All foreigners arriving in Singapore can now use the automated lanes at Changi Airport, regardless of their nationality, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced on Friday, 17 May 2024. This new measure, effective from this month, allows all incoming travelers to utilize these lanes without prior enrollment. However, they must still submit the SG Arrival Card before arriving.
Previously, the use of automated lanes was limited to Singapore residents and visitors from 60 jurisdictions. This expansion marks a significant step towards streamlining the immigration process.
In addition to this development, ICA revealed that by the end of the year, all departing travelers and returning Singapore residents at Changi Airport, Seletar Airport, and Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore will no longer need to present their passports at automated lanes. This initiative, part of a broader effort to enhance efficiency, is expected to reduce immigration clearance times by approximately 40 percent.
Singapore may be the first country globally to enable all foreign travelers, including first-time visitors, to use automated lanes without prior enrollment and to depart without presenting their passports, ICA noted. This move is facilitated by the new next-generation Automated Border Control System, which has progressively replaced existing automated lanes and manual counters at checkpoints.
As of March, around 600 of these advanced gates had been installed across Changi Airport, Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, and various land checkpoints. By early 2026, ICA aims for 95 percent of travelers to clear immigration via automated lanes, with the remaining 5 percent comprising those who are not eligible, such as children under six.
ICA also highlighted that they can now pre-evaluate travelers’ risk profiles using pre-arrival data, complementing the risk assessments conducted by officers at the counters. Travelers flagged for security or immigration risks will undergo further scrutiny by ICA officers.
With these advancements, Singapore continues to lead in immigration innovation, enhancing both efficiency and security for all travelers.
