The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has commenced a six-month contactless immigration clearance trial at Changi Airport Terminal 4's arrival hall.

This technology uses facial and iris imaging to verify travellers' identities, without the need to use passports or thumbprints.

Here's what it looks like:

2 types of immigration clearance flows

There will be two types of immigration clearance flows tested.

The first type uses two verification machines.

One captures static iris and facial images while the other uses "on-the-move" facial recognition technology to confirm the traveller's identity.

The second type requires the traveller to stop between two gates while the iris and facial verification is being performed.

The gates will open after the verification is complete.

The first flow type has been deployed at an automated lane at T4 arrival hall.

The second will be deployed at another automated lane from early 2020.

ICA officers will be on the ground to assist travellers.

Who can take part in the trial?

If you wish to take part in the trial, you need to fulfil the following criteria

• You are a Singapore citizen aged six and above
• You hold a passport beginning with the letter "K" which was issued after Jan. 1, 2018

No prior sign-up is required to take part in the trial.

Do remember to remove any sunglasses, caps or other head-gear that may obstruct the scanning of your iris and facial images when passing through the clearance lanes.

You should not be wearing any coloured or patterned contact lenses.

Previous trial at Tuas Checkpoint

This is not the first time ICA has trialed contactless immigration clearance.

Previously, this technology was deployed during a trial at  Tuas Checkpoint in which more than 22,500 Singaporean travellers participated.

According to the ICA, about 90 per cent of those travellers at Tuas Checkpoint were able to clear immigration smoothly.

Watch how it works here: