Singapore Becomes the First Country to Offer Group Self-Clearance for Immigration
Changi Airport has launched automated immigration clearance lanes for wheelchair users and families of up to four people, making Singapore the first country globally to offer self-clearance for multiple travellers as a group. According to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), this new initiative allows eligible passengers to clear immigration independently using their biometric identifiers, such as iris and facial scans.
Previously, travellers with reduced mobility or families with young children were required to use manual counters for immigration clearance. The new lanes, called Special Assistance Lanes, are currently available at Terminal 1’s departure hall and Terminal 2’s arrival and departure halls. ICA plans to extend the service to other terminals and land and sea checkpoints in the future.
For now, only Singapore residents—citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders—are eligible to use the lanes. Eligible foreign visitors will be able to access the lanes starting March 2023, with further details on eligibility available on ICA’s website.
The development of the Special Assistance Lane involved close collaboration between ICA, the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), and Changi Airport Group. Design workshops, virtual reality simulations, and physical sessions with people of reduced mobility helped identify and address challenges such as lane width and scanner positioning.
Trials were conducted to fine-tune the placement of biometric scanners and cameras, ensuring accurate traveller detection and clear biometric captures. ICA will continue to refine the lanes based on traveller feedback, with the aim of enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.
This move is part of ICA’s broader effort to make automated immigration clearance the standard process, allowing officers to focus on enhanced border security tasks.
