Taiwan's History of Going Abroad: From 'KMT General Approval' to 'Worldwide Access' Narrative of Islander Cross-Border Mobility

30-Second Overview:
For today's Taiwanese people, traveling abroad is as common as daily life. However, before 1979, outbound tourism was an illegal act of "wasting foreign exchange." From Lin Hsien-tang's global journey to the millions of people traveling abroad annually today, Taiwan's passports went from "approved by the Military Police General Headquarters" to "worldwide access" in less than 50 years. This article traces Taiwan's cross-border history from the origin point of Austronesian dispersal to the modern era, revealing the island's miraculous journey from "house arrest" to "revenge travel."

Taiwan's Roots of Mobility: The Great Voyage of the Austronesians

Long before written history, Taiwan was already a crucial stop in the epic story of human movement. Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, the Austronesian peoples set out from Taiwan, expanding southward and eastward. Their footprints spread across the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and even as far as Easter Island and Madagascar. This was an epic "going abroad" action spanning tens of thousands of kilometers. Relying on sophisticated navigation techniques and knowledge of celestial bodies, they spread their languages, cultures, and agricultural technologies to the vast islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. ^{1 2} Taiwan, as the "homeland" of the Austronesian peoples, witnessed the earliest cross-border movements and cultural exchanges of humanity. This history laid a deep foundation for the diverse ethnic groups and complex mobility of the island later on.

The Age of Discovery and Qing Rule: Shackles of Mobility and Sea Bans

In the 17th-century Age of Discovery, Taiwan was a vital trade transshipment hub in East Asia. The arrival of the Dutch and Spanish opened the prelude to Taiwan's connection with the international community. At that time, Han immigrants were mostly hired laborers or merchants, and their mobility was primarily limited by the colonial powers' trade interests. ³ During the Dutch period, Taiwan became the core of the trade chain between Japan, China, and Batavia. Han people hunted sika deer, exchanging deer hides and sugar for overseas goods. This was Taiwan's earliest form of "globalized" mobility. ^{4 5}

During the Ming Zheng period, Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) implemented strict sea bans to resist the Qing Dynasty, leaving Taiwan in a state of military closure. ⁶ In the early Qing period, the Qing court issued the "Ban on Crossing the Taiwan Strait," restricting people from the mainland from entering and restricting Taiwanese from leaving, forming the historical roots of an "isolated island" mentality. ⁷ It was not until the mid-19th century, when ports were opened for trade, that Taiwanese people had the opportunity to go to Southeast Asia as "contracted Chinese laborers" (commonly known as "piglets"). This was a cross-border tragedy filled with blood and tears; many signed indenture contracts and never returned. ^{8 9}

Japanese Colonial Rule: "Civilization" and "Grand Tours" under the Passport System

After Japan took over Taiwan in 1895, Taiwanese people became Japan's "new subjects." To travel to places outside the Japanese mainland (such as China or Southeast Asia), one had to apply for a "travel passport" (旅券). ¹⁰

2.1 Differential Treatment and Struggles under the Passport System

The passport system at that time clearly distinguished between Japanese people and Taiwanese people. Taiwanese people traveling to China needed to apply for a "Pass to Cross to China" (渡華旅券), and the review process was extremely strict, with approval rates influenced by political stances. ¹¹ This management was not only for public security but also for the colonizers to monitor Taiwanese people through administrative means to "civilize" them. ¹²

2.2 The Grand Tours of Gentry and Ideological Enlightenment

Despite the restrictions, the gentry of the time initiated a trend of "grand tours." In 1927, Lin Hsien-tang of the Wufeng Lin family embarked on a year-long global journey with his son, visiting Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Lin Hsien-tang serialized his observations in the Taiwan Minbao (Taiwan People's Newspaper), allowing Taiwanese people to see the world through the eyes of their compatriots for the first time. ^{13 14} The overseas experiences of political figures such as Tsai Pei-huo and Chiang Wei-shui also became nourishment for later Taiwan social movements, bringing Western democratic ideas back to the island. ¹⁵

📝 Curator's Note: The "travel passport" of that era was not just a permit; it was a mirror reflecting the class and struggles under the colonial system. Lin Hsien-tang's global journey was essentially a pioneering attempt at "citizen diplomacy."

