They can't afford the exit permits to go offplanet.

U.S. citizens residing in Iran on permanent resident visas must obtain an exit permit each and every time they depart Iran, regardless of the period of stay.

Taiwan has issued 3,000 exit permits to residents of Kinmen who want to visit China.

The Secretary also said the Chinese had assured him that prominent intellectuals and relatives of dissidents who have fled abroad will not be denied exit permits as before.

While Vietnam had promised 1,500 exit permits a month from April on, so far only 359 permits have been processed this year, officials said.

More timely exit permits for about 7,000 cases left pending would likely produce the waiver, American officials said.

Nonetheless, the visits by WJC officials to Moscow were widely seen as helpful in securing the exit permits for prominent Jews in the Soviet Union.

Other difficulties included bureaucratic delays and, in some cases, a reluctance on the part of Chinese authorities to issue passports and exit permits to individuals making notable contributions to the modernization effort.

Only the "true" exit permits access to the next level.

In the past, Chinese authorities issued passports and exit permits only to officials, businessmen and students who could provide a letter of invitation from an overseas sponsor.