Any idea why GAs need to check for entry stamp?

I know besides Taiwan, this happens in Japan, Thailand, Chile and Australia. But all these countries have exit controls, so if there're issues with identifying illegal immigrants or overstayers, shouldn't they be the immigration authorities' job?

I get caught up when I need to switch passports for my next destination e.g. at Chile I use my HKSAR to avoid Australian reciprocity fee, but have to check in with my Australian passport at QF to cross back to Australia - QF SCL asks for my landing slip from my HKSAR passport https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cath...l#post31140358 .

The explanation re: USA passports is above. As I already noted, the BR check-in agents at TPE haven't given me any trouble recently when I've told them I am an e-Gate program member, so at least some agents are trained appropriately.

"re: USA passport is above" as in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eva-...l#post29272040 (strict reciprocity)?

That's still operationally confusing - suppose you're a BR GA and you weren't briefed on this. You see many locals with e-gate stamps. You see Australians with e-gate stamps. Then you see this US passport holder who claims they don't have to be stamped?

Highly likely you'd think the Yank is BSing. Unless BR is really thorough with their briefing on this (and consistently regurgitating the training to new staff).


P.S. Australian Border Force do not stamp ROC passports before they use Smartgate. So if it is strict reciprocity, this isn't consistent either.

The point about why USA passports don't get a 'stamp-exempted stamp' (which I'm totally in favor of - no need for more pointless stamps in my passport, especially one as farcical as a 'stamp-exempted stamp').

Everything is operationally confusing. That's what training is for. Either the agents are trained appropriately or they're not. If they can be trained to look for an e-Gate stamp in an Australian passport, they can be trained to know that e-Gate stamps don't exist for USA passports.

And again I'll repeat - I haven't had a problem recently with the BR check-in agents, and they can now handle everything at the check-in desks, so clearly the policies/procedures have been modified and they have been getting training.

In that case, don't check for exit stamps.

BR performing a check that isn't really their job, then getting it wrong and inconveniencing the pax.

Also I assume passport MRZs are read. An prompt can be raised on the GA's terminal to remind the staff to ask USA passport holder for GE status before flipping for stamp? Pointless procedure that is subsequently executed erroneously - not much better than CX's infamous internal memo procedures.

Majuki's data point was last month. While YMMV and future pax experience may improve thru training, a system-based solution (prompt) would be preferable.

Not going get into an argument based purely on speculation about responsibilities that may or may not have been given to airlines by the government and/or regulatory authorities.

BR checks because they will be fined if you overstay. Part of the airline entry requirements for Taiwan is that they verify your outbound leg is within the limitations of your passport's privileges, or they will deny you boarding to avoid the penalty. Once you've been identified as an overstayer, they are required to report you and you will be flagged for all future airline travel with them.

If true, then why do NIA bother with exit controls if BR is responsible for catching overstayers? You can just operate an identity check into restricted area akin to transit and downsize the NIA airport outbound staff (with savings to both Taiwanese taxpayers and passengers).

Ask NIA. BR is responsible for overstayers on your inbound to TPE + if you overstay on their ticket, they are financially penalized as well on a per-person basis.

BR will not serve you again if this happens. It is my understanding that the penalty is not much though.

In BKK, airline check-in does check:

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1b30efd5d2.png

But it is ultimately Thai Immigration who processes the overstay:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...83d4b30347.png

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...47c4a4eb5a.png

Again, I don't see what's the point of airline check-in checking for the entry stamp in the process. They can mark up the pax's BP if they detect it, but otherwise Thai Immigration has to deal with it (in this case a fine was levied).

They can even mark up a BP in a no-stamp case like majuki's, note they have done so and let Immigration decide what to do with the individual from a immigration perspective.

Why did you mention inbound twice (entry in the first instance)? Say JL checked me in NRT-TPE on the basis I presented a valid one-way TPE-HKG ticket on CX. What if I no-showed the CX then bought a one-way ticket on BR beyond the date of my permitted stay - whose liability am I?

(Assuming no prohibitions in Taiwanese law) BR has a right to do this, but I hope they do it in writing like https://www.elliott.org/airline-prob...f-your-flight/ . Otherwise the deemed overstay pax may think it's still OK to buy ticket from BR in the future only to be denied boarding at check-in.

This is getting ridiculously OT. Repeated argumentation / speculation / armchair quarterbacking with regard to overstays and NIA policy and airline compliance has nothing to do with the thread topic.

If there are issues in the future with BR check-in agents despite pragmatic approach by pax, that's something worth noting/complaining to BR about. But it does not appear to be a systemic issue, as I have pointed out upthread.

In an attempt to bring the conversation back on course, is there a reason why US passport holders enrolled in e-Gate for Global Entry do not receive the Immigration Stamp Exempted endorsement? From percysmith's Australian passport example, the stamp is same endorsement that Mrs. Majuki has in her Taiwan passport. My guess is South Koreans would have the same stamp.

Are there more recent data points of people enrolling in e-Gate for Global Entry? I enrolled in December 2017, so the program was still relatively new. Perhaps the first few enrollments didn't get the stamp, but they now do?

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/undefinedI’m assuming it’s something with the reciprocity policy that Taiwan has.

US holders are also the only ones that have to do an interview.

I wonder if CBP will re-interview Taiwan members of the GE reciprocity program on renewal, since they don't usually do it for USA passport holders who are renewing GE. NIA might well require it for USA passport holders on renewal just because the CBP website suggests that's the policy.