This Travel Warning alerts American citizens that the Department of State has now authorized the voluntary departure of family members and non-emergency personnel at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in Taipei and Kaohsiung. This decision is based on the Department's ongoing concerns about the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Taiwan. Both the Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to recommend that Americans planning elective or non-essential travel to Taiwan may wish to consider deferring non-essential travel to Taiwan. Americans residing in Taiwan may wish to consider departing Taiwan. AIT remains open to provide the full range of services to American citizens.

For the most up-to-date information about SARS, American citizens are advised to monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website www.cdc.gov , the World Health Organization's website, www.who.int/ith and the Department of State's Public Announcement on SARS, which is located at .

For further information on travel to Taiwan, American citizens should also consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for Taiwan.