Saturday, October 21, 2006

AIT HOPES ONLINE SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE BETTER CONSULAR SERVICES

Taipei, Oct. 19 (CNA) The American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Taipei office hopes a new online scheduling system can provide better consular service for U.S. citizens, AIT consular officials said Thursday.

Beginning Nov. 6, applications for all services will be accepted by appointment only using the free online scheduling system, which will begin accepting appointments on Oct. 23, said Charles Bennett, AIT's Consular Section chief during a press conference.

The full-scale online system will cover appointments regarding passports, notarial and social security and consular reports of births abroad, he said.

More than 70,000 U.S. citizens are currently living in Taiwan, Bennett said, adding that extensive bilateral exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. are making the AIT in Taipei the busiest office in Asia in terms of consular services.

The office deals with as many as 200 applications per day during the busiest season, said Grace Liu, who works in AIT's American Citizen Services.

The new system does not necessarily help the AIT handle more daily applications, Bennett said, but it helps cut down applicants' waiting time and visits to the office.

Consular assistance is always available without appointment in case of emergencies such as life-and-death situations, arrest and indigence, Bennett noted.

More information is available on the AIT's Web site: www.ait.org.tw/en/uscitizens.