Travellers in cars can use QR codes instead of passports for immigration clearance from 19 March
From 19 March 2024, travellers arriving and departing Singapore by car through the land checkpoints can use QR codes instead of their passports for faster and more convenient immigration clearance.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced today (12 March) that beginning 19 March 2024, travellers arriving or departing Singapore through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints will no longer need to present their passports to the immigration officers.
Instead, travellers will only need to scan a single QR code that will cover all passengers in the car. To generate the QR code, travellers will need to download the MyICA mobile application on their mobile device and fill up their passport details in the app. The MyICA app is available to be downloaded for free from either the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
Singapore residents will be able to use SingPass to auto-populate their passport details in the MyICA app while foreign visitors can scan their passports through the app to auto-populate the details as well. All QR codes generated are encrypted and can only be retrieved and decrypted by ICA.
First-time visitors and those re-entering Singapore with a different passport from their last visit will still need to present their physical passport for immigration clearance but they will be able to use the QR code for subsequent trips.
Once the passport details have been added to the MyICA app, travellers can generate a single or group QR code. Travellers in the same car can generate one group QR code that covers all the passengers. For example, a family of five can have their passport details stored in the MyICA app on one family member’s phone to generate one family group QR code for immigration clearance.
Travellers can also create multiple QR codes for travel with different groups of people. ICA says up to 10 travellers’ passport details can be included in one group QR code and each QR code can be stored and named in the app. So you can have one group QR code labelled “Family” and another labelled “Friends”.
Once at the Woodlands or Tuas checkpoints, travellers can scan their QR codes using the QR code scanners at the arrival and departure car counters. Once the QR code has been scanned, ICA officers will conduct face-to-face checks to make sure the passport details received match the occupants of the vehicle.
Those travelling in groups must use a group QR code containing the passport details of everyone in the same vehicle. QR codes that do not tally with the details and number of travellers in the vehicle will be rejected.
ICA says this initiative will allow travellers to have a faster and more convenient immigration experience with overall waiting time at the checkpoints estimated to be reduced by more than 30% if most car travellers use the QR code for clearance.
ICA has previously said that they plan to open dedicated lanes for automated in-car clearance using these QR codes from 2026 and 2028 at Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints respectively. For now, travellers who wish to use their passports instead of the QR codes will still be able to do so.
ICA are also planning to progressively extend QR code clearance to other clearance zones at the land checkpoints with more details to be announced in due course.
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