SINGAPORE: A six-month trial for a new contactless, “breeze-through” immigration clearance system at Tuas Checkpoint is currently under way, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced on Monday (Apr 15).
The trial, which began on Apr 8, uses one of the automated arrival lanes in the checkpoint’s bus hall.
Travellers are not required to present their passport or thumbprints for clearance in this lane. Their identity is verified using iris and facial images.
A back-end system then verifies if the identified traveller holds a valid passport, ICA said.
(Image: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority)
Participants must not wear sunglasses, cap or other headgear when using the contactless immigration clearance lane.
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Singaporean citizens aged six and above, who are holding passports beginning with the letter K and issued after Jan 1, 2018, are eligible for the trial.
Eligible travellers are not required to sign up prior to their trip. They can proceed to clear immigration through the designated lane upon their return at Tuas Checkpoint, said ICA.
It also encouraged those eligible to participate in the trial to help ICA improve the system.
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“The contactless immigration system will enhance operational efficiency, yet maintain our high standards of traveller identity verification and security, and is a significant step towards ICA’s vision of an efficient and hassle-free immigration clearance experience using biometric solutions,” it said.
“ICA will study the results of the trial and assess the feasibility to extend this initiative to more automated clearance lanes and other checkpoints.”
