Did you complete an electronic arrival card prior to using eGate to enter?

Even when using e-Gate, GE-reciprocity program members are required to fill out a landing card on arrival. If you didn't, I'm surprised the e-Gate let you into the country in the first place.

Yeah, the system just let me through the gates upon entry without an arrival card. I had filled out the arrival card, but the person who did the interview said it wasn't needed and pitched it in the bin, go figure.

So it was human error on their part.

The arrival card for the gates is online. You can't use the paper ones. This was definitely human error on their part but next time, be sure to fill out the online one. The interview person kept stressing that without the card online filled out(kind of like ESTA), the system won't work.

Yep. Before I used it the first time the interviewer had asked if I had completed an electronic arrival card, which I had done following the advice here and instructions on the website. I am also surprised that it worked without having completed an electronic arrival card.

I don't know if it's common practice, but it wouldn't surprise me. There have been many stories of China immigration seizing one (ie, the Taiwan) passport if the traveler shows they have multiple passports. BR check-in staff at TPE and TSA have hinted to me in the past not to let China see, say, both US and Taiwan passports. So, it seems possible that they're using the lack of stamp as a clue that the traveler has a Taiwan passport.

That's good to know. I don't think it would be an issue in my case since Chinese immigration officials would consider me unlikely to have both Taiwan and US passports. (For the record, I hold only a US passport.) Mrs. Majuki's case might be different because she uses her Taiwan passport to enter and leave Taiwan and US passport everywhere else. She therefore has no ROC entry/exit stamps in her US passport. While she does not have a tái bāo zhèng, it sounds like they would try to get her to enter using her national ID + visa on arrival if they knew about those documents, even with a US passport with visa in hand.

Adding one DP, used it in RMQ departure - one machine failed, another machine worked.

Thanks for the DP! Anybody go for a passport renewal yet?

Guess that has changed. Application website now says:

"Applicants (U.S. Citizens ONLY) should have valid GE membership and satisfy the following criteria"

Source: https://egate.immigration.gov.tw/ge-...dItem=section1

You're playing with fire. This is against the law. Not only is it illegal, see:

https://www.ait.org.tw/u-s-citizen-s...ervice-taiwan/

Playing with fire - yes, illegal - no

I've done the same and wasn't held in my 20's, it's one of those things that the Taiwan government reserves the right to draft you when you're old and out of shape, but rarely if ever do

As mentioned before, my sons fall into this category, and as per TECO (Taiwanese Embassy), it is illegal to enter Taiwan with a non Taiwanese passport if you are under 36/male and have a Taiwanese passport (e.g. born in Taiwan) have dual+ citizenship who still has not served out conscription.

Also see:

https://www.reddit.com/r/taiwan/comm...ort_and_avoid/

"There are a lot of conflicting information, so I called up the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto. The lady on the phone told me that I must enter with my Taiwanese passport, and make sure I get permission to exit when I'm Taipei."

Well my Canadian passport clearly states that I'm MIT, so it wouldn't be a surprise to them that I also hold a Taiwan passport. It would be folly to enter the country without using your Canadian passport - you wouldn't have Canadian consular services for any issues

Recently I've asked the same Toronto "Consulate" (in person) about getting Taiwan citizenship for my Canadian born wife and son - the wife can't get citizenship but can have residency as long as we're still married. The boy can have Taiwan citizenship, but they wouldn't confirm if he would be held for military services - the attitude I got from them was Taiwan wouldn't want to draft your kid anyways so you shouldn't worry

On a different note for Beijing 2022 China has been heavily recruiting teenage GTHL hockey players with any kind of association with "China" - the gotcha was you have to "receive" Chinese citizenship, and the issue of having to serve came up.... But hey, you'll get to be an Olympian and a Private in the Red Army !!!

