E-gate has always been the “I will do it tomorrow” kind of thing. Now you guys gave me a good reminder that it’s time 
Is it free or how much is it to apply for it?
free. takes like 5 minutes at the counter. bring passport and ARC
1 Like
I always thought that e gate is a good way to get out the country if you lose your passport. You check in online, and then go to the e gate with just your ARC. Then when you arrive in your home country just tell them you lost your passport and let them deal with you.
Might run into problems boarding though if they want to see your passport, which is sometimes the case.
Probably unlikely.
Taiwan was always behind the curveball on this.
Hong Kong and Singapore (IIRC) were doing this a long time ago for business passengers who kept flying in and out, so they wouldn’t have to wait in long lines as “visitors”, or common-folk.
Dunno. Back when I used to come in and out every 3 months, I wasn’t stamped once and was told by the immigration agent when I went back to ask that they didn’t do it anymore because it’s all electronic. That was without an ARC. They gave me a stamp when I asked though, but I did have to ask.
Don’t know what they’re doing now because I haven’t left since February 2020. Fuuuuuck.
You can just use your passport at those gates. It even addresses you in your own language.
You may have to be enrolled in the program first, I don’t know since I am. Curious if systems are so smart it knows the owner of the passport has an ARC and that passport is from one of the participating countries.
Yes, you need to register.
Yes, as asked above, it is free.
Guy
the system is smart, since all managed by the NIA which has all our information since foreigners. ARCs are unequivocally linked to a passport number, each time the passport changes, you need to apply for a new ARC. There are a few countries whose passports are allowed to use the e-gates even for tourism, so you don’t even need to have an ARC to apply, get the stamp and use the e-gate. Italy and Australia are among them I know (even the US if you have that strange Global Entry thing). However, since feb-2020 e-gates are closed to foreigners without ARC, since no tourism is allowed and a whole host of docs must be inspected if non-residents needs to enter. Taiwan is doing reasonably well in this aspect with respect to other Asian countries. Japan has a very limited trusted travellers programme which requires you to travel at least twice within 12 months to enroll and start using it from the 3rd time (always within 12 months), HK requires you to visit at least 3 times in the last 12 months (also here some countries has special waivers based on reciprocity), then I am not that aware of other jurisdictions. In Europe only EU/Schengen citizens (and some very few non-EU countries, among them TW) can use e-gates, all the other need to use manned channels. So not too shabby, can be better, but can be a lot worse too.
The fact that it is so open and free of charge is impressive. Try getting that in Canada! (Hint: you won’t find it.)
Guy
1 Like
Travelled to Canada only once, to see my fiance’e (she was studying at UoT, so flew from Milan to Toronto). It was an improptu visit, organised literally the day before flying. Got the bloody authorisation to fly in 1hr (asked emergency review for “family reasons”, they didn’t investigate much tbh). When landed the line was almost endless for immigration, got a border guard who was actually of Italian origin and started speaking to me in his dialect (family from the south, so can’t really understand it much with thick Canadian accent ahaha), took me in sympathy and let me pass with this phrase “go and show how we Italians do”. I was a bit puzzled, but I was done in 3 mins basically. But I saw many others in other lines staying a good 10-15mins being questioned. I am (touch wood) quite lucky at immigration check points, maybe my face is not scary and they think I am just another boring banker wanker haha.
2 Likes
I guess this is still true? Just go to the NIA and ask for egate clearance? I just entered from Thailand and my gold card/arc didn’t work. But when I left Taiwan I could use the ID card to leave.
1 Like
Last time I was at NIA I think I read applications for egates at the service centre are currently suspended, you would then need to apply at the booth at Taoyuan airport, I did my enrolment there.
Funny that when I enrolled I wasn’t holding any ARC, but Italian passport holders can enrol for e-gate use based on reciprocity, since Taiwanese can do that in Italy.
1 Like
When departing or arriving in Taiwan?
I was arriving, the booth is near the immigration lines, in terminal 1 is on the furthermost side from where you come from the gates. Terminal 2 I don’t know, I rarely used it.
Departing not aware at the minute, you can ask NIA if they resumed the applications at the service centres now.
1 Like
Why is there a need to register? Taiwanese using egates in Australia don’t need to register! Maybe we need to step up our game and make Taiwanese do an annoyingly useless registration process…?
No to mention, give them a residency card with a funky ID number that doesn’t work for anything. And then force the Taiwanese to reregister by changing their ID number to something slightly less funky!!! Muhuhaha
3 Likes
They will collect biometric data from you.
If you are OK with this arrangement, it’s free and it’s fast. It’s also vastly better than anything I’ve seen in my home country, Canada. Sorry if it’s not up to Australian standards.
Guy
1 Like
They do this upon first arrival and every arrival. They could easily take that stored data and apply it to your passport for egates…
But that would only make sense…
Perhaps such biometric data collection in Taiwan requires some form of consent. So if you consent, you can sign up for the e-gate scheme. And if you don’t consent or don’t care, it’s not the end of the world—you just line up and talk to an agent when you (re-)enter Taiwan.
Guy
1 Like
When was that?
I did my e-Gate re-application in 5mins at NIA in Kaohsiung, because I got new ARC card, this summer.
Biometrics are just face picture and fingerprints, which are what immigration does to anyone incoming/outgoing to/from Taiwan whether with e-Gate or just with normal passport (and/or ARC card without e-Gate).
1 Like
Yeah, I always used to have a hard time with this entering Taiwan because my fingerprints are really faint (I used to get dermatitis/eczema/dry skin a lot in the winter)…which would sometimes lead the immigration officer to ask why I was repeatedly entering the country on visa exemptions. 
I remember I got pulled to the side one time to re-record my fingerprints at the “problem visitor counter”, where the supervisor said that my fingerprints didn’t match what was on their records. I didn’t really have a good answer to that besides assuring him that they were the same fingers I’ve always had.
4 Likes