The government today launched an online passport renewal application service for Taiwanese nationals.
Previously, passport holders had to personally visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MOFA) nationwide branch offices to apply for passport renewal.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Now they can apply online and collect their new passport 14 days later at a designated bureau office by showing their National Identity Card and online application receipt.
However, only Taiwanese nationals who possess household registration in Taiwan and whose personal records on their expired passport do not need to be changed are eligible to use the online application system.
Speaking at a launch ceremony in Taipei, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the new service was the "result of year-long planning and preparation" involving MOFA, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
According to MOFA, Taiwanese who need to renew their already-expired passport can log in on the Web site and type their Natural Person Certificate number to begin their application.
The newly launched service is to run on a trial basis accepting a maximum of 500 applications daily.
MOFA anticipates the daily limit would be removed in late November or mid-December.
Once the service is fully up-and-running, MOFA estimated that it would benefit 200,000 to 300,000 passport renewal applicants each year.
The Web site for the online passport renewal application service can be found here.
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