Starting in 2024, people leaving Singapore won’t need to use their passports at checkpoints anymore. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore wants to make immigration and customs clearance faster and more secure. They will install 800 automated lanes that use a new contactless Automated Border Control System (ABCS). The ABCS system uses biometric technology for quick and contactless clearance. People won’t need to show their passports to immigration officers anymore.
Starting next year, those traveling out of Singapore by land will need to register on the MyICA mobile app using Singpass or their passports. They will receive profiles and QR codes for the Automated Passenger In-Car Clearance System (APICS). At the checkpoint, travelers can scan their QR codes at a designated lane with a counter. They don’t need to show their passports to the immigration officer. The immigration officers will compare the tourists’ facial photos with the code when it’s scanned at the counters. The APICS system went through successful live trials in 2022, achieving a 94% success rate. The ICA plans to implement APICS at all land checkpoints over the next five years in three phases.
The new implementation will make the clearance process faster for a large number of travelers and address limited manpower issues in Singapore.
Once fully implemented, Malaysians working in Singapore will experience quicker immigration clearance when traveling back from Woodlands or Tuas checkpoints in their vehicles.
