Car travelers at Singapore’s land checkpoints will experience faster and more convenient immigration clearance starting March 19, 2024, as they can now utilize QR codes instead of passports. This innovative approach streamlines the process, requiring travelers to simply scan a single QR code, generated prior to arrival, for all occupants in the vehicle, rather than presenting individual passports to Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers.
ICA’s adoption of technology aims to enhance efficiency without compromising security. To utilize the QR code for immigration clearance, travelers must download the MyICA mobile application and input their passport details. Singapore residents can conveniently populate their information via SingPass or utilize the application’s camera function to scan their passport’s Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ). Foreign visitors who have previously visited Singapore can also employ the camera function to auto-populate their passport details.
For first-time visitors or those re-entering with a different passport, physical presentation of the passport is necessary initially, after which they can utilize the QR code for subsequent trips. Once passport details are inputted, travelers can generate either individual or group QR codes. Families or groups traveling together can consolidate their passport details into one group QR code for efficient clearance.
Upon arrival at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, travelers can scan their QR codes at designated counters. ICA officers will conduct face-to-face verification based on the data retrieved from the QR code. Group travelers must utilize a QR code containing all members’ passport details. The system rejects QR codes that do not match the vehicle’s occupancy.
This initiative promises significant time savings, estimated at around 20 seconds for cars with four travelers and up to one minute for those with ten travelers. Overall waiting times could decrease by over 30% if the majority of car travelers utilize QR codes, offering a faster, contactless, and hygienic immigration experience. However, travelers still retain the option to present their physical passports at the counter.
Looking ahead, ICA plans to extend QR code clearance to other clearance zones at land checkpoints, ensuring all travelers benefit from enhanced efficiency. Further details on these initiatives will be announced in due course.