The National Immigration Agency (NIA) will officially launch e-gates, or automated immigration gates, at three airports and a seaport in January to speed up passenger clearances, an official said yesterday.
The e-gates, which are already being tested, will allow Taiwanese who have registered their biometric data and hold valid passports to clear immigration through the gates, said Shih Ming-teh (施明德), a division chief at the agency.
A total of 30 e-gates will be installed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Songshan Airport, Kaohsiung International Airport and Kinmen Seaport.
The gates, equipped with infrared sensors, facial recognition cameras and passport readers, verify the biometric data of passengers passing through them.
The agency’s statistics show that more than 90,000 Taiwanese have registered their data at machines at the airports, with an average of 3,500 to 4,000 entries and exits per day.
The agency launched an “Advance Passenger Information System” (APIS) in August that allows immigration officers to screen passenger information in advance, Shih said.
The agency receives passenger information from airlines after passengers check in so it can track suspicious travelers, he said.
The APIS system could help Taiwan strengthen its border security, which in turn could be conducive to Taiwan’s inclusion in the US visa waiver program, the agency said.
Shih said authorities were recently able to use the system to track down a long-wanted criminal who was transiting Taiwan.
By next year, the system will also allow airlines to access immigration agency information and prevent the issue of boarding passes to suspicious passengers, he said.
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