Singapore’s Changi Airport goes passport-free

shutterstock 281957138 Large
Singapore Changi Airport's departure hall

A passport-free future is on the horizon at one of the world’s premier airports. Starting next year, Singapore’s Changi Airport will eliminate the need for traditional passports, opting instead to exclusively rely on biometric data, including fingerprint and facial scans, to facilitate passenger clearance at various points during departures.

The announcement, disclosed by Singapore’s Communications Minister, Josephine Teo, represents a response to recent modifications in Singapore’s immigration regulations that facilitate the widespread use of biometrics within airports. The primary objective is to enhance the travel experience at Changi Airport by eliminating the necessity for travellers to present physical passports at various checkpoints within the airport. Instead, biometrics will be employed at numerous stages of the departure process, encompassing bag drop, immigration, and boarding.

Changi Airport, renowned as one of the world’s best airports, has already incorporated biometric technology into its automated immigration lanes. This week’s announcement signifies an expansion of this technology to additional touchpoints throughout the airport.

Josephine Teo emphasized that these changes will significantly reduce the need for passengers to repeatedly display their travel documents at various touchpoints, resulting in a smoother and more convenient processing experience. Furthermore, she pointed out that Changi Airport is poised to become one of the pioneering airports globally to embrace biometrics to this extent.

More from Qonversations

Tech

ChatGPT Image Apr 25 2025 11 01 30 AM

Did you know? There’s a term for old people who use the internet

Tech

Screenshot 2025 04 22 at 4.38.05 PM

World’s first: Thailand deploys AI RoboCop for festival security

Tech

ChatGPT Image Apr 16 2025 04 28 19 PM

Did you know? The term ‘hacker’ was once a badge of honour

Tech

ChatGPT Image Apr 4 2025 02 05 03 PM

Have AI Chatbots finally beaten the Turing test?

Front of mind