SINGAPORE: From Apr 22, foreign travellers will no longer have their passports stamped when departing Singapore, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority said on Wednesday (Apr 17).



ICA said it will cease the issuance of departure immigration endorsements, or stamps of departure dates on travel documents, as part of efforts to streamline processes and speed up immigration clearance.





Previously, all foreigners departing Singapore would have their passports stamped with the date of their departure by the immigration officer at the manned counters.



“Since September 2016, foreign travellers whose fingerprints have been enrolled via the BioScreen system upon their arrival into Singapore are eligible to use automated lanes when they leave Singapore. They do not receive departure immigration endorsements when they use the automated lanes,” ICA said.



This will be extended to all foreigners leaving Singapore through manned counters from Apr 22, it said.



ICA said it will inform foreign authorities on the cessation of the departure immigration endorsement.



PAPERLESS IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE

On Monday, ICA announced that it has started a six-month trial for contactless immigration clearance at the Tuas Checkpoint.

Eligible Singaporeans who use one of the automated lanes in the checkpoint's bus hall are not required to present their passport or thumbprints for clearance in this lane. Their identity is verified using iris and facial images.

In October last year, ICA also announced a trial of a new electronic arrival card to replace paper arrival cards for foreigners visiting Singapore.

Foreign travellers will be able to submit their travel information for the electronic card in advance via the ICA website or its mobile app.

