Cleared in 68 seconds at checkpoint

Getting through immigration using new QR code system a breeze for ST team of five travelling by car

- WOng Shiying

In just one minute and eight seconds, a team of five from The Straits Times travelling in a car cleared immigration at Woodlands Checkpoint at 8am on March 19, using the new QR code system.

It is the first day of the initiative, which aims to allow those travelling by car to clear immigration at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints quicker without having to present their passports.

This system applies only to those two land checkpoints for now. The ST team still had to present their passports at Malaysia’s Customs before entering and leaving Johor Bahru.

Before the trip, I had downloaded the MyICA mobile application and filled in my passport details using Singpass.

To generate a group QR code for quicker clearance, I also filled in my colleagues’ details in the app by scanning the characters at the bottom of the biodata page of their passports.

Details of up to 10 passports can be included in a group code, and they must be submitted through one person’s smartphone. The details can be saved and given labels such as “Family” or “Friends” in the application.

First-time visitors, including foreigners, and those re-entering Singapore using a different passport from the one used in their last visit to the country, will still need to present their passports for immigration clearance.

But they can use QR codes for immigration clearance on subsequent trips.

Those who prefer to present their passports instead of scanning a QR code can also choose that option.