan has decided to halt issuing visas for groups of Vietnamese tourists under a special program launched in 2015.
taiwan suspends special visa program for vietnamese after disappearing act hinh 0

The move follows 152 Vietnamese tourists going missing after arriving in Taiwan last week.

A consular officer from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office confirmed to VnExpress on December 28 that Taiwan will temporarily cease issuance of visas for 102 travel agencies in Vietnam.

The travel agencies had been designated by the Taiwanese Tourism Bureau to apply for visas under the special program for six countries.

The Kuan Hung visa program, a part of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy to establish closer ties with selected nations, made it easier for citizens of Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to visit Taiwan by applying for electronic visas without paying for visa fees.

The policy also allows simplified visa procedures for groups of five tourists or more from the six countries, as long as they are organized by "quality travel agencies" recognized by the Tourism Bureau or if they are part of company-sponsored groups.

Apart from the visa waiver program, the issuance of other visas for Vietnamese citizens remained unchanged, the officer said.

As of December 28, Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency (NIA) says that it has found 17 of the 152 tourists who went missing late last week.

Five of the missing tourists were detained on December 28 in Xinbei City and nine others were found on December 27. Three others have flown back to Vietnam, leaving 135 still unaccounted for.

Vietnam has gained notoriety for several cases of tourists absconding after arriving in Taiwan under the special visa program.

Official statistics from Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau shows 225,702 foreign tourists have arrived in Taiwan under the visa program since 2015.

Of them, 566 people have gone missing to work illegally in the territory, and Vietnamese citizens account for 72% of the total, the Focus Taiwan newspaper reported on December 26.

As a result of the sharp increase in the number of unaccounted Vietnamese tourists, Taiwanese authorities have shortened the length of visas issued to Vietnamese from 30 to 14 days.

Vietnam’s tourism ministry has ordered urgent probe into the latest disappearing act.

"This is a serious incident which could tarnish the reputation of Vietnam in the eyes of international friends," said Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

VnExpress

Other News

Vietnam moves to adapt to rapid population ageing, expand silver economy

Vietnam moves to adapt to rapid population ageing, expand silver economy

The International Day of Older Persons 2026, themed “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” highlights the need to develop healthcare, social security, labour-market and social-service systems in response to increasing life expectancy. For Vietnam, rapid population ageing is not only a demographic issue but also a development challenge.

Vietnamese, Lao localities bolster Front cooperation

Vietnamese, Lao localities bolster Front cooperation

Both sides agreed to keep educating officials, Party members, youth union groups and the broader public, especially young people in both provinces, on the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos.

Urgent rescue launched for Merchant Mariner off Quang Ngai

Urgent rescue launched for Merchant Mariner off Quang Ngai

The captain discovered water entering ballast tanks No. 4, 5 and 6 on the port side, causing the vessel to list slightly. Initial assessments indicated that the vessel may have struck an underwater rock formation while underway.

Publishing copyright caught in crossfire of piracy, AI

Publishing copyright caught in crossfire of piracy, AI

Publishing copyright is entering an entirely new phase. As AI becomes increasingly capable of generating text, summarising books, mimicking writing styles and producing content at enormous speed, ensuring copyright protection is becoming more difficult.

Heavy rains cause widespread damage in Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa

Heavy rains cause widespread damage in Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa

Prolonged heavy rains from September 13–17 have caused flooding and landslides, damaging homes, crops, roads and infrastructure in Phu Tho and Thanh Hoa provinces, with local authorities mobilising forces for emergency response.

Quang Ninh police bust 38.4 million USD transnational cybercrime ring

Quang Ninh police bust 38.4 million USD transnational cybercrime ring

Quang Ninh city's Public Security Department warned individuals, agencies and businesses not to publicly disclose or provide personal information or bank account details on social media, and urged organisations and businesses to strictly comply with regulations on protecting customers’ personal data.

Search area expanded to recover more martyrs' remains in Quang Tri

Search area expanded to recover more martyrs' remains in Quang Tri

The continued recovery of martyrs’ remains provides valuable information and further evidence of those who fought and sacrificed their lives for national independence and freedom. It also encourages search teams to persist in locating fallen soldiers still lying on former battlefields, contributing to the effective implementation of the 500-day campaign and reflecting Vietnam’s long-standing tradition of gratitude.

Vietnam to screen students nationwide for five health risks from 2028

Vietnam to screen students nationwide for five health risks from 2028

Vietnam will launch nationwide screening for five groups of school-related diseases and health conditions among students from preschool through high school from 2028, including overweight and obesity, refractive errors, spinal curvature, oral diseases and mental health disorders.