The Martial Law Era: The Dream of Going Abroad Watched by the "Military Police General Headquarters"

After World War II and the relocation of the Nationalist Government to Taiwan, Taiwan entered a 30-year period of martial law. At that time, going abroad was considered "wasting foreign exchange" and posed national security concerns.

• Who could go abroad? Only those studying abroad, on business, on official duty, visiting relatives, or attending funerals. ¹⁶
• The Role of the Military Police General Headquarters (Jingzong): The decision-making power did not lie with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but with the "Taiwan Provincial Military Police General Headquarters" (Jingzong). Jingzong not only reviewed documents but also conducted ideological investigations; some individuals were even summoned for interviews after returning. ^{17 18}
• Exceptional Cases: In 1970, for the Osaka Expo in Japan, some citizens were able to visit the Republic of China Pavilion designed by I.M. Pei under the guise of business. This was considered an important task for promoting national prestige at the time. ¹⁹

The procedures for going abroad were extremely cumbersome at that time. Many people, in order to travel abroad, forged business invitation letters through travel agencies, which also gave rise to early agency service chains. ^{20 21}

"Political Shackles" under the Martial Law Era: Blacklists and Overseas Dissidents

In addition to Jingzong's review of citizens within the territory, the government also implemented strict political control over Taiwanese people overseas, forming the so-called "blacklist." Any Taiwanese person overseas who was deemed by the government to advocate for Taiwan independence, sympathize with the left, participate in the Chinese Conservation Movement, or whose words and actions were viewed by intelligence agencies as "dissident," would be placed on the blacklist. Once listed, they could not obtain or renew their passports and were prohibited from entering Taiwan, effectively making it impossible for them to return home. ^{22 23} Many overseas students or overseas Chinese were placed on the blacklist for participating in democratic movements or expressing criticism of the government abroad, preventing them from returning home to visit relatives for decades, and even preventing them from attending funerals when their parents passed away. This political control made "going abroad" a one-way street with no return for many people, profoundly influencing Taiwan's democratization process and the development of overseas communities. ^{24 25}

"Administrative Shackles" under the Martial Law Era: Exit Controls for Conscripts

In addition to Jingzong's ideological review, another long-standing and widespread influence on the ability of Taiwanese men to go abroad was the strict "exit control for conscripts." During the martial law era, all eligible males (usually aged 19 to 36) who had not yet served in the military had to obtain approval from military units to go abroad, whether for study, visiting relatives, or business. This control aimed to ensure the country's military manpower and prevent conscripts from evading military service, but it also became a huge obstacle for many Taiwanese men pursuing overseas development or simply traveling abroad. ²⁶ Even after the opening of tourism in 1979, this restriction remained, and it continued to affect Taiwanese society for a long time after the lifting of martial law. Conscripts had to apply for an "Exit Permit," and the review process was time-consuming and complicated, with regulations such as limiting the number of trips and the duration of stay. This meant that many men had to consider military service issues when planning to study abroad, work and holiday, or work overseas for the long term, becoming a special shackle on their "freedom of movement." ^{27 28}

"Come to Taiwan, Go to the US": The Study Abroad Wave and Doctor Wave under the Cold War

In the 1960s and 1970s, Taiwan experienced two large-scale waves of migration to the United States, which were inextricably linked to the international situation under the Cold War.

4.1 "Brain Drain" and "Grand Tours" of Tech Talent

Benefiting from the US-Soviet Cold War and the space race, the US urgently needed tech talent. In 1958, the US passed the National Defense Education Act, and in 1965, it passed a new immigration law. A popular saying in Taiwan at the time was: "Come, come, come, come to National Taiwan University; go, go, go, go to the US." This trend peaked between 1965 and 1975. ^{29 30}

4.2 The Doctor Wave and "Selling Fields to Send Sons Abroad"

In the late 1960s, due to the Vietnam War causing a shortage of doctors in the US, US hospitals opened quotas for foreign medical school graduates. Many Taiwanese families even "sold their fields to send their sons abroad," forming a special "American Dream" culture. ²⁹ The democratic ideas and consumption habits brought back by these students indirectly but profoundly contributed to Taiwan's later lifting of martial law. ³¹

📝 Curator's Note: These students and doctors later became the backbone of the Taiwan-US community, reflecting the social phenomenon of brain drain in Taiwan at that time.

