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Last Updated:
November 2, 2007 15:32
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Still Valid: November 15, 2007 23:27 EST |
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1. RECENT UPDATES Sections 1, 2, 3, of this Travel Report have been updated. BACK TO TOP 2. WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS There is no Official Warning for this country.
Most Canadian visitors to OFFICIAL REGISTRATION RECOMMENDATION: We offer a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that we can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home. Registration can be done on-line or by contacting a Canadian government office abroad. For more information, see our FAQs on Registration of Canadians Abroad. BACK TO TOP 3. SAFETY AND SECURITY The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. The purpose of this Travel Report is to provide Canadians with up-to-date information to enable them to make well-informed decisions. The crime rate is relatively low. Exercise normal safety precautions and ensure valuables are secure. Foreigners, though not specifically targeted, have fallen victim to residential burglaries and thefts. Purse snatching by thieves on motorcycles occurs in southern and central areas. Women should not travel alone in taxis at night. Female travellers should exercise caution at all times. Foreign Affairs and International Trade For emergency assistance, call 110 for police and 119 for ambulance and fire. BACK TO TOP 4. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS The following information on entry and exit requirements has been confirmed with the authorities of Taiwan and was valid on March 16, 2006. However, entry and exit requirements are subject to change. It is the sole prerogative of each country to determine who is allowed to enter. All countries have special requirements for persons intending to reside for extended periods (usually more than 90 days) or who plan to work, study, or engage in non-tourist activities. To obtain information on specific entry requirements, contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the country or countries to be visited. Violations of entry and exit requirements may result in serious penalties. For further information, contact the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, World Exchange Plaza, 45 O'Connor Street, Suite 1960, Ottawa, ON, K1P 1A4 (tel.: 613-231-5080/ fax: 613-231-7112/ e-mail: teco@on.aibn.com/ Web site: www.taiwan-canada.org) or the Office in Toronto (416-369-9030) or Vancouver (604-689-4111). A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit Taiwan. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected departure from the island. Failure to do so may result in immigration authorities refusing entry and deportation. Return airline tickets are also required. The Government of the People's Republic of China has modified requirements for the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens born in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan. Visas will no longer be issued to Canadian passport holders whose place of birth is inscribed as Hong Kong HKG, Macao MAC, or (city name) TWN. Canadian passports issued to Canadians born in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan are now issued only with the place of birth. There will no longer be a three letter country code. Passengers will have their body temperatures checked through infrared monitors prior to arriving at the immigration/customs counters. Those arriving from China, Macau and other countries affected by Avian Flu will be given a form as a reminder to take their temperature for 10 consecutive dates. Persons with flu-like symptoms (fever, muscle ache, lethargy, sore throat) must report to a hospital. It is illegal to work in Taiwan without a work permit. Those who are caught working illegally, even for one day, will be deported and will not be allowed to return to Taiwan for at least 5 years. Tourist Visa: Not required (for stays less than 30 days) Business Visa: Not required (for stays less than 30 days) Student Visa: Required Working Visa: Required A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship (CCC) is not a travel document. Airlines are known to refuse boarding to dual national Canadian passengers returning to Canada, travelling on a passport that requires a visa to enter Canada, regardless of whether the passenger presents a valid CCC as proof of Canadian citizenship. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel. It proves your admissibility to enter Canada. Selling, altering, or allowing another person to use your passport is a criminal offence. It could lead to the laying of charges and imprisonment if convicted. It could also lead to the denial of future passport services. Special and diplomatic passport holders should verify visa requirements for this and other countries, as they may differ from those that apply to regular passport holders. Any adult travelling with children may be required to show evidence of parental/custodial and/or access rights. Foreign and Canadian authorities may also require evidence that the adult has the consent of the parents, legal guardian, and/or the court to travel with the children. Some countries may not permit children to enter or, in some cases, leave the country without proper documentation such as a letter of consent or a court order. Although same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, many countries do not recognize them. Attempting to enter as a same-sex married couple may result in refusal by local officials. For more information, contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada. BACK TO TOP 5. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT CONTACTS You can obtain consular assistance and further consular information at the following address: Taiwan - TAIPEI, Trade Office of Canada Address: 13th Floor, 365 Fu Hsing North Road, Taipei, 105 Tel.: 886 (2) 2544-3000 Emergency toll-free to Ottawa: 00-800-2326-6831 Fax: 886 (2) 2544-3590 E-Mail: tapei@international.gc.ca Internet: http://www.canada.org.tw For emergency assistance after hours, call the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei and follow the instructions. You may also call the Department in Ottawa toll-free at 00-800-2326-6831. BACK TO TOP 6. LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS You are subject to local laws. A serious violation may lead to a jail or death sentence. The sentence will be served in local prisons. Canadians arrested or detained have the right to contact the responsible Canadian government office (embassy, high commission, etc.) listed in Section 5 above. Arresting officials have a responsibility to assist you in doing so. Canadian consular officials can provide a list of local lawyers upon request. The procedures required in legal proceedings or police investigations may be different from the procedures in force in the Canadian legal system. Canadians wishing to undertake such proceedings can expect to face long delays and additional efforts in order to resolve their case. The Government of Canada cannot intervene in ongoing legal proceedings in other countries, unless requested to do so by local authorities. Such requests are rare. Men between the ages of 18 and 45 who hold a Taiwanese passport or who were born in Taiwan may be subject to compulsory military service. It is imperative that such persons contact the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ottawa (see below) before visiting Taiwan. Dual nationals who visit Taiwan on their Canadian passport may also be required to perform compulsory military service. