A reciprocal automated immigration clearance system between Taiwan and Singapore is to be officially launched today, sources familiar with the topic said yesterday.
Since April, Taiwanese tourists have been eligible to access automated immigration gates upon arriving in Singapore. Starting today, Singaporean visitors can access electronic immigration gates for speedy clearance after completing the registration upon arrival.
A launch ceremony for the automated immigration clearance system between Taiwan and Singapore is to be held in Taipei this evening, with participating dignitaries from both countries, sources said.
Photo: CNA
Singaporean tourists who want to use the automated immigration clearance to enter Taiwan must first present their passports to an immigration officer, and have their facial images and fingerprints of both hands recorded upon their arrival at the airport, the report said.
Taiwan has similar reciprocal agreements with the US, South Korea, Australia, Italy and Germany.
Singapore’s “Automated Clearance Initiative,” launched in May last year, allows eligible international tourists to access the automated immigration gates at Singapore’s Changi Airport and checkpoints, even if they are first-time visitors to the country. Tourists need to enter the biometric data to pass through the immigration gates.
In addition to Taiwan, Singapore’s initiative applies to visitors from Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, the UK, the US, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and 38 other countries and regions.
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