The National Immigration Agency will begin issuing electronic alien resident certificates (ARCs) embedded with advanced anti-forgery microchips to replace the existing paper cards from July 1, an immigration official said yesterday.
Noting that the move was congruent with general world trends, the official said it would not only bring new convenience to foreigners but would also contribute to the government's anti-forgery and anti-terrorism drives.
initial phase
In the initial stage from July 1 through Dec. 31, the official said, the agency will only issue new ARCs with integrated circuit (IC) chips to new applicants and those who apply to replace older or lost ARCs.
The fee for the new ARCs will remain unchanged at NT$1,000 (US$30) per year.
Responding to calls by expatriates for lower prices for ARCs, the official said the fees are reasonable and much cheaper than those in many other countries, including the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
In the second phase, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 next year, the official said, all existing ARC holders will be required to exchange their old paper cards for the electronic ones.
The official said the new ARC measures will also apply to the more than 330,000 foreign blue-collar workers employed by manufacturing and construction companies as well as caregivers hired by families with patients in need of long-term care.
security measure
The official said that the new IC ARCs are designed in line with the electronic international ID cards (eID cards) adopted in other countries to help speed up customs clearance and prevent forgery as well as help stave off possible terrorist activity.
Agency data showed that Belgium, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Estonia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have issued eID cards while the US, Germany, Norway and Denmark have issued e-passports to prevent forgery and fight terrorism, the official said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their
RSS