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada publishes a booklet, Dual Citizenship: What Travellers Should Know, specifically targeted at Canadians with dual nationality. Some narcotics offences are punishable by death. BACK TO TOP 7. LOCAL TRAVEL AND CURRENCY Traffic congestion is severe in urban areas. Motorcycles and scooters weave in and out of traffic. Mountain roads are narrow, winding, and poorly banked. Taxi drivers tend to speak little or no English. Have your destination written in Chinese. The use of cellular phones while driving is strictly prohibited. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended. The currency is the New Taiwan dollar. Credit cards are accepted in many shops, restaurants, and hotels in major cities, but are not widely recognized elsewhere. Foreign currency and traveller's cheques can be exchanged at most major banks and hotels. Check with your bank for information on Automated Banking Machine ( BACK TO TOP 8. NATURAL DISASTERS AND CLIMATE Taiwan is located in an active seismic zone. Strong earthquakes measuring between 4 and 7 on the Richter scale have occurred. Canadians should know the address and telephone number of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei in the event of an emergency. Taiwan is subject to typhoons. The rainy (monsoon) season extends from June to early October. Upland areas in Nantou county and rural areas are prone to flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains. The cross-island highway linking Hualien and Taichung is treacherous and frequently closed to clear landslides. Travellers should keep informed of regional weather forecasts and plan accordingly. The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan maintains a Web site, which provides information on typhoons and earthquakes. See our Current Issues page for information on typhoons and monsoons. BACK TO TOP 9. TRAVEL MEDICINE PROGRAM The Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) report on disease outbreaks that occur throughout the world. For the latest travel health advisories and related information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Travel Medicine Program Web site. The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that your travel plans include contacting a travel medicine clinic or physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on your individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and/or preventive medication and advise you on precautions to avoid disease. Travellers are reminded to ensure that their routine (childhood) immunizations (e.g., tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and measles) are up to date. Standards of medical care may differ from those in Canada. Treatment may be expensive, and payment in advance may be required. Travellers are advised to arrange for medical insurance prior to departure. Prescription medications should be kept in the original container and packed in carry-on luggage. The Public Health Agency of Canada also recommends that travellers who become sick or feel unwell on their return to Canada seek a medical assessment with their personal physician. Travellers should inform their physician that they have been travelling or living outside of Canada. BACK TO TOP 10. ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION N/A BACK TO TOP 11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Returning to Canada Traveller's Checklist Health and Travel Insurance: Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover all expenses if you get sick or are injured while abroad. It may cover nothing or only a portion of the costs. Understand the terms of your supplementary insurance policy. Some credit cards offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume the card alone provides adequate coverage. Carry details of your insurance with you. Also, tell your travel agent, a friend or relative, and/or travelling companion how to contact your insurer. Get a detailed invoice from the doctor or hospital before you return to Canada. Always submit original receipts for any medical services or prescriptions received abroad. Most insurance companies will not accept copies or faxes. See Canada's Health Portal. Cancelling a scheduled trip abroad could cost you money. Before cancelling a scheduled trip, you should discuss the matter with your travel agent, your travel insurer, or the airline. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. Teaching English in Taiwan: Contracts to teach English (arranged by recruiters in Canada) should be carefully reviewed before being signed. Some have been changed after the fact. Ensure all terms and conditions of employment are clearly stated in the contract before accepting an offer. Written contracts are not always binding documents. However, verbal agreements may take precedence over written agreements. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada published a guide, Teaching English in Taiwan (on-line only), to provide Canadians with basic information on this subject. Adoption: Provincial and territorial authorities in Canada are responsible for authorizing international adoptions. If you are thinking of adopting a child from another country, you must first obtain information about the adoption regulations of the province or territory in which the child will reside. While adoption is a provincial/territorial responsibility, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for allowing an adopted child entry into Canada. Entry can be refused if the child does not hold the appropriate immigrant visa. A visa may be denied, even if the adoption has already been completed. For more information contact CIC at 1 888 242-2100 (in Canada only), check the CIC Web site or contact your provincial or territorial government. BACK TO TOP 12. ANNEX N/A BACK TO TOP |
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