The Bureau of Consular Affairs has opened additional appointment times for passport applications starting on Monday, with processing expected to take 10 days, bureau Director-General Calvin Ho (何震寰) said yesterday.
New measures should reduce the waiting time at the bureau’s office, as the number of applications dramatically increased after the government waived quarantine requirements for inbound travelers in October last year, Ho said at a Ministry of Foreign Affairs news conference.
The bureau on Wednesday received 9,956 applications, more than doubling the average of 3,000 to 4,000 applications per day before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ho said.
Photo: CNA
Under the modified procedure, applicants as of Wednesday can take a number upon arriving at the office instead of after their documents are pre-reviewed by bureau staff, he said.
People who are unfamiliar with the application process or the required documents can go to the information desk after taking a number, Ho said, adding that additional staff are available to help.
After taking a number, people can use an app on their smartphones to track their progress in line from offsite or wait at the office, he said.
The new procedure has successfully shortened the waiting time, he added.
The bureau’s office in Taipei is to accept 1,500 online appointments for passport applications starting on Monday, up from 480 per day, Ho said.
First-time applicants can apply at household registration offices nationwide while others can book an appointment 60 days in advance starting on Monday, he said.
Passport offices in Taichung, Chiayi City, Kaohsiung and Hualien County have also increased the number of available appointments, Ho said.
People in urgent need of a passports can request a rush service from the bureau’s office for an additional fee, he said.
As the number of applications has surpassed the bureau’s processing capacity, people can expect to receive their passports in 10 days instead of six, although that period is expected to decrease soon, Ho said.
Another option for applicants is to use a travel agency that is qualified to handle passport applications to help with the process, he said.
Those who have no plans to leave the country are requested to delay their applications until the bureau’s backlog has lessened, he added.
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