- Passport-less clearance fully implemented at Changi Airport.
- Biometric system reduces immigration clearance time by 60%.
- About 1.5 million travellers have used the new system since its launch.
Changi Airport has gone high-tech, ditching passports for face and eye scans to speed up travel.
Faster Travel at Changi Airport
In a press release by ICA, big changes have come to Changi Airport.
Since 30 Sep 2024, Singapore residents can pass through immigration without showing a passport.
Foreign visitors can pass through without showing a passport during departure.
This new system uses face and eye scans instead.
It’s fully implemented in all four terminals at Changi Airport.
This change makes travelling faster and easier for many people.
Who Can Use This New System?
The passport-less system is not for everyone.
Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders can use it.
Foreign visitors can use it when leaving Singapore.
But they still need to show their passport when they arrive.
This new system is part of Singapore’s plan to make airport checks faster and safer.
How Much Faster Is It?
| Before | Now | Time Saved |
|---|---|---|
| 25 seconds | 10 seconds | 15 seconds (60% faster) |
The new system is much faster than the old one.
It used to take 25 seconds to check each person.
Now it only takes 10 seconds.
That’s 15 seconds faster for each traveller.
This might not seem like much, but it adds up when there are many travellers.
How Many People Have Used It?
The new system is already popular.
By 15 October 2024, about 1.5 million travellers had used it.
That’s a lot of people in just a short time.
Steps For Passport-less Clearance
Things to Remember
- Always carry your passport when you travel.
- Other countries might still need to see your passport.
- ICA might ask to see your passport sometimes.
- Foreign visitors still need passports to enter Singapore.
Do you think passport-less travel will become common worldwide in the next 10 years?
