QR code immigration clearance: What you need to know about ICA's new initiative

SINGAPORE: Travellers arriving in and departing Singapore by car will no longer need to present their physical passports at the country's two land checkpoints starting Mar 19, with QR codes being rolled out to allow for faster immigration clearance.

However, this initiative will only apply to Singapore's Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints for now. Travellers will still need to present their physical passports at Malaysia's checkpoints.

Here's what you need to know about using the QR code initiative to clear immigration at the two checkpoints:

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Travellers will need to first download the MyICA mobile application to generate the QR codes. All travellers in the same car can either share a single QR code or generate them individually.

Up to 10 travellers' passport details can be included in one group QR code. Each group code can be stored and named in the app.

Those travelling with different groups of people will also have the option to create multiple QR codes.

HOW DO YOU GENERATE A QR CODE?

Downloaded the MyICA app? Now you can use it to generate a QR code.

To do so, you will need to enter your passport details into the app. Singapore residents – including citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders – can opt to auto-populate their passport details via Singpass when they access the MyICA app.

Alternatively, you can use the app's built-in camera function to scan the machine-readable zone of your passport biodata page – that is, the two or three rows of characters at the bottom of the page.

Foreign visitors who have visited Singapore before can also use the built-in camera function to scan their passport biodata pages to auto-populate their passport information.

If you're a first-time visitor, or re-entering Singapore using a different passport from your last visit, you will need to present your physical passport to clear immigration. You will be able to use a QR code on your subsequent trips.

You can also choose to skip the QR code and present your physical passport to clear immigration.

An individual QR code is valid for a year after it has been generated, or until the corresponding passport's expiry date, whichever comes first.

Similarly, a group QR code will expire one year after it has been generated or on the earliest passport expiry date of those within the group, whichever comes first.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE?

Travellers can scan QR codes stored in the MyICA app using the QR code scanners at the arrival and departure car counters at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

Once a code is scanned, ICA officers will conduct face-to-face checks of the traveller or travellers using the data retrieved through the QR code.

If you're travelling with a group, you have to ensure that you are using a group QR code containing the passport details of those travelling in the same vehicle.

If your QR code does not tally with the details and number of travellers in the vehicle, it will be rejected.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF QR CODE IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE?

According to ICA, the initiative allows travellers to enjoy a faster and more convenient experience at immigration, with estimated time savings of around 20 seconds for cars with four travellers and about one minute for cars with 10 travellers.

Overall waiting times can be reduced by more than 30 per cent if most car travellers use QR codes for clearance, it added.

The initiative also offers travellers contactless and more hygienic immigration clearance.

Separately on Tuesday, ICA said that traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints is expected to remain very heavy for the rest of the ongoing March school holidays.

In an update on the traffic situation at the checkpoints, it advised travellers to expect longer waiting times and factor in more time for immigration clearance.

ICA said it will continue to review its checkpoint operations, introduce innovative initiatives and streamline and automate existing processes to make immigration clearance faster and more seamless.