- Prague Airport removed national flags from eGate screens, replacing them with standardized text-only country codes like TW.
- Taiwanese passport holders retain full eligibility for automated departure lanes despite the visual change to the interface.
- The airport plans to expand the eligible-country list next week to include additional low-risk nationalities for faster processing.
(PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC) – Taiwanese passport holders can still use the automated eGate departure system at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport, even after the airport removed the Taiwan flag from the screen.
The change affects the display, not eligibility, and travelers with ROC (Taiwan) passports continue to pass through under the same rules as before.
Václav Havel Airport Prague said the update is part of a systemwide shift to a text-only format. Instead of flags, the eGate screens will show country codes such as TW.
The airport’s spokesperson, Denisa Hejtmánková, confirmed that the change does not alter who can use the automated lanes.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said eligibility remains intact. That matters for travelers who have been using the new departure system since it opened on May 15, 2026, when Taiwan, the UK, Japan and South Korea were added for departures to non-Schengen destinations.
Passengers first noticed the missing Taiwan flag in mid-June 2026, when the screen still showed the TW code. The airport then made the change public on Friday, July 3, 2026, saying all national flags would be removed from the interface.
The airport said the adjustment only affects the visual layer of the system. Border control procedures, document checks and eligibility rules stay the same. Travelers with valid biometric passports from approved countries can still use the eGates without a separate manual process.
The system is also set to grow. Prague airport said the eligible-country list will be expanded next week to include more low-risk nationalities. That suggests the eGate rollout is still in its early phase, with the airport using a standard format before adding more travelers to the program.
There is no loyalty-program angle here. This is not a fare change, an airline policy shift or a mileage earning update. The practical effect sits at the border, where faster processing can shorten the time between gate arrival and landside departure.
| Detail | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Display format | National flags shown on screen | Text-only country codes |
| Taiwan indicator | Taiwan flag visible | TW code visible |
| Eligibility for ROC (Taiwan) passports | Allowed | Allowed |
| Border control procedure | Automated eGate | Automated eGate, unchanged |
That distinction matters because visual changes at airports often trigger confusion long before rules change. At Prague, the rulebook did not move. The airport simply standardized how the eGate identifies eligible travelers.
Prague’s eGate rollout also puts the airport in a broader European pattern, where border systems are moving toward cleaner digital displays and wider automated processing. Heathrow, Schiphol and other major hubs already rely heavily on machine-readable passport checks and automated flows for eligible travelers.
Travelers with ROC (Taiwan) passports should still bring a valid biometric passport and confirm that their flight is eligible for the non-Schengen departure channel.
The country code, not the flag, is now the key identifier on the screen. If Prague’s next expansion proceeds as planned, more passengers should gain access next week, making the automated lane more useful during busy departure banks.
