Page 200 - 2023 OUTLINE OF THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Immigration

IX. COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention Measures

1. Automatic extension measures

In order to prevent international travel leading to pandemic outbreaks, as well as to reduce the
workload of pandemic prevention efforts in the local community, the NIA has provided monthly 30-
day automatic extensions to foreign nationals, people of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau

residents, and ROC nationals without household registration in Taiwan who entered Taiwan before or
on March 21, 2020, as visitors and who are staying within their legally allowed duration of stay. A total
of 10 extensions were made from January 1, 2022 to October 5, 2022.In order for foreigners to ar-
range departure plans in advance, a grace period was given. Foreigners whose automatic extensions

expired on or before November 30, 2022, would not be considered as overstaying as long as they
departed by November 30, 2022. Those whose automatic extensions expired on or after December 1,
2022, had to depart before the last day allowed.

2. Carefree COVID-19 vaccination program
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, police agencies and the Ministry of

Labor, the NIA launched the “Carefree COVID-19 Vaccination Program” on December 3, 2021, to
encourage overstayers to get vaccinated. The program greatly contributed to the control of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the disbandment of the Central Epidemic Command Center, the
program ended at the end of April 2023, with over 190,000 individuals getting vaccinated.

3. COVID-19 prevention in detention centers

To prevent the transmission of COVID-19, new detainees undergo a certain period of isolation
for observation at detention centers. Once the isolation period is over, detainees without COVID-19
symptoms are transferred to the common areas of the detention center while detainees with
COVID-19 symptoms are hospitalized immediately. In addition, the NIA provides detainees with

masks as well as hand sanitizers. Temperature monitoring for detainees is required on a daily basis.
The NIA cleans and disinfects the detention centers in daily routine.

4. Assisting in COVID-19 prevention and publicity

(1) The Foreigners in Taiwan Hotline provided free consultations on entry and exit measures during
the COVID-19 pandemic in Chinese, English, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai, and Khmer.

In 2022, a total of 262,934 calls were received.

198