As of 2024, passengers departing from Changi Airport in Singapore will no longer need to present a passport, with the airport becoming the first international hub to stop using passports at biometric checks.
According to Singaporean local media, in the first half of the year, passengers can go through the check-in process by using an authentication token, and there will no longer be any need for a passport or a plane ticket, for that matter, taking the check-in process to another digital level, VisaGuide.World reports.
The new measures follow a change in the Immigration Bill that was passed at the beginning of the week, and the implementation of the amendment is expected to ease the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) job and enhance their digitalization efforts as well as strengthen border control, as Josephine Teo, the Second Minister of Home Affairs points out.
The new measure will also enable ICA officers to arrest non-immigration offences regardless of the place they were committed, compared to the previous practice that ICA officers were allowed to arrest people involved in such situations only in or around authorized areas, such as checkpoints.
The new system will also prevent unwanted people from coming to the Asian country, which can be done through a No-Boarding Order. Before the amendment, people had to be turned back at checkpoints upon arrival, resulting in expenses for these people.
This has been the case with around 110 unwanted people before the COVID-19 pandemic, who were ordered to leave Singapore every month, as the Second Minister pointed out.
New Amendment Also Implements Streamlined Process for Permanent Residents’ Re-Entry Permits”
With the new system in place, Permanent Residents (PR) in Singapore will also have six months to apply for their permit renewal after the expiry. The ICA can also impose or change conditions on a PR’s entry or re-entry permit by notifying them without having to wait for additional explanations from the person.
However, the new amendment, despite being revolutionary for border security, immigration check-ins and the digitalization of passport control, which eases travelling significantly, has raised concerns about cybersecurity and data breaches among the Members of Parliament.
“Unlike keywords, we should be aware that in the event of a data breach, biometric data such as fingerprints and eye scans cannot be changed. How can we convince Singaporeans, residents and visitors that collecting their biometric information is a safer option than traditional identification methods?” asked Poh Li San.
The Second Minister responded to this concern, noting that data would be kept confidential and the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) would carry out an independent assessment and penetration testing exercise, complementing regular audits by the ICA to identify and address any vulnerabilities.