[Edit: To clarify, in order for my son to receive Taiwan citizenship he must apply in person @ Taiwan, which means they can pretty much hold him as soon as they hand him a Taiwan passport without an exit visa]

Please stop spreading mis-truth. I have confirmed with TECO and the Canadian embassy that your comment is not true. As long as you hold a Canadian passport, they will be there to help should you require their services.

TECO would be the wrong people to ask this question

As for the other part, example if you didn't enter Taiwan using a Canadian Passport hence accessing the 90-days tourist visa, your EXIT visa is now part of your Taiwanese passport and those can be revoked.

As a Canadian tourist it makes sense to use your Canadian passport. If you're working or studying in Taiwan then it may be a different story

I don't think you understand how it works. The Canadian Embassy explicitly told my son(s) to enter Taiwan using their Taiwanese passports and not the Canadian one, under any circumstances until they turn at least >37 (or whatever age military conscription stops at) whether for work, study or leisure.

There is a law, from the NIA in Taiwan that specifically says that all dual passport holders must enter Taiwan using their Taiwanese passport until they are exempt from military service. That said, I'm not about to spend eons digging that up and at this point I will say that if you want to disprove me, by all means, great, but I'll leave this subject where it is as after having reviewed the law, I have advised my sons accordingly. How you choose to conduct your affairs is, of course, up to you. Google has plenty of threads covering this very subject already.

Worth a read:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/prac...taiwan-us.html

I know a few people who are dual citizens who don't enter Taiwan with TW ROC passport. There is plenty of downside since you don't exist and can't do many things (such as working). Until now, you also can't use eGate, not to mention the stay limit.

Unlike the US, it does NOT seem there are rules that you MUST use your TW ROC passport. However, entering Taiwan using a foreign passport does not exempt one from military duty. If they figure out who you are, you might still be refused exit. So, it is better to get classified as an "Overseas Citizen" and follow the pretty lenient rules.

For those classified as "Overseas Citizen", you can enter/exit fine as long as you don't stay more than certain number of days continuously AND cumulatively AND you apply for exit permit (which can be done online at https://niioa.immigration.gov.tw/NIA...plyForm.action).

The current exception might be that if you never have had been in the household registration system in Taiwan. The problem is Taiwanese laws get interpreted by different government employees differently so it is better to be safe.

Thanks for the additional info. I was told that the info quoted above isn't true. My sons have never set foot in Taiwan until they became adults (born and raised in Canada), but since they both have Taiwanese passports, I have done a lot of research into this. I have asked the embassy about said household registration exemption as you indicated, and they said it was a moot point and didn't exempt them from mandatory military service. They could have very well been wrong but just thought I'd share what was told to me.

Here is an article that shows the dysfunction on this front: https://www.singtaousa.com/la/453-%E...4%B9%E8%AE%8A/

I think if one has never been household-registered in Taiwan, there is no ID card and the people who draft go by that. So, the system won't allow them to do it :D

Still, better safe than sorry - even though they supposedly have gone to a volunteer system as of 1/1/2018 and only require a 4 month to 12 month training.

Thank you. That said, the Taiwanese government is incompetent? Surely you must be mistaken.

I believe a winky face is in order :D

A few more data points:

On my last trip, I registered at T2 prior to departing TPE. At the exit immigration e-gate, neither I nor the officer could get my 6-year old US passport to scan correctly, having attempted four times on two different machines. She mentioned that US passports with numbers starting with "4," like mine, often had problems with the e-gates. I was directed to the normal immigration queue.

Two days ago, I tried using the entry immigration e-gates at T1, but again, the machine could not scan my passport, so I went to the (not so) Speedy Immigration Counter.

Just this morning, I gave it one more shot when leaving from Terminal 1. After having read the advice from others regarding the alignment with the red light, I looked for it (a little bit hidden under the black plastic hood lining the edges of the glass scanning surface) and placed my open passport, face down, so that the left edge was aligned with the left red light, probably leaving half a centimeter of the scanning surface's glass exposed. After a few seconds, it worked!

Thanks to everyone who posted with this trick.

