The Consumer's Foundation yesterday urged the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to improve its treatment of visa applicants by shortening the amount of time they have to wait in line for interviews and offering them seats.
Applications for US visas usually peak between May and August and long queues are often seen outside AIT, which is located on the Taipei's Hsinyi Road.
Line up outside
"Rain or shine, these people have to wait outdoors," said Terry Huang (
According to AIT statistics, it has issued more than 190,000 non-immigrant visas in Taiwan from last April until now.
"Applicants pay NT$3,200 to get a visa but are not treated properly," Huang said at a press conference.
Huang suggested that AIT hire more staff to direct the crowds waiting outside the office. The queues are so long that the applicants often have to wait on the sidewalks near AIT, he said.
AIT should provide places for people to sit indoors as they wait their turn for an interview, he said. Huang said that AIT could consider exempting people who are above the age of 65 from interviews.
Currently, applicants under the age of 14 or over 80 years old do not have to appear for personal interviews.
In response, AIT urged all those applying for visas who have an appointment for an interview to come to the building at the time indicated on their entrance tickets.
Apply early
"To avoid overcrowding and to comply with Taiwanese and US fire code regulations, applicants will not be let in before the time on their entrance tickets. This information is clearly noted on all of our Web sites and application forms," AIT said in a statement.
The summer months are the busiest time of year for non-immigrant visa applications, AIT said. The statment also urged all people planning to visit the US in the near future to apply for their visas as soon as possible.
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