Taiwan and Italy formally announced mutual access to automated immigration clearance yesterday, making Taiwan the eighth non-EU country granted the privilege by Italy.
Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) and Italian Representative to Taiwan Davide Giglio made the announcement at a ceremony held alongside a border management seminar at which more than 200 international guests participated.
The measure, which allows Taiwanese and Italians to clear immigration using the e-Gate system at each other’s airports, was actually implemented in June, but was only formally announced yesterday.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Other non-EU countries that have the privilege are Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the US, Hsu said.
Republic of China passport holders can enter Italy without needing to apply beforehand for a visa by simply scanning their passport and going through facial and fingerprint recognition at immigration, he said.
Italian holders of biometric passports with six months’ validity and no criminal record can likewise apply for e-Gate services at major airports and seaports in Taiwan, Hsu said.
Taiwan has for the past two years allowed people from Australia, South Korea and the US to enter Taiwan using the e-Gate system, the Ministry of the Interior said.
As of the end of August, more than 210,000 people from those countries have registered to use the service, it said.
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