Singapore made global headlines last yr when the federal government announced that biometric processing will replace travel document verifications at Changi Airport in the primary half of 2024.
However the city-state goes “passport-free” in one other area: its land border with Malaysia.
From Tuesday, people traveling by automotive between Singapore and Malaysia can show self-generated QR codes quite than handing over their passports at two checkpoints.
The brand new rule, which applies to those traveling via the country’s Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, will expedite immigration clearance “without compromising on security,” in keeping with Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.
Who’s eligible
Singapore residents and foreign travelers can generate QR codes via the federal government’s MyICA mobile app. Group codes for as much as 10 people might be generated for passengers traveling in the identical automotive too.
Like before, travelers are then subject to a face-to-face check by immigration officers.
Nevertheless, the QR-code clearance will not be available to 2 groups of travelers: those entering Singapore for the primary time and people using a special passport from previous visits.
The brand new procedure is anticipated to cut back immigration processing time by greater than 30% — saving around 20 seconds for cars traveling with 4 passengers and up to at least one minute for cars with 10 people, in keeping with authorities.
One in all world’s busiest border crossings
The checkpoint linking the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore is one in every of the busiest international border crossings on the earth.
From March 7 to 10, greater than 1.8 million travelers crossed Singapore’s two checkpoints that link the island with Malaysia, in keeping with its Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.
Motorists coming from Malaysia wait to cross the immigration checkpoint to enter Singapore on March 31, 2023.
Roslan Rahman | Afp | Getty Images
On March 8 — the Friday preceding a week-long break for Singapore public schools — a record-breaking 495,000 people crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, exceeding the 485,000 travelers recorded on August 2019, it said.
Singapore plans to roll out the QR code clearance to more travelers crossing checkpoints via other modes of transport at a later date. Â Â
Part of a bigger push
The QR clearance program is an element of a bigger push to modernize border control and security procedures within the city-state to administer higher traveler volume amid the crunch of its aging workforce.
Changi Airport’s “passport-free” immigration clearance, which is predicated on biometric verification, is undergoing trials, a representative of Changi Airport Group told CNBC Travel.
A launch date for this program has not been released.