1979: The First Tourist Passport and "Citizen Diplomacy"

With Taiwan's economic takeoff in the 1970s and the diplomatic dilemma of the US-Taiwan break in 1979, the government decided to open "citizen tourism," hoping to break the diplomatic blockade through civilian exchanges. ³²

On January 1, 1979, Taiwan officially opened outbound tourism. The first person to receive a tourist passport was Ms. Wu Yongchuan. ³³ At that time, regulations stipulated that each person could go abroad twice a year and could not visit communist countries. ³⁴ Going abroad was a matter of "glorifying ancestors" at the time; relatives and friends would form groups to see off the flight at the airport, with a sense of ritual no less than when soldiers returned from service or when a daughter-in-law was married. ^{33 30}

1987: The Ice-Breaking Journey of Cross-Strait Family Visits and the Political Implications of Mobility

When outbound tourism was opened in 1979, the government explicitly stipulated that "one could not visit communist countries." ³¹ However, with the subtle changes in cross-strait relations and the growing demands within Taiwanese society to open family visits, especially the deep longing of many veterans to return to their hometowns to visit relatives while they were still alive, this ban was broken on November 2, 1987. The government announced the opening of Taiwan residents to travel to the mainland to visit relatives. This was not only a major turning point in cross-strait relations but also a milestone in the process of "freedom of movement" for Taiwanese people. ^{35 36}

The opening of this policy allowed hundreds of thousands of veterans to set foot on the road home, opening the door to civilian exchanges between the two sides of the strait. Since then, visiting relatives, tourism, and business in the mainland have become important options for Taiwanese people to go abroad (or out of the territory), accounting for a large proportion of outbound trips for a long time. This history not only demonstrates the important significance of "freedom of movement" in the democratization process but also highlights the profound impact of political factors on individual cross-border mobility. ^{37 38}

Vanishing Landscapes: The US Visa Industry Chain, Foreign Exchange Belts, and Cultural Shock

In an era without online booking or credit cards, going abroad was full of unique rituals. These details constitute the unique cross-border memories of Taiwanese people:

6.1 The "Down Jacket" Legend at AIT and the Psychological Warfare of Interviews

Obtaining a US visa was the first hurdle for many Taiwanese people going abroad. The old site of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Section 3, Xinyi Road, would see crowds forming every morning. The "difficult" questions from interviewers, such as "What are you going to do in the US?", "Why do you want to go to the US?", "What assets do you have in Taiwan?", etc., made many applicants extremely nervous. Since interviewers often mentioned that the weather in the US was cold, the saying "interviewers will ask you if the US is cold" spread, driving up the business of selling down jackets around AIT and even providing suit rental services. This was not just a commercial act but reflected the Taiwanese people's desire and anxiety for the "American Dream." ^{30 39}

6.2 "Foreign Exchange Belts" and the Underground Economy of Black Market Exchange

Under strict foreign exchange controls, the government set a limit on the amount of foreign exchange each person could exchange per trip (e.g., approximately $2,200 USD in the early 1980s). However, for citizens eager to shop heavily abroad or support their studying children, this amount was far from enough. Thus, a special "foreign exchange belt" was born. This flesh-colored fabric belt contained multiple zipper compartments to hide excess US dollar bills,紧贴 the body. When passing through customs, travelers had to pretend to be calm, fearing being discovered by customs officers. Besides belts, some people sewed US dollars into their underwear or used underground silver shops for black market exchange, forming a unique underground economic chain. ^{30 40 41}

