The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday that a recent decision by the British government to move visa applications in Taiwan to be processed in Manila from Oct. 5 was made because the number of visa applications has decreased significantly since March 3, when Taiwanese passport holders were granted 6-month visa-free entry to the United Kingdom. Chiu Jong-jen, director-general of the MOFA's Department of European Affairs, made the remarks at a regular press briefing, saying that 'the decision might sound bad to us, but it is certainly not the case.' The U.K. Border Agency recently announced changes to the processing of visa applications in Taiwan, saying that Taiwanese passport holders who still require a U.K. visa will continue to make their applications in Taiwan in the usual way, but from Oct. 5, the applications will be sent for processing at the agency's new regional center in Manila, according to a recent press release from the Taipei-based British Trade and Cultural Office (BTCO). 'The change is to consolidate the U.K.'s immigration expertise in visa centers of excellence such as Manila, to enhance the quality of decision-making. Visas from Japan, Republic of Korea, and Hong Kong are already being processed in Manila,' the press release noted. Since March 3 this year, the U.K. has waived visa requirements for Taiwanese passport holders traveling to the U.K. for less than six months, and from March to July, the number of Taiwanese visitors to the U.K. was up by 30 percent compared with same period of last year, according to statistics published by Taiwan's Tourism Bureau. According to the BTCO, there will be no change in the visa application process for people who still need a visa for the U.K. and no additional costs will be incurred, although there might be an increase in the turnaround time. 'To ensure that travelers have a smooth trip to the U.K., we encourage everyone to make their applications well in advance of any planned journey to the U.K. Applications can be accepted up to three months in advance of the proposed date of travel, ' BTCO Director David Campbell was quoted as saying in the press release. 