In yet another move to make border crossing easier and quicker, Singapore is introducing a QR code system replacing traditional passports for drivers who cross the border through two land checkpoints.
From 19 March, anyone entering Singapore through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints will be able to generate a QR-code in advance for all the passengers in the vehicle. The system will replace traditional passport checks and could reduce congestion by up to 30%, especially during rush commute hours, according to authorities.
“This means that instead of handing their passports to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer at the car counter, they will only need to have scanned a single QR code which they generate prior to arriving at the checkpoint, for all the travellers in the car,” the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore said in a statement.
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Even though the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints come first, the system will gradually be extended to other land checkpoints with Malaysia. Registration will happen through the MyICA app and will be available to anyone, except for first-time foreign visitors entering Singapore and those re-entering Singapore using a different passport from their last visit.
The passport free entry will be especially handy in the future, for example when the Rapid Transit Link project between Singapore and Johor Bahru in Malaysia takes effect from 2026 onwards. The project would allow for up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, so the QR-code system could help things run as smooth as possible.
The QR-code entry comes soon after an earlier decision to use biometric data and facial recognition software for automated border clearance at Changi Airport. A single token of authentication is generated for use at a range of airport “touch points” so that passengers can be identified without the need for boarding passes and passports. The deployment of the system has begun in 2024. This automated process allows for a smoother functioning of one of the world’s busiest airports by reducing “the need for passengers to repeatedly present their travel documents at touch points and allow for more seamless and convenient processing.”