Hello, hey123, and welcome to FlyerTalk! I'm glad the trick worked for you as well. There's something about the alignment with the machine readable barcode on US passports and the e-Gate readers that works best when offset.

For people who have concerns about military service and drafting in Taiwan, I really suggest you NOT to only rely on information from any TECO.
Regulations change frequently in recent years so the situation is very fluid, and many TECO staffs were early immigrants who left Taiwan maybe 10-20 years ago. Their intuitive understanding may be very different from the actual rules nowadays.

I really advice anyone with these concerns to spend a little money getting a phone card or Skype account (which are not expensive anyway) to call back to the Department of Military Service (兵役科) of your city/county (or simply of Taipei City if you no longer have household registered in any), and cross check with NIA.

If one is born abroad (not in Taiwan), the best thing to do may really be getting the "Overseas Chinese" status with your Taiwan passport. My understanding is that, Overseas Chinese TWP, is more limited (fewer visa-free destinations and more restrictions even when travelling to Taiwan), but would certainly exempt you from military service obligations. Yet definitely check with NIA on that though.

I personally think USD$100 for e-Gate does not worth the money.
If you are US citizen and you have global entry, MAYBE you can apply for APEC travel card on https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/
If you are not qualified for APEC travel card, you can apply for speedy immigration. It is free. But you can use immigration line alone with traveler with baby.
The catch for speedy immigration is you need to have at least 3 entries to Taiwan in past 12 months.

Has anybody else have had difficulty submitting a Taiwanese online arrival form? I've tried a few times, only to be met with:錯誤訊息系統錯誤請稍候再試!!
which Google Translate tells me means "Error message System error Please try again later!!"

I've not experienced issues, but I've only done the online arrival form twice.

Also, I just renewed my passport and have updated the information via the TTP. This information is supposed to be sent to NIA within two weeks. I'll report back if it has not updated. Has anyone else done a passport renewal through this program yet?

I checked the e-Gate site today, and my new passport information is reflected in the system. I don't have any planned trips to Taiwan until December, but everything seems to be in order. ^

Here’s hoping my new passport will work at e-Gate
 

Please report back. I'm curious since there have been no reported data points.

Just wanted to mention an experience I had recently regarding getting an ARC after already having eGate via global entry, in case it's helpful for anyone in a similar situation.

I originally applied for eGate via Global Entry and had no problems. A few months later, I got an ARC (Employment Gold Card). After receiving the card, I no longer had to fill out an arrival card when entering Taiwan, which I took advantage of for a few trips. Until yesterday, when I scanned my passport as usual and was prompted with an ugly message to fill out an arrival card. So I went through the normal immigration line and was advised to re-apply for eGate using my ARC, which is actually more convenient anyways since my passport doesn't scan half the time. I was able to do that at the airport immediately. However after doing so, when I attempted to scan the ARC the same message appeared, which is quite odd considering that ARC holders do not need to fill out the online arrival card. The immigration staff were puzzled by this and had me apply for eGate again, but the message still appeared.

So, the immigration staff's consensus was that this situation has caused a conflict in their system, and they've contacted an engineer to look into the issue. So just be warned that if you apply for "Global Entry" eGate, it may make eGate less convenient if you ever get an ARC. As a side note, applying for eGate with an ARC initially would be a much easier option if available since it can be done for free at the airport without an appointment.

Hello zackyg, and welcome to FlyerTalk! Thanks for sharing this situation. I don't anticipate getting an ARC myself, but hopefully if I am ever in that situation the system is fixed to allow for a change of status. I actually had a problem about a year ago because the ticketing agents at the JAL desk were looking for a recent entry stamp in my passport and thought I had an ARC after mentioning e-Gate. Hopefully the program is a little better known now than it was last fall shortly after it started.

Brand new passport first use | Still didn’t work
 

I'll report back in December in my case.

Do you think it is bad biometrics?

Length of application
 

If you are intending to use e-Gate for Global Entry, do you already have Global Entry?