Travel / Visa Information

VISA

Tourist visas for the Taiwan can be obtained from Taiwan (ROC) embassies, consulates, or designated representative offices in foreign countries. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, and Costa Rica with passports valid for six months and onward or return tickets, are allowed visa-free entry to Taiwan at any of its major international ports and harbors, for a period of 14 days. For more information, please contact the local Taiwanese representative offices.

Intending participants are requested to check that they comply with any entry visa requirements by contacting the nearest embassy or diplomatic mission of Taiwan (ROC). If no such representation exists in a particular country, participants should write to Macro2008@che.nthu.edu.tw or to the Congress Secretariat acsu@mx.nthu.edu.tw about the appropriate authority to contact.

IUPAC sponsorship implies that entry visas will be granted to all bona fide chemists, provided application is made not less than six months in advance. If a visa is not granted two months before the meeting, the Organizers and the IUPAC Secretariat should be notified by the applicant.”

Travel Information

If you come to Taipei by airplane, you will arrive at the Taiwan Tao-Yuan (T. T. Y). International airport. You can take a taxi from the airport to the conference site (Taipei International Convention Center http://www.ticc.com.tw/) for approximately NT$ 1,300.

MONEY AND CREDIT CARDS

The unit of currency is the New Taiwan dollar (NT$). The largest bill in Taiwan, in both size and amount is for NT$2,000. Other notes are NT$1000, NT$500, NT$100, NT$50; coins include NT$50, NT$10, NT$5, and NT$1. Currency is easily changed at government designated banks, hotels and shops. If you want to change New Taiwan Dollars back to foreign currency before departure, be sure to obtain a receipt when you convert. The exchange rate, around NT$34 against the US$1, is subject to fluctuation. Major credit cards are accepted and traveler's checks may be cashed at some tourist-oriented businesses and by most hotels.

TAX AND TIPPING

A 10% service charge is automatically added to bills in hotels and larger restaurants. Tipping taxi drivers is not necessary.

WHAT TO WEAR

The temperature of late June/early July at Taipei is about 30-35^oC. Please prepare a T-shirt or two.