Taiwan and Germany have launched a program allowing reciprocal access to automated customs clearance systems, making Taiwan the fourth non-EU country granted the privilege by Germany, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) said on Monday.
The program allows holders of Taiwanese passports to use Germany’s EasyPass border control system, and holders of German passports to use Taiwan’s e-Gate service, NIA Director Chung Ching-kun (鐘景琨) said.
“A reciprocal customs clearance agreement will benefit Germany and Taiwan by facilitating travel and trade between the two economies,” German Trade Office Taipei Executive Director Axel Limberg said. “It will also enhance cooperation and connectivity, and strengthen the relationship between Germany and Taiwan.”
Photo courtesy of the National Immigration Agency
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have no criminal record in Germany, and hold a Taiwanese passport with a chip and a unified ID number to be eligible for the program.
Taiwanese traveling to Germany to work or visit are also required to have a valid visa or residence permit.
German travelers must have a chip-enabled passport that is valid for at least six months. They must be at least 18 years old and 1.4m tall with no criminal record in Taiwan to use the e-Gate system.
Germany is the fifth country to have a reciprocal customs clearance agreement with Taiwan after the US, South Korea, Australia and Italy.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS