The initiative allows those travelling by car to clear immigration at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints more quickly without having to present their passports. - ST
SINGAPORE: About 86,000 travellers in cars passing through Singapore’s Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints have cleared immigration using the new QR code system as at March 20.
The initiative, which started on March 19, allows those travelling by car to clear immigration at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints more quickly without having to present their passports.
The 86,000 users represent about 46 per cent of the total number of car travellers who crossed the two checkpoints during those two days, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on March 21.
It said most car travellers in groups had found the process to clear immigration to be more convenient, faster and fuss-free.
ICA encouraged car travellers to use the QR codes for swift clearance, as heavy traffic at both checkpoints is expected at the Good Friday long weekend from March 29, and the Qing Ming festival on April 4.
ICA had previously said that Singapore’s land checkpoints are among the busiest land crossings in the world, with about 400,000 travellers using both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints daily. This figure goes up to 440,000 during school and public holidays.
Said Deputy Superintendent Seah Jing Ying from ICA’s operations division: “The overall waiting time can be reduced by more than 30 per cent if most car travellers use QR codes for immigration clearance.”
ICA estimates time savings of around 20 seconds for cars with four travellers and about one minute for cars with 10 travellers.
It said travellers should still bring their passports, as ICA may check them in some cases. And they need to present their passports at Malaysia’s Customs before entering and leaving Johor Baru.
ICA said the same group QR code can be used for multiple trips if the same number of travellers with the same passport details are travelling together.
The QR codes can be used to clear individual travellers or groups of up to 10 people in the same vehicle.
Travellers can update the QR code via the MyICA mobile application should there be any changes in passport details.
They can also create multiple group QR codes for travels with different groups of people and store them in the application under different names like “Family” or “Friends”.
ICA added that QR codes will be rejected if they do not tally with the details and number of travellers in the vehicle. Travellers will have to present their passports for clearance instead.
First-time visitors, including foreigners, and those re-entering Singapore using a different passport from the one used in their last visit to the country, will still need to present their passports for immigration clearance. But they can use QR codes for immigration clearance on subsequent trips.
All foreign visitors passing through the land checkpoints using the QR code or passport to clear immigration are still required to submit their Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) within three days, including the day of arrival, before arriving in Singapore. They can do so via the MyICA mobile application or ICA’s website.
ICA will progressively extend the QR code clearance to the other modes of transport going through the land checkpoints.
The agency said: “ICA will continue to leverage technology and develop innovative solutions to address the congestion issue at the land checkpoints and enhance travellers’ clearance experience, while keeping our borders secure.”
The QR code initiative is the first step towards the Automated Passenger Clearance System (APCS), to allow travellers to perform self-clearance in their cars with minimal intervention by officers.
In 2026, APCS lanes are expected to be introduced at Tuas Checkpoint, where travellers will scan a QR code generated from their MyICA app, and present their biometrics for verification. This removes the need to station an officer at every car lane.
Such lanes will be introduced at the redeveloped Woodlands Checkpoint in 2028.
The initiatives are part of ICA’s new clearance concept, which was announced in 2019 with the aim of providing faster and more secure immigration clearance. - The Straits Times/ANN
