Individual travel permitted for Taiwan military personnel | Taiwan News | Jun. 6, 2024

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) issued a revised set of regulations allowing individual travel for military personnel, according to an announcement on Wednesday (June 5).

The new requirements include submitting a detailed travel itinerary that outlines the trip schedule, flight routes, and accommodation details, per CNA.

Upon their return, personnel must submit copies of their passport (with entry and exit stamps), boarding passes, airport-issued entry and exit certificates, and proof of hotel accommodation. Those joining group tours should provide the original travel agency contract and itinerary.

Previously, there was a restriction requiring military personnel to join group tours for overseas travel that was inconvenient for soldiers, CNA reported. Some personnel resorted to slipping away during the tour to travel alone.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) said the requirement to force personnel into tour groups was to prevent leaks, but no practical measures were taken place during the trip itself. 

“This ineffective method ultimately punishes law-abiding soldiers, civil servants, military school teachers and students, and medical staff,” he said.

Hung thanked MND Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) for his efforts in promoting the new rules. “This is an important milestone in administering the military,” he said.