The Pacific Airlines of Vietnam has joined the Permit Scheme for Taiwan travelers and will start providing the service as of Friday, according to the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Thursday. 　　

Pacific Airlines is the sixth airline to participate in the Permit Scheme to process, through the Internet, entry permit applications from visitors from Taiwan, according to a spokesman from the Immigration Department.

The company has 3 agent offices in Taipei, Kaohsuing and Tainanrespectively to receive iPermit applications and information on these agents may be obtained through the company's authorized representative Mekong Tours in Hong Kong, the spokesman said.

The Permit Scheme was launched in March 2002, and is well received by the residents of Taiwan. The average daily number of applications received has leaped from 336 in March to 607 in July.So far over 67,000 iPermits have been issued.

( Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2002)