Taipei, March 20 (CNA) Online registration for NT$6,000 cash payments drawn from last year's tax surplus will be first opened to eligible individuals whose IDs or permanent residency numbers end in either a zero or a one on Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Monday.

Officials from the MOF revealed which days Taiwanese citizens and eligible foreigners would be able to first register for the cash payments, at a joint press conference with the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA).

According to the MOF, online registration will be opened to those whose numbers end in a two or three on Thursday; four and five on Friday; six and seven on Saturday; and eight and nine on Sunday.

Beyond Sunday, online registration will be open to all eligible individuals regardless of their number for a minimum of six months, according to MODA.

The MOF said it expects to begin disbursing the one-off NT$6,000 cash payments by the end of October.

"There are many ways for members of the public to receive the NT$6,000 one-off handouts, and there is no need to rush for the online registration," Deputy Minister of Finance Frank Juan (阮清華) told reporters following the official launch of the https://6000.gov.tw website and "1988" registration hotline (8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.) Monday.

Individuals who do not wish to register online will be able to get the money from select ATM machines directly using an ATM card and entering their ID and National Health Insurance Card number.

Additionally, eligible individuals can collect the money directly by taking their ID and National Health Insurance cards to a post office.

Parents of children too young to have such cards will also be able to pick up their children's cash payments from the post office using their child's birth certificate.

Four groups -- Taiwan nationals, foreign nationals with permanent residency, resident spouses of Taiwanese nationals, as well as government agency personnel stationed overseas and their dependents with Taiwanese citizenship -- are eligible for the NT$6,000 cash handouts.

In rural areas without access to an ATM or post office, such as Pingtung County's Sisigu, Wanrung in Hualien County and Jinfong in Taitung County, eligible residents can register in person at their nearest police station from March 20-25 by bringing both a national ID card and National Health Insurance card, according to Juan.

Meanwhile, Juan said that the registration for babies born in the fourth quarter of this year will be open until at least January 2024.

Legislators have agreed to finalize the third reading on Friday of the special bill for spending NT$380 billion in surplus tax revenue collected last year, including the NT$140 billion to go toward funding the NT$6,000 handouts.