Turkey is to become the 133th country or region to grant Taiwan visa facilitation after agreeing to include Taiwan in its e-visa system on May 15, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Ko (柯森耀) said yesterday.
Reciprocally, the Taiwanese government will extend landing visa privileges to Turkish citizens, effective on the same date, Ko told a news conference.
The government welcomed the visa facilities and said it believed that the e-visa system would facilitate people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and enhance bilateral relations in areas of trade and commerce, tourism, academia and culture, Ko said.
Ko said the agreement on the facilitation of the issuance of visas saw the results of efforts by both sides over the years come to fruition.
Despite the progress, the ministry yesterday had few details to offer as to how it has proceeded with its long-stated goal to open a representative office in Istanbul, one of Turkey’s biggest cities, reportedly hampered by intervention from China.
David Wang (王建業), director of the ministry’s Department of West Asian and African Affairs, said the ministry has been taking one step at a time developing bilateral relations in a steady manner.
Under Turkey’s e-visa system, Republic of China passport holders can apply for a single-entry visa for a stay of up to 30 days at a cost of US$20.
The current application fee for a single-entry visa to Turkey is NT$1,800 (US$61) and NT$6,000 for a multiple-entry visa.
To use the e-visa system, a visitor is required to hold a passport that is valid for at least six months.
People traveling on e-visas to Turkey can enter the country via any of its three main international airports, Esenboga International Airport in Ankara, and Ataturk International Airport and Sabina Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul, the ministry said.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
RSS