Taiwan is revising the launch details of its digital nomad visa, which was originally planned to permit six month stays.

The areas of Hualien, Taitung, Tainan, and Pingtung are all keen to welcome digital nomads, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu said.

He highlighted that the Taiwanese government will be offering its new digital nomad residents help with support innovation and creativity.

Taiwan is just one of many East Asian countries offering digital nomad visas in a bid to attract professional talent from overseas.

When will Taiwan’s digital nomad visa launch?

It’s still not confirmed when the new visa will be launched.

For now, EU visitors who wish to visit Taiwan can enter on a visa-free entry or on a tourist visa that allows stays of up to three months, however no one is permitted to work.

Part of the country’s new plans will be to make it easier for skilled and high-earning foreign workers to gain permanent residence in Taiwan.

Taiwan is hoping to attract 100,000 remote workers under the scheme, with a goal of allowing 10,000 workers the chance to obtain an ‘Employment Gold Card’ after the one-year visa expires.

INSERT RELATED STORIES HERE e.g. to stories about other DNVs

How can Taiwan’s visa combine with Japan and South Korea?

Taiwan is working closely with the Japanese cities of Osaka and Fukuoka and South Korea to ensure any plans complement existing digital nomad visas.

This means that remote workers could visit Taiwan after stays elsewhere in East Asia.

Japan launched its existing non-extendable six-month digital nomad visa in March 2024, which is available to 49 countries and territories, including EU member states.

Tokyo is just a three-and-a-half hour flight from Taiwan’s capital, Taipei.

In a bid to boost tourism, South Korea launched a digital nomad visa in January 2024, which is valid for one-year with the potential to extend for a further 12 months.

The flight from capital Seoul to Taipei is under three hours.

Thailand is already seeing huge demand in its five-year digital nomad visa which launched in July 2024, as remote workers seek out its buzzing capital and pristine beaches.

Bangkok is just fours hours from Taipei by plane.

What does Taiwan have to offer digital nomads?

From its subtropical climate and beautiful beaches to its lush national parks and vast culture, including thousands of temples, there are plenty of reasons to work from Taiwan.

This small country is about half the size of Scotland, making getting around a breeze.

This means you could clock hours in one of Taipei’s lively coworking spaces in the morning and fill up on tasty street food for lunch before heading to Yangmingshan National Park – just 30 minutes away – for a scenic hike.

Exploring further afield is easy, too, as Taiwan’s high-speed railway connects the capital to the southern harbour city of Kaohsiung.

Taiwan is one of the safest countries in the world for LGBTQ+ travellers, and scores highly on anti-discrimination legislation and transgender rights. It became the first country in the region to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019.

The UK is soon set to introduce the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which will apply to visitors from destinations including Europe, Australia, the US and Canada.

It requires tourists to gain permission to enter the country as part of plans to fully digitise its borders by 2025.

The system is scheduled to be in place for all required nationalities from 2 April 2025, with some having to comply by January.

However, industry leaders are urging the British government to delay the introduction of the ETA, particularly as it might come into force at the same time as the much-delayed EU Entry/Exit System (EES).

“We’ve asked can we not have two systems introduced at once,” Eurostar’s general secretary and chief strategic partnerships officer Gareth Williams told the Lords’ Justice and Home Affairs Committee last week.

‘Uncertainly’ over introduction of EES affecting ETA

Williams acknowledged that it is “difficult for the Home Office to make plans amid this uncertainty”, referring to the introduction of the EES.

The launch date for the system was set as 10 November, but the EU confirmed earlier this month that the introduction would be delayed.

There is now no official date for the launch, but it is unlikely to come into force before 2025.

“We’re seeing a huge amount introduced at the border – interactive AI, the ETA, EES, and [next year] the European Travel Information and Authorisation System[[ETIAS],” Williams said.

“Our concern is the systems don’t join up. They ask for very similar information through different channels, and the more you require the same information, the less compliance you get.

“We’ve asked the UK and EU to take a step back.”

When will the ETA be introduced?

The UK has taken a phased approach to introducing the ETA.

The Home Office began rolling out the scheme last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

If the system is not delayed, it will open up to all other nationalities, except Europeans, this November and be required for entry from 8 January 2025.

Europeans, meanwhile, will be required to have an ETA for travel from 2 April 2025, with applications opening up in March.

How do I apply for the ETA and how much does it cost?

To receive the ETA, you will need to fill in an online application form. Most visitors will be able to apply using a mobile app with a swift decision on their application, according to the government.

You’ll need a valid biometric passport from an eligible country, travel details, an email address and a credit or debit card. You will also have to answer a set of suitability questions.

Like the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the US, a small fee is attached to the application process. This will be set at £10 (€11.66).

Travellers are advised to apply at least a few days before their planned journey and approval should be granted within 72 hours.

Torrential rains pummelled parts of eastern and southern Spain on Tuesday triggering flash floods that have disrupted air and rail travel.

The death toll has reached 62 in the Valencia region after more than a month’s rainfall fell in some areas.

Videos have been uploaded to social media showing cars being washed away in torrents of muddy water and submerged buildings.

Here is the latest information for travellers in the Valencia region.

Flights cancelled at Valencia airport

On Tuesday, several flights scheduled to land at Valencia airport were diverted to other cities in Spain including Barcelona and Alicante due to the powerful winds and heavy rain.

Dozens of other flights that were due to depart or arrive at the airport were cancelled.

Aena, the airport operator at Valencia, posted on X on Wednesday morning that there had been a total of 30 flights diverted and 49 cancelled.

A video shared on social media from Tuesday evening shows much of the runway underwater.

Hundreds of passengers spent the night sleeping in the airport waiting for flights to resume.

Operations have now restarted at the airport although delays are still expected throughout the day.

However, the Belgian consulate warned on X that “Getting to the airport by public transport is impossible. Some roads are blocked, but taxis can reach the airport”.

Photos posted on social media suggest some travellers are walking long distances to reach the airport.

Rail services suspended in Valencia region

The flooding has caused severe disruption to train travel. National rail infrastructure operator ADIF said all rail services in the Valencia region are suspended “until the situation returns to normal for the safety of passengers”.

High-speed trains between Madrid and the city of Valencia were cancelled until “at least” 10 am on Wednesday due to the stormy conditions, ADIF added.

A high-speed train from Malaga headed to Madrid carrying 276 passengers derailed in the southern region of Andalusia on Tuesday. There were no injuries or fatalities, the regional government said in a statement.