From now on, overstayers who turn themselves in will enjoy minimum penalties.
    From 1 February to 30 June, 2023, the National Immigration Agency (the NIA) promotes the "Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program", during which those who voluntarily surrender themselves will enjoy minimum penalties. Measures such as exemption from detention, payment of a minimum fine of NT$2,000, and no prohibition on entering the country are adopted to encourage the overstayers to turn themselves in.
    Since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world in early 2020 international flights have been suspended or reduced, resulting in the stranded foreign population in Taiwan, and the number of overstayed foreigners continued to rise. At present, the pandemic situation around the globe is gradually easing and international flights are resuming, in order to help the overstayed foreigners return to their home countries as soon as possible, the NIA has promoted the Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program from February 1 this year.
    The NIA further emphasizes that the draft amendments to some provisions of the Immigration Act have been sent to the Legislative Yuan for review; in the amendment, in order to prevent foreigners from overstaying in the country, the overstay fine will be raised from the current NT$2,000- NT$10,000 to NT$30,000- NT$150,000, and the period of restriction on entering the country will be increased from a maximum of 3 years to a maximum of 10 years. The NIA appeals to the public to encourage those who have overstayed in the country to seize the opportunity to turn themselves in before increase of overstay fines and entry ban period.
    In addition, the NIA provides a toll-free hotline 0800-024-881 (ByeBye) with multilingual services to the public and overstayers to inquire about the program.