Singapore rolls out QR code immigration clearance at Woodlands & Tuas Checkpoints
Travellers going in and out of Singapore by car will be able to clear immigration via QR code starting 19 March 2024.
This means that those clearing the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas will not need to give their passports to immigration officers.
All they need to do is generate a QR code on the MyICA mobile application before arriving at the checkpoints and scan it when they are there.
In a statement regarding the QR code immigration clearance on Tuesday (12 March), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said this will allow for faster and more convenient immigration clearance.
Travellers can generate QR code for immigration clearance using MyICA app
To make use of this new feature, travellers will first need to download the MyICA application on their mobile device and fill in their passport details to generate a unique QR code.
Source: HomeTeam NS
Singapore residents can automatically fill in their passport details via SingPass when they access the MyICA app, or use the camera function in the app to scan the Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ) of their passport biodata page.
Foreign visitors who have visited Singapore before can also use the camera function to scan the MRZ of their passport biodata page to fill in their details.
Meanwhile, first-time visitors and those re-entering Singapore using a different passport from their last visit will have to present their physical passport for immigration clearance.
They will be able to use the new QR code feature to clear customs on their subsequent trips.
Codes can be for individual or group travellers in the same vehicle
Once the travellers have filled in their passport details, they can generate either individual QR codes or a group QR code for those travelling in the same car.
They can also create multiple QR codes for travels with different groups of people.
One group QR code can store up to 10 travellers’ passport details. Hence, they can store and name each group QR code for better classification, such as ‘Friends’ or ‘Family’.
The app encrypts all the QR codes it generates, and only ICA can retrieve and decrypt the information.
ICA officers will conduct face-to-face checks at the counters
Upon arrival at the land checkpoints at Woodlands or Tuas, travellers can scan their QR code from the MyICA app using the scanners at the arrival and departure car counters.
Source: Google Maps
ICA officers will then conduct face-to-face checks of the travellers using the data from the QR code.
Those travelling in a group must use a group QR code containing the passport details of those travelling in the same vehicle.
ICA will turn away travellers whose QR codes do not tally with the details and number of travellers in the vehicle.
Even after this initiative is in effect, travellers can still chose to present their physical passport to the ICA officer at the counter, as per current practice, ICA said.
Overall waiting time at car lanes may fall by 30% with new feature
ICA added in its statement that this new initiative allows car travellers to enjoy a faster and more convenient experience.
It can save around 20 seconds for cars with four travellers, and around one minute for cars with 10 travellers.
If most car travellers use the QR code for clearance, the overall waiting time can go down by more than 30%, ICA highlighted.
Additionally, this initiative offers travellers contactless and more hygienic immigration clearance.
ICA also has plans to progressively extend QR code clearance to the other clearance zones at the land checkpoints.
“This will allow travellers in other means of conveyance to also enjoy faster and more convenient immigration clearance. Details will be announced in due course.”
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and HomeTeam NS.
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