From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Taiwan Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 14:20:41 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1011 Path: world!root Message-ID: <960325142040_76702.1202_CHN52-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: root@world.std.com (daemons) Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 105 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Taiwan ============================================================ Taiwan - Consular Information Sheet March 21, 1996 Country Description: Taiwan is a stable democracy and has a strong and well-developed economy. Tourist facilities are widely available. Entry Requirements: For information about entry requirements, travelers may contact the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), 4201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016-2137; Telephone: (202) 895-1800. TECRO also has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Guam, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. Medical Facilities: Health facilities in Taiwan are fully adequate for routine medical treatment. Doctors and hospitals may expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Supplemental overseas medical insurance, including coverage for medical evacuation, has proven useful. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide payment of medical services outside the United States. The international travelers hotline of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be reached at (404) 332-4559 for additional useful health information. Information on Crime and Safety: Although there has been an increase in the crime rate over the last year, due in part to local law enforcement reporting methods, the overall crime rate in Taiwan is low. Residential burglaries and thefts are the predominant crimes affecting foreigners in Taiwan, but other more serious crimes do occasionally occur. Generally, U.S. citizen visitors to Taiwan should follow the basic security precautions that they would follow in any large city. Local police departments have foreign affairs sections which are normally staffed by English-speaking officers. Police contact numbers for the major cities in Taiwan are as follows: Taipei - (02) 556-6007, Kaohsiung - (07) 215-4342, Tainan - (06) 222-9704, Taichung - (04) 327-3875, Taitung (089) 334-756, Pingtung (08) 733-6283. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police, and to the American Institute in Taiwan, at either the Taipei or the Kaohsiung office. Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad." It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Public Safety: Taiwan's major cities have very crowded traffic conditions, exacerbated by a large number of motor scooters. In Taiwan's mountainous areas, roads are narrow, winding, and often impassable due to damage caused by earthquakes or landslides. Drivers should use caution while traveling in such areas. Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and do not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Criminal penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect severe jail sentences and fines. Taiwan law provides for the death penalty for some narcotics offenses. Registration/Embassy Location: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register at the American Insitute in Taiwan, and may obtain updated information on travel and security there. The American Institute in Taiwan does not issue U.S. passports, but sends the passport applications to the American Consulate General in Hong Kong for processing. Processing time for U.S. passports takes three weeks. If immediate travel is necessary, the American Institute in Taiwan can issue a travel letter for travel to Hong Kong or to the U.S., but not for any other destination. Unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan are conducted through the American Institute in Taiwan, whose offices are authorized by law to perform American citizens services. For assistance, U.S. citizen travelers may contact the American Institute in Taiwan at No. 7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan; Telephone: (886-2) 709-2000; Fax: (886-2) 709-0908, or the American Institute in Taiwan at no. 2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: (886-7) 224-0154; Fax: (886-7) 223-8237. In case of emergencies after working hours, the duty officer at the American Institute in Taiwan at Taipei may be contacted at (886-2) 709-2013. No. 96-072 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated February 27, 1995, updating information on Criminal Penalties, Entry Requirements, Medical Facilities Registration, Road Conditions and adding fax numbers for AIT's offices in Taiwan. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories