As of October 15, close to 1.5 million travellers have cleared immigration without having to present a passport under the initiative, ICA said.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Alan Koo, Commander (Airport) of ICA, said the initiative has reduced the average clearance time per traveller by 60 per cent, from 25 seconds to 10 seconds.
“With automated clearance being the norm at our checkpoints, our officers are now redeployed to take on higher-value job roles, such as interviewing and profiling, to safeguard Singapore’s borders,” he said.
Checkpoint Inspector Md Firdaus Rosli, who has been with ICA for 17 years, has witnessed first-hand the gradual adoption of the technology.
As an assessment and investigation officer, CI Firdaus profiles travellers and interviews anyone of interest, before granting them immigration clearance.