Stronger border security, support for ICA’s digitalisation plans among changes to Immigration Act

SINGAPORE – Changes to the Immigration Act will help the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in its digitalisation efforts and strengthen border controls against undesirable persons.

The changes will also help ICA respond more effectively to evolving challenges, and allow more efficient management of immigration passes and permits.

The Immigration (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament on Monday.

Some of the changes are to support the ICA’s New Clearance Concept, which seeks to provide seamless immigration clearance for all travellers from 2024.

There are plans as part of the concept to have automated points that use biometrics throughout the entire departure process at Changi Airport from the first half of 2024.

This will be done by creating a single token of authentication using biometrics, which can then be used at each of these touchpoints from check-in and bag drop to immigration clearance and boarding.

The recent changes to the Immigration Act enable the use of digital versions of permits and passes to verify immigration status, instead of allowing only physical copies for this purpose, as was done previously.

The changes also help ICA strengthen border security by expanding the powers of ICA officers.

Previously, ICA officers had powers of arrest only in the case of people involved in immigration offences or non-immigration offences committed within or in the vicinity of an authorised area, such as a checkpoint.

The amendments allow them to make arrests for non-immigration offences no matter where the offences happened.

Other changes to the Act help ICA to respond to evolving challenges.

The authority is allowed to ask cross-border bus operators to submit passenger information in advance before their buses enter Singapore via land checkpoints.

In a speech on the Bill in Parliament on Monday, Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo said ICA is currently engaging the transport operators and will take their views into consideration before any new requirements are implemented.

Under the changes to the Act, the Controller of Immigration can also issue No-Boarding Directives, which prevent undesirable persons from travelling to Singapore in the first place, instead of turning them back only at the checkpoints on arrival.

Mrs Teo said that prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, there had been a monthly average of 110 undesirable persons denied entry into Singapore, and that the new directives can prevent such persons from even coming to Singapore, and can help transport operators save resources previously used to send such persons back.

Another aspect of the changes involves the administration of immigration passes and permits.

Permanent residents (PRs) will have six months to apply for a re-entry permit after its expiry, up from the previous one-month period.

ICA can also impose or vary conditions on PRs’ entry or re-entry permits by simply notifying them, instead of having to wait for a written explanation from such persons before the conditions can be imposed.

Mrs Teo said the changes are to better support Singapore’s new immigration initiatives.

She said: “The Immigration (Amendment) Bill does not introduce major changes to our immigration policies. It is about putting in place provisions to better support and facilitate these new initiatives.”

She added that the implementation of more digitalised services will benefit travellers and enhance Singapore’s immigration processes, helping Singapore maintain its status as a world-class transport hub and destination.

Several MPs raised concerns with regard to cyber security and the possibility of data breaches involving biometric data.

Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang GRC), Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC), Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines GRC) and Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) each asked about how the risks of data breaches would be mitigated, noting that biometrics cannot simply be reset, unlike passwords.

Ms Poh said: “Unlike passwords, we must be mindful that in the event of data breaches, biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scans cannot be reset. How can we assure Singaporeans, residents, and travellers. the collection of their biometric information is a safer option compared to traditional identification methods?”

In response, Mrs Teo said that data will be encrypted, and that the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) carries out independent vulnerability assessment and penetration testing exercises, complementing regular audits by ICA to identity and address vulnerabilities.

Mrs Teo added that in the unlikely event of a data breach, ICA and HTX will immediately conduct investigations and stop the breach, trace the extent of the breach and prevent further breaches.