The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

The UK does not recognise Taiwan as a state and has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, so limited consular services are available to British nationals. Please refer to the British Office in Taipei for further information.

Satellite Launch

On Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 1520 local time, all mobile phones in Taiwan received a Presidential Alert in Mandarin and English. The English language version alerted to a “missile flyover”. The Ministry of National Defence have clarified that this alert was issued in connection with a satellite launched over Taiwanese airspace with a risk of falling debris. Reference to a missile was a mistranslation.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

• advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
• information for women, LGBT+ and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.