Passport-less clearance at Changi Airport averages 10sec

It now takes an average of just 10 seconds to clear immigration at Changi Airport, with travellers having to use only their biometrics.

On Oct 24, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said that since Sept 30, it has fully implemented passport-less clearance across all four terminals at Changi Airport.

Singapore residents can now clear immigration there by using just facial and iris biometrics, without having to present their passports.

Foreign visitors will still need to produce their passports upon arrival, but can use just their biometrics when they depart.

The previous average clearance time for each traveller was 25 seconds, said ICA.

Travellers, such as those with young children, who have to use the Special Assistance Lanes will still have to use their passports to clear immigration.

All travellers must submit their SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival in Singapore.

As at Oct 15, almost 1.5 million travellers have cleared immigration without having to present a passport.

This includes those who were involved in the trial in August.

Singapore is the first in the world to implement such a clearance system on a large scale.

Travellers told the media at the Terminal 3 arrival hall on Oct 24 that they were very impressed by the system.

Mr Eric Taufan, 38, a Singaporean who works in mergers and acquisitions, said he wished all countries in the region would use passport-less clearance.

“The system is really cool and smooth,” he said.

British citizen Andy Bingham, 61, who works in the energy sector and lives in Singapore, said he was very impressed.

He said: “It’s my first time using it and it’s very quick. I’ve been to some places where you put your passport in and the machine doesn’t even recognise it’s a passport. This just scans my face and I’m through.”

But issues crop up with the biometric scans when some travellers stand too far away from the camera or were not looking directly at it.

ICA officers stationed at the lanes will guide them through the process.

The automated lanes are still equipped with passport scanners, which can be used should there be any issues with a traveller’s biometric scans.

However, to help travellers become more used to the passport-less system, a notice has been fitted above the passport scanners instructing them to look at the cameras instead of putting their passports in.

At the land checkpoints in Woodlands and Tuas, travellers in cars have been able to clear immigration using QR codes instead of their passports since March.

Motorcyclists have been able to use the QR codes since August.

More than 70 per cent of travellers at both land checkpoints use the QR codes for immigration clearance.

There are plans for this option to be extended to bus passengers, and travellers at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, by December.

The initiatives are part of ICA’s New Clearance Concept, announced in 2019, to provide faster and more secure immigration clearance.

ICA Senior Assistant Commissioner Alan Koo, commander of Airport Command, said: “With automated clearance being the norm at our checkpoints, our officers are now redeployed to take on higher-value job roles, such as interviewing and profiling travellers, to safeguard Singapore’s borders.”