No parking until 2027 at new ICA Services Centre along Kallang Road
After about 4.5 years of construction, the new Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Services Centre will open on 7 April.
In a media release on Monday (10 Feb), the ICA said the building is just next to the current ICA Building along Kallang Road, having taken over the former open-air carpark.
Source: Google Maps
New ICA Services Centre will have the same opening hours
The new ICA Services Centre (ISC) will have the same operating hours as it has currently: 8am to 4.30pm, Mondays to Fridays.
It will be accessible via public transport, being conveniently located above Lavender MRT station and next to bus stops.
Public parking, however, will not be allowed at the new centre until 2027. This is due to ongoing works at ICA’s carpark.
Those coming by car can be dropped off at the entrance off Crawford Street or park at alternative public carparks around the area.
Walk-ins suspended from 1-4 April
To facilitate the transition to the new ISC, counter services at the current ICA building will be suspended for four days from 1 to 4 April, ICA said, adding:
The transition period will allow our officers to focus on the final preparations required for the new ISC, such as performing stress tests and fine-tuning systems and processes.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
No walk-ins will be entertained during this period, with urgent counter services provided only upon request. These include:
- passport for urgent travel
- oath-taking for minors turning 22 years old between 1 and 6 April
- completion of formalities for immigration passes expiring between 1 and 6 April
These will be provided upon production of supporting documents, and assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The public should get their transactions done before the transition period, or else submit their applications online through the ICA website or mobile app, contact ICA via the ICA Feedback Form or call the ICA hotline at 6391 6100.
Self-collection of ICs & passports from July
Currently, the public must visit different levels of the ICA building for different services.
With the opening of the ISC, the public can look forward to a “more seamless” experience where they will be served at a single touchpoint even if they require multiple services.
For example, citizens will be able to self-collect their identity cards and passports without making an appointment from July.
In May 2024, ICA said this will be made possible by an Integrated Smart Document Management System (iSMART) that’s an “end-to-end solution that sorts, tracks, stores and conveys documents”.
iSMART uses intelligent robotics technology to store documents securely after production and distribute them to self-service kiosks on demand.
More details will be shared at a later date, ICA said.
Service ambassadors & real-time crowd info also available
Construction work for the 10-storey ISC began in October 2020, ICA said in 2020.
While ICs and passports can be self-collected, human ICA service ambassadors will also be deployed on-site to render assistance to those unfamiliar with self-service technology.
They will be able to assist customers with their tablets and smart technology, ICA added.
Another innovation visitors can expect is a system currently under development that provides real-time information on the crowd situation, so people can decide on the best time to visit ISC.
Also read: ICA centre in Lavender set to stop Saturday services from 2 Sep
ICA centre in Lavender set to stop Saturday services from 2 Sep
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
