The National Immigration Agency says it will offer a speedier screening service to help Chinese tourists shorten their waiting time for entry permits to Taiwan.
The agency made the announcement on Sunday. It said once the new system begins on Jan. 1, 2015, Chinese tourists will be able to use the emergency travel permit screening service by paying an extra NT$300 (about US$10) for each day earlier than the normal permit issuing date. The agency said the new measure will help tourists from China save time during peak-season travel. Currently, it takes up to a month for Chinese tourists to receive their entry permits to Taiwan.
Taiwan imposes a cap on the number of Chinese tourists entering the country. 4,000 independent travelers and 5,000 tourists coming in groups are allowed each day.