In a bid to offer better service, the household registration office in Taipei City’s Xinyi District (信義) recently designed English-language birth certificate forms, thereby eliminating translation fees for applicants.
A birth certificate is necessary for people who apply for overseas study, work or emigration, and applicants are required to apply for Chinese-language birth certificates and spend about NT$500 to NT$750 to have them translated into English.
The office became the first household registration office in Taipei to offer English-version birth certificate forms free of charge thanks to office section chief Tsai Mei-huei (蔡美慧), who spent about a week designing the form after frequent requests by residents to help with the English translation.
Tsai said she had handled English household registration forms at the office and found that many residents complained about the difficulties of filling out English forms or applying for English documents.
“For a lot of people, English is beyond their comprehension and they are afraid of using the language. I think by offering Chinese-English birth certificate forms, we help save a lot of time and trouble for the people,” she said.
Large hospitals, such as National Taiwan University Hospital, also offer English-language birth certificates, but they cost between NT$200 and NT$500, Tsai said.
Starting last month, the office has been providing English-language as well as bilingual forms for applicants to choose. Both types of forms are free for download at the office’s Web site at www.xyhr.taipei.gov.tw.
Applicants can also call the office at (02) 2723-3977 ext. 101 for assistance.
Tsai said 26 Taipei residents downloaded the newly designed forms last month.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS