Travelling in and out of Singapore by car? QR code immigration clearance begins March 19

Source: TODAY

SINGAPORE -- From March 19, car travellers arriving in and departing Singapore at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints will be able to clear immigration with QR codes.

Once the feature is rolled out, they will not need to present their physical passports to Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at car counters, said ICA on Tuesday (March 12).

Instead, travellers would only need to scan a single QR code -- which they must generate via the MyICA mobile app before arriving at a checkpoint. This QR code is shared by all travellers in the car.

While travellers will be able to perform "self-clearance" in the comfort of their cars with minimal intervention by officers once the system is fully implemented, the in-car clearance process that begins this month is not yet fully automated as officers will still be stationed at the manual counters, ICA had said at its annual workplan seminar last May.

Travellers can thus still choose to present their physical passports to ICA officers at the counters instead of using QR codes.

The QR code initiative only applies to Singapore's checkpoints at the moment. Travellers will still need their physical passports at Malaysia's checkpoints.