Selected Woodlands Checkpoint departure car lanes open to motorcyclists, pillion riders from Oct 15

SINGAPORE - Motorcyclists and their pillion riders can use selected car lanes at the Woodlands Checkpoint for automated immigration clearance when departing Singapore from Oct 15.

This option is open to all Singaporean residents, long-term pass holders, and foreign visitors who have previously entered Singapore, as facial recognition will be used at these lanes to clear travellers automatically, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a social media post.

To use these lanes, motorcyclists and their pillion riders should:

• Lift up their helmet visors, remove sunglasses and face masks before entering the lane,

• Insert the Autopass card (for foreign-registered motorcycles),

• Scan their passports, or the QR code generated in their MyICA apps,

• Look at the screen to capture their faces to verify their identities,

• Exit the lane upon successful verification.

Clearance times at these lanes are expected to be about 10% - or around two seconds per motorcycle - faster than at manual lanes, ICA said.

This initiative increases the efficiency and capacity in clearing motorcyclists, especially during peak periods, as more lanes can be operated without the need for each lane to be manned by an ICA officer, the authority added.

Facial recognition was introduced for the clearance of those who travel by motorcycles at the Woodlands Checkpoint in March, with the feature implemented at 18 automated lanes in the arrival side of the checkpoint.

The feature was then expanded to all 80 arrival and departure lanes at the Tuas Checkpoint, ICA said in September.