By Katrina Nicholas
(Bloomberg) — All travelers to Singapore will be able to use automated checkpoints that scan passports and use facial and iris recognition by the end of the year, the city-state’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority said.
“Singapore could be the first country in the world to allow all foreign travellers, including first-time visitors, to use the automated lanes without prior registration upon arrival and to exit without presenting their passport upon entry,” the authority said in a statement on Friday.
#NEW: All foreign visitors arriving in Singapore, regardless of nationality, can now use the automated immigration lanes at Changi Airport for immigration clearance. This ensures a smoother and hassle-free experience for passengers! Read more here 👉 https://t.co/BiyNvoiHYV pic.twitter.com/m5GP3AQPUy
— Changi Airport (@ChangiAirport) May 17, 2024
The measures are expected to reduce immigration processing time by about 40 percent at Changi Airport, already considered one of the most efficient and best in the world, the ICA said. It could also give Singapore an advantage over Hong Kong, another major regional air hub, where the immigration process is not as automated.
To speed up the immigration process, around 600 automatic gates have now been installed at Changi Airport, the Marina Bay Cruise Centre and various land checkpoints.
Singapore was one of the first countries in Asia to reopen after the pandemic, using vaccination routes to enable travel between locations in Europe and other parts of the region.
About 5.73 million people passed through Changi Airport in March, 23.6% more than in March 2023 and 1.7% more than in 2019, before COVID closed borders and brought international travel to a virtual standstill.
The faster reopening has also benefited Singapore Airlines Ltd., which reported record annual profits earlier this week. Sustained demand for air travel and a thriving cargo sector offset supply chain challenges, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
