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Representatives from Changi International Airport (Singapore) announced on September 20th that the airport will implement automated immigration procedures, allowing passengers to enter and exit Singapore using only biometric data without needing a passport.
"Singapore will be one of the first countries in the world to implement an automated immigration process that does not require a passport," Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information, Josephine Teo, announced during a parliamentary session on September 17.
Previously, biometric technology and facial recognition software had been used to a certain extent at some automated checkpoints in the immigration area of Changi Airport.
A view of Singapore's Changi International Airport.
According to Ms. Teo, the upcoming changes will reduce the requirement for passengers to constantly present their travel documents at checkpoints, allowing for greater convenience.
Biometrics will be used to generate a unique authentication code, usable at multiple automated checkpoints, from baggage check-in to immigration and boarding.
Biometric codes also help reduce the need for physical travel documents such as airline tickets and passports. "However, other countries will still require the presentation of passports," Minister Josephine Teo emphasized.
Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information leaders hope the biometric system will help passengers travel more easily as the number of tourists increases following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our immigration system must be able to effectively manage the increasing volume of visitors, providing a positive customs clearance experience for passengers while maintaining security at Changi Airport,” Ms. Teo added.
Consistently ranked among the world's best airports and one of the busiest, Changi International Airport serves over 100 airlines, connecting to 400 cities and approximately 100 countries worldwide.
In addition, Changi International Airport is being planned for expansion to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to Singapore.
In 2018, Dubai International Airport introduced a biometric smart gate system, using facial recognition devices to verify passenger information in just 5 seconds.
Passengers are also permitted to use fingerprints or facial recognition to verify their information instead of having to present a passport at Dubai International Airport.
Besides Dubai and Singapore, several other places such as Hong Kong International Airport, Narita International Airport, Tokyo Haneda (Japan), Indira Gandhi Airport (New Delhi), and Heathrow Airport (UK) have used facial recognition technology to some extent.
In the US, major airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Airlines have been experimenting with biometric services for check-in, baggage drop-off, and boarding.