It was not until July 15, 1987, that Taiwan officially lifted foreign exchange controls for non-banking industries. This major policy relaxation not only ended the era of the "foreign exchange belt" but also symbolized an important step in Taiwan's economic liberalization, paving the way for more free overseas consumption and investment for citizens. ⁴²

6.3 Pre-departure Briefings: "Civilization Education" and Cultural Shock: From "Educated Ones" to "Civilized Travelers"

For many Taiwanese people stepping onto the international stage for the first time, facing foreign cultures was a huge challenge. At that time, Taiwanese society was just transitioning from closed to open. Many citizens lacked knowledge of international etiquette and cultural norms, leading to some "inappropriate" behaviors by early Taiwanese tour groups overseas, such as making noise in public, not queuing, spitting on the ground, and even behaving inappropriately in hotels. In the eyes of the international community at that time, these behaviors were indeed similar to the "civilization time lag" faced by some emerging tourism markets (such as early Chinese tourists). ^{30 31}

To avoid these negative impacts on "citizen diplomacy," the "pre-departure briefings" held by travel agencies before tours were not just itinerary introductions but a major part of "civilization education." Tour guides would earnestly teach group members various "international etiquettes," such as:

• "Do not eat bento boxes on European streets; that is an indecent behavior."
• "Do not wash socks in the hotel sink; please use the laundry service."
• "Do not take too much at the buffet; take only what you can eat to avoid waste."
• "Do not wear slippers in hotel corridors, and do not make noise to avoid disturbing others."
• "The way Western toilets work is different from Taiwan's; pay attention to the flush button and do not throw toilet paper into the toilet."

These seemingly trivial reminders reflected the huge gap in living habits and cultural etiquette between Taiwan and the international community at that time. However, precisely through this continuous "being educated" and self-correction, Taiwanese people gradually learned the behavioral norms of the international community, raising tourism quality to the level welcomed by countries today. This journey from "educated ones" to "civilized travelers" is not only a change in individual behavior but also a microcosm of Taiwanese society's collective learning, adapting to international rules, and finally gaining international recognition. ^{43 44}

6.4 The Must-Buy List and the Bitterness of "Daigou" (Personal Shoppers)

In an era of relatively scarce goods, travelers often bore the responsibility of "shopping for relatives and friends." The must-buy list was diverse, ranging from practical thermos bottles, durable pantyhose, advanced appliances (such as VCRs, audio systems), to imported goods not available in Taiwan. Some even helped relatives bring back Datong rice cookers. Upon returning, to avoid high tariffs, many people would wear newly bought clothes directly or unpack goods and mix them with old items, engaging in a game of "hide and seek" with customs officers,上演ing scenes of "bitterness and joy" in shopping. These unique memories of "daigou" became a distinctive memory of Taiwanese people going abroad in that era. ^{30 45}

Post-Lifting of Martial Law Explosion and Diversified Mobility (1990s - 2010s)

After the lifting of martial law, foreign exchange controls were relaxed, and outbound tourism entered an explosion period. Southeast Asian tours were popular in the 1990s, followed by Japanese independent travel and in-depth European and American tours becoming the mainstream. The rise of low-cost airlines and the "Working Holiday" policy made going abroad no longer a luxury for the younger generation but a process of self-exploration. ^{46 47}

Contemporary Challenges: Revenge Travel and the Meaning of Freedom of Movement

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to three years of global lockdown. After the lifting of restrictions in 2023, Taiwan experienced an unprecedented wave of "revenge travel." ⁴⁸ According to statistics from the Tourism Bureau, the number of outbound trips in 2024 has approached the pre-pandemic peak. ⁴⁹

Today, the Taiwan passport ranks in the top tier of the Henley Passport Index, enjoying visa-free access to over 140 countries. ⁵⁰ From "approved by the Military Police General Headquarters" to "worldwide access," this is not only a demonstration of economic strength but also the ultimate embodiment of "freedom of movement" in Taiwan's democratization process.

📝 Conclusion: Every stamp in the passport is a right won through the efforts of generations. From an islander confined to a free traveler, the history of Taiwanese people going abroad is a history of pursuing freedom.