Regulations for Holders of Tourist Passports Who Marry Abroad Clarified

According to the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holders of a tourist passport may not extend their passports or change their reason for obtaining a passport while abroad unless they marry and become a permanent resident in the country they are visiting. They also may not apply for a passport in Hong Kong and then go to another country, and may not apply for a new passport while abroad.

Unmarried, divorced, or widowed female ROC citizens who marry while travelling abroad on a tourist passport or visa may change their reason for obtaining a passport from "tourism" to "residing with a family member." To do so, she must send passport data, permanent residency certificate from the country in question, marriage license, and other pertinent materials--both the originals and photocopies--plus a completed application form for entry into the Republic of China, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will forward the materials to the appropriate government bureaus for approval. After a letter approving entry into the ROC has been received, a new passport will be issued on the basis that the applicant is "residing with a family member." The applicant must return to Taiwan to extend her visa. The fee for this transaction is US$12.50.

"Emergency Service Counter" Added at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces its newly-added "Emergency Service Counter," which began serving the public on April 1, 1987. Its purpose is to provide same-day passport and visa service to individuals who need to leave the country on urgent business.

This service is available for the following reasons and to the following individuals:

1. a wedding, funeral, or particular situation resulting from a sudden event;

2. a medical emergency or serious illness requiring the patient to seek treatment abroad;

3. government business with a close time deadline;

4. to individuals selected to attend an international conference or competition with a close time deadline;

5. to news reporters, needing to get to a news story quickly;

6. to students needing to get abroad quickly for the beginning of classes.

CKS and Kaohsiung International Airports Add Collect Call Service

Equipment that allows the placing of long distance collect calls has recently been installed in the transit passenger waiting rooms of Chiang Kai-shek International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport.

Passengers who are in transit often do not have the one New Taiwan dollar coins needed to use a public phone. Now, they need only press a yellow button and dial "100" to get the international operator, or "108" for the domestic long distance operator. They may then place their long distance collect call.

Currency Taken In or Out of the ROC Must be Declared

The Ministry of Finance recently revised regulations regarding travellers bringing excessive amounts of gold or New Taiwan dollars in or out of the Republic of China. Travellers must themselves take the initiative and declare the amount of New Taiwan dollars or gold they are taking with them in or out of the country. If they do not make a declaration, and are discovered by customs officials to be carrying an excess amount of gold or NT dollars, the excess amount will be confiscated.

According to customs regulations, travellers who bring NT dollars out of the country are limited to NT$8,000 per person, and they must declare the amount taken out. There is no limit on the amount of gold bars, bullion, tablets, and ingots brought into the country, but no matter what the quantity, it must be declared. For any amount over five market taels (250 g. or 8.8 oz.), application must be made to customs for permission to bring it in.