TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1990
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MULTIPLE VISIT PERUT SCHEME FOR TAIWANESE RESIDENTS
THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THE PROPOSAL TO ISSUE, FROM JUNE 1, MULTIPLE VISIT PERMITS (MTP'S) VALID FOR MULTIPLE ENTRIES TO ALL TAIWANESE VISITORS HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
THERE WILL BE TWO TYPES OF MTP'S, ONE FOR SOCIAL VISITORS AND ONE FOR BUSINESSMEN.
A MTP WILL BE VALID FOR 12 MONTHS. THE ONE FOR SOCIAL VISITORS WILL ENABLE THE HOLDER TO MAKE MULTIPLE TRIPS TO HONG KONG WITHIN ITS VALIDITY, PROVIDED HE DOES NOT STAY MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS IN ANY CALENDAR MONTH. EXTENSIONS OF STAY WILL NOT NORMALLY BE PERMITTED.
A MTP FOR BUSINESSMEN WILL ENABLE THE HOLDER TO MAKE MULTIPLE TRIPS TO HONG KONG FOR STAY OF NOT MORE THAN 14 DAYS ON EACH OCCASION. EXTENSIONS OF STAY WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
"THE MTP FACILITY AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSMEN IS A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OF THE MULTIPLE VISA SCHEME FOR BUSINESS VISITS.
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"SINCE 1989 THE POLICY IN ISSUING MULTIPLE VISIT VISA TO TAIWANESE BUSINESSMEN HAS BEEN RELAXED AND ALL BUSINESSMEN WHO HAVE GOOD REASON TO COME TO, OR THROUGH, HONG KONG HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH SUCH VISAS," AN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
IN THE PAST, A TAIWANESE BUSINESSMAN WHO WISHED ΤΟ APPLY FOR A MULTIPLE VISIT VISA HAD TO APPLY FOR A SINGLE JOURNEY VISIT PERMIT FIRST TO ENABLE HIM TO COME TO HONG KONG AND ACQUIRE FROM A NOTARY PUBLIC A DECLARATION OF IDENTITY FOR VISA PURPOSES.
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THE VISA, ENDORSED ON THE DECLARATION, IS VALID FOR MULTIPLE TRIPS OF 14 DAYS EACH TO HONG KONG WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
"THE FEE FOR MULTIPLE VISIT VISA IS $115 AND IT TAKES FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS TO ISSUE.
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EXTENSIONS OF STAY BEYOND 14 DAYS ARE GRANTED
ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. APPLICATIONS FOR EXTENSION OF VISA HAVE ΤΟ BE SUBMITTED IN TAIWAN.
THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENT FOR TAIWANESK RESIDENTS TO APPLY FOR ENTRY PERMIT HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED. A MTP APPLICANT HAS TO APPLY THROUGH AN AUTHORISED AIRLINE IN TAIWAN, WHICH IN TURN FORWARDS THE APPLICATION TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IN HONG KONG.
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THAT MEANS A TAIWANESE RESIDENT MAY APPLY FOR A MTP DIRECT IN TAIWAN DESCRIBED ABOVE WITHOUT HAVING TO VISIT HONG KONG AND MAKING DECLARATION OF IDENTITY FOR VISA PURPOSES. THE MTP, WHEN APPROVED, WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE APPLICANT THROUGH THE AIRLINE.
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/A MTP