Have you ever traveled internationally and had to wait for HOURS to get through customs clearance once you arrive at your destination?
The long lines, the hassle, having to dig your passport out and present it — it can be a lot, especially if you’ve been on a red-eye flight and you’re jet lagged and exhausted from traveling all day. Well, one airport is about to make the entire process easier — right down to you being able to leave your passport at home.
According to CNN, Singapore’s Changi Airport is changing its immigration clearance process by making it all automated. The new system, which will start in 2024, will use biometric data, which will allow passengers to leave the airport without ever having to flash a passport.
Changi Airport is already using biometric technology, including facial recognition software, in some capacity, so expanding it seemed like a no-brainer.
“Singapore will be one of the first few countries in the world to introduce automated, passport-free immigration clearance,” Communications Minister Josephine Teo announced recently. This change will “reduce the need for passengers to repeatedly present their travel documents at touch points and allow for more seamless and convenient processing.”
Biometrics will be used to create a “single token of authentication.” This will be used at touch points in the immigration screening area, which will take the place of travelers needing to dig out their boarding passes and passports. However, if you’re traveling to another country that requires passports, you’ll still need that passport to enter.
It certainly seems like a way to speed up the immigration clearance process and make it a lot less stressful. Will other airports eventually adopt this? Well, we don’t know, although some airports and airlines have already started using biometric data like facial recognition. Only time will tell if it catches on!
Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on all the latest travel news.
Getting a Passport Is About to Get Easier
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Save 25% on the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining with code WDW2023.
What do you think of this change? Let us know in the comments!
The post One Airport Will Go PASSPORT FREE in 2024! first appeared on the disney food blog.