Foreign visitors coming to Singapore will no longer have to fumble and fill in paper arrival cards.

E-filing

An electronic arrival card will replace the paper versions.

Foreign visitors will be able to submit their flight particulars and travel information to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website or via a mobile application, prior to their arrival in Singapore.

Upon arrival, only the passport is required for immigration clearance as the electronic arrival card will be accordingly called up by ICA's immigration system.

The announcement was made on ICA's website on Oct. 3.

Aimed at greater convenience for travellers

Such a measure is aimed at making things easier administratively for travellers coming to Singapore, particularly for travellers coming in groups.

As the website further states:

"The electronic arrival card will be made available in various foreign languages. Foreign visitors travelling with their families or in small groups will have the option of making a one-time group submission. Trip information such as flight details, last port of embarkation, expected date of arrival and departure, as well as address in Singapore will be automatically replicated for all persons in the group. The mobile application will also allow travellers to save the information submitted from previous trips for use for their next trip to Singapore."

When will this be launched?

Currently, only an official date for the trial has been stated: Oct. 4.

The trial will run for three months at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, Changi Airport, and the four cruise/ ferry terminals (i.e. Singapore Cruise Centre, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Changi Point Ferry Terminal and Changi Ferry Terminal).

It will be carried out amongst foreign visitors who arrive at these checkpoints, but have not yet completed the paper arrival card.

They may be approached by ICA officers to participate in the trial, and to provide feedback, which ICA will then use to fine-tune the system.

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The launch date of the actual system will only be announced at a later date once the trial has been completed.

The implementation of the electronic arrival system is also expected to have the effect of saving up to 48 million paper arrival cards.

Top photo by Amir Zain on Changi Airport Facebook