Not incredibly hard. I had my passport on me already anyway so it wasn’t worth getting my hackles up at the time. If I didn’t happen to have it on me and I was gping to be out of service for a few days that’s a different story…
Do you have an NHI card? Two pieces of ID are required, I handed over my APRC, NHI and passport, lady just handed back the passport without looking at it, my NHI card doesn’t even have a photo on it.
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Yeah, have an NHI card. I’ll keep it in mind for next renewal.
How come? I thought a photo was standard. Is it just really old or something?
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I got a response from Chunghwa:
茲復國家通訊傳播委員會114年4月1日受理臺端申訴案件（編號：NCC-114XXXXXXX），有關「中華電信要求外籍居民重新核對身分證」一案，說明如下：
一、有關反映事宜，依據「詐欺犯罪危害防制條例」第二十二條及「電信事業使用指定資料庫核對用戶身分查詢辦法」第八條：電信事業提供非本國籍客戶預付卡服務期間，應每月分批查詢內政部移民署資料庫查核，若查核結果為客戶已出境、逾期停留或居留，應以適當措施通知該客戶於二週內至電信事業門市重新核對及登錄身分；該指定期間屆至後，電信事業得依規定限制或停止提供其電信服務。
二、本公司配合政府打詐政策及按前揭規定，為降低門號遭不法人士利用的風險，持續辦理定期清查作業並針對非本國籍預付卡客戶的入出境及居留狀態進行確認，如介接移民署資料庫查核為已出境或逾期停居留時，會發送簡訊(含停話前3日，共2次)通知客戶於指定期間持有效雙證件臨櫃辦理核對資料，如超過簡訊所載明之期限，則會暫時停止門號使用。
三、若門號逾期辦理，門號僅暫時限制上網及發話，仍可受話並保留至預付卡效期結束，客戶可於預付卡門號效期內攜帶最近一次入境所持用出示之護照或居留證，及足以辨識身分之證明文件等雙證件正本，至本公司直營門市重新核對資料，經本公司與移民署資料庫介接查核無誤後，門號即可恢復使用。
四、查臺端門號已於114年4月1日完成核資並恢復使用。客服主管業於114年4月13日致電說明，惟臺端尚有疑慮，將賡續聯絡，尚祈諒察。
五、感謝臺端的支持與愛護，日後倘有電信相關問題，請以市話或手機直撥123，或電洽0800-080-123(客服專線)，本公司將竭誠為您服務。
Machine translation:
This is in response to the complaint case (No. NCC-114XXXXXXX) submitted to the National Communications Commission on April 1, 2025, regarding “Chunghwa Telecom’s request for foreign residents to reverify their identification.” Our explanation is as follows:
- Regarding the issue raised, according to Article 22 of the Fraud Crime Prevention Act and Article 8 of the Regulations Governing Identity Verification of Telecommunications Users via Designated Databases, during the period in which telecom operators provide prepaid card services to non-citizens, they must periodically (monthly) cross-check customer data with the database of the National Immigration Agency. If the check shows that a customer has departed, overstayed, or exceeded their period of residence, the telecom operator must take appropriate measures to notify the customer to reverify and register their identification at a telecom service center within two weeks. After the designated period has passed, the operator may restrict or suspend the telecom services in accordance with regulations.
- In line with government anti-fraud policies and the aforementioned regulations, our company continues to conduct periodic reviews to reduce the risk of phone numbers being misused by malicious individuals. For non-citizen prepaid card customers, we verify their entry/exit and residency status through the National Immigration Agency’s database. If the check shows the customer has departed or overstayed, we send SMS notifications (twice, including three days before suspension) informing the customer to bring valid identification documents to a service center for reverification within the specified period. If the deadline stated in the messages is missed, the phone number will be temporarily suspended.
- If reverification is overdue, only outgoing calls and data will be restricted; incoming calls will still be allowed, and the number will remain valid until the prepaid card expires. During the validity period of the prepaid card, customers can bring the most recently used passport or residence certificate, along with another identity document (both originals), to any of our company’s directly operated stores for reverification. Once the data has been successfully verified via the immigration database, service will be restored.
- We confirm that the reverification for your number was completed on April 1, 2025, and service was restored. Our customer service supervisor also called to explain on April 13, 2025, but as you still had concerns, we will continue to follow up. We ask for your understanding.
- Thank you for your continued support. Should you have any further telecom-related questions, please call 123 from a landline or mobile phone, or contact our customer service hotline at 0800-080-123. We are dedicated to serving you.
I couldn’t really be bothered, so I got ChatGPT to fire this back:
您好，感謝您來信回覆，並於4月13日來電與我聯繫。
如我們於電話中所討論，我在此想再次表達我的主要關切：本人為台灣永久居留者，持有外僑永久居留證（APRC），台灣已是我現在及可預見未來的永久居住地。貴公司紀錄中應可查明，我自2016年起即一直使用同一張中華電信的預付卡SIM卡，並可由系統中確認我具有永久居留身份。
然而，若每次我出國度假後返回台灣時都需要重新核對身分，或抵台後門號即被停用，實在相當不便。我並無任何不法或異常使用SIM卡的行為，出境純粹是為度假，因此不應被視為可能涉及可疑或非法行為的人員。
我已閱讀相關法規，理解政府針對短期來台觀光客或臨時訪客所實施的核對措施及其目的，但我這種長期且合法居留在台灣的情況顯然不在此範疇之內。對於像我這樣持有有效APRC或ARC的外籍永久居民與長期居留者，中華電信是否有任何配套措施，以避免上述不必要的困擾？畢竟，對於長期客戶來說，僅因出國度假就被視為潛在風險對象，確實令人感到不便與不安。
懇請貴公司理解並重視長期居留客戶的實際情況，盼能提供更合理與友善的處理機制。期待您的回覆與協助。
Machine translation:
Greetings. Thank you for your email reply and for your phone call on April 13.
As we discussed during the call, I would like to reiterate my main concern: I am a permanent resident of Taiwan holding an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC), and Taiwan is my permanent home now and for the foreseeable future. As your records should show, I have been using the same Chunghwa Telecom prepaid SIM card since 2016, and your system should clearly reflect that I hold permanent residency status.
However, if I am required to reverify my identity every time I return to Taiwan from a vacation abroad—or if my mobile service is suspended upon re-entry—it is very inconvenient. I am not doing anything illegal or suspicious with my SIM card; when I leave Taiwan, it is simply for vacation. I do not believe I should be treated as a potential criminal or someone engaged in suspicious activity just because I went on vacation.
I have read the relevant laws and understand the purpose of these measures for tourists or short-term visitors to Taiwan. However, my situation clearly does not fall into that category. For foreign residents who hold valid APRCs or ARCs and live in Taiwan permanently or long term, I would like to ask: What measures can Chunghwa Telecom take to avoid this unnecessary inconvenience? Surely Chunghwa Telecom can understand that it is quite disconcerting and inconvenient for long-term customers to be treated as suspicious individuals simply because they traveled abroad for a short time.
I respectfully ask that Chunghwa Telecom consider the real-life circumstances of long-term residents and provide a more reasonable and customer-friendly solution. I look forward to your reply and assistance.
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