As per the latest developments, passengers arriving at Singapore’s Changi Airport will be able to enjoy a seamless travel, thanks to the new ‘token-less clearance’ program. This program allows those who qualify to enter the nation without a passport, using the facial and eye biometrics instead.
Designed for Singapore residents, this system will allow travellers to clear immigration using advanced biometric processing—eye and facial recognition, which means there will be no need for them to carry physical passports.
During this trial period, passengers arriving at Terminal 3 will be able, without the need for a passport, to enter the country. By December 2024, the program will be expanded to all terminals including Seletar Airport as well as Marina Bay Cruise Centre.
Citizens, permanent residents, long-term pass holders, and other eligible individuals will be included in the program. While foreigners are allowed to use biometric clearance upon leaving Singapore, they first have to enrol at manual immigration counters their iris facial and fingerprint biometrics. Children under the age of six are not allowed to use biometric clearance.
This move towards biometric processing represents a major turning-point in Singapore’s New Clearance Concept, which was unveiled in may. Officials predict that the traditional human-led passport check will cease once 95% of travellers are using automated lanes to complete immigration procedures by 2026. According to the ICA (Immigration & Checkpoints Authority ), the new technology might improve the overall travel experience by cutting immigration wait times by as much as 40%. This system has already helped 1.5 million travelers within 15 days after its launch.
Alan Koo, ICA Commander, stressed that this new program would free up personnel and allow them to focus on more valuable duties, such as security profiling. This will allow them to adapt to the challenges presented by an aging workforce and increasing traveler volumes.
Travellers must still present passports at the airport upon arrival. They can, however, depart without having to show their passports. The ICA stresses how important it is to carry passports with you for immigration checks when visiting destination countries. This ensures compliance with international travel laws. Singapore’s embrace of this technological advance will transform the travel experience at Changi Airport, making it not only more efficient, but also a global model for airports.
