Vietnamese Students Face Taiwan Visa Hurdle Over Graduation Certificates

Vietnamese students aspiring to study in Taiwan are facing a critical delay in their visa application process, jeopardizing their ability to start their academic terms on time. The core of the issue lies with the format of the High School Graduation Certificate (THPT). Several parents in Ho Chi Minh City have informed VnExpress that their children, despite holding admission and enrollment notices from Taiwanese universities, are being denied student visas. The reason cited is that Vietnam no longer issues the "temporary High School Graduation Certificate," which was previously a required document for visa applications. Taiwan's authorities have not accepted the new format, the "Graduation Exam Result Certificate." "My children are due to arrive in less than a month, and I hope the relevant parties can resolve this quickly as it is not the students' fault," one parent expressed. On August 4, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City announced that it would only accept student visa applications if students possess their High School Graduation Certificate. TECO explained that starting this year, Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training has discontinued the issuance of the "temporary High School Graduation Certificate," replacing it with the "Graduation Exam Result Certificate." Typically, the official graduation certificate is issued in mid-August. TECO advises students to proactively explain the new regulations from Taiwan to their high schools to expedite the receipt of their diplomas and complete their applications. Lam Vi Chi, Head of the Education Department and Education Counselor at TECO in Ho Chi Minh City, confirmed that many Vietnamese students are encountering difficulties with visa procedures but did not provide specific figures. He mentioned that some universities in Taiwan are expected to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to address these issues and facilitate timely visa issuance for students. A representative from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training stated that they are accelerating the process to issue graduation certificates early for approximately 280 students intending to study in Taiwan. Other students will receive their THPT graduation certificates starting next week. Currently, Taiwan hosts around 40,000 Vietnamese students, making them the largest group of international students. University enrollment in Taiwan generally commences in early September.