In response to complaints that the annual quota for Chinese spouses is not large enough, Immigration Office deputy director Wu Hsueh-yen said the ceiling is now set at 12,000 a year.

“That’s 4,800 more than last year,” Wu said.

Complaints were reported by the China Times. Wang Chuan-ping, managing director of the Cross-Strait Marriage Promotion Association, was quoted as protesting the persecution by immigration officials of Chinese spouses applying for visits to Taiwan.

“They were questioned on such private matters as when they consummated their marriage,” Wang told the mass-circulation paper.

Wu explained the quota was increased after full consideration had been given to the frequent intermarriages across the Taiwan Strait.

Brushing aside the complaints, Wu said: “In fact, we raised it by close to 5,000 per annum.”

Regarding the encroachment on privacy, Wu admitted there were cases of violation before 2004. “But there aren’t any now,” he pointed out.

He said the regulations governing the interview of Chinese spouses were amended in early 2005. “No questioning about any such private matters has since been conducted,” he stressed.

Detailed questioning during the interview is necessary, Wu went on. “We are duty-bound to find out if there is human cargo smuggling in the name of marriage,” he said.

All immigration officials are required to respect privacy and human rights of Chinese spouses, Wu added.

But Wu did not respond to complaints that Chinese spouses have to wait longer than those from other countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines to get settled in Taiwan.

On an average, Wang complained, it takes Chinese spouses 18 years to get their ID cards after first arrival in Taiwan.

They can stay for a brief period of time each year and have to return to China to wait for another yearly visit to join their spouses.

Spouses from other countries need only five years to acquire the nationality.

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