Immigration authorities in Singapore will start using BioScreen – a new clearance system that verifies the thumb prints of arriving and departing travellers ages six and above – at select immigration checkpoints in Singapore. This enhanced clearance system is intended to improve border security and is similar to the biometric checking systems in place in Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States.
The system will be progressively implemented starting at the manned immigration counters of sea and land checkpoints, followed by air checkpoints until full implementation is completed in the months ahead.
What This Means for Foreign Nationals
Travellers should be prepared for slightly longer immigration clearance times at manned checkpoints, especially during the initial implementation stage of the project.
Travellers using the enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS) or automated self-clearance lanes for departure and arrival will not be affected by the change. Eligible Singaporeans and residents are encouraged to use the automated lanes for faster immigration clearance.