<\/p>\nimplement the NBD<\/p>\n
<\/a> to bar travellers from boarding their flights if they are found to be ineligible for entry into Singapore. <\/p>\n
More airlines will join the initiative from March 2026, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said. <\/p>\n
The new scheme comes in the wake of ICA figures which showed that the total number of travellers refused entry into Singapore between January and November 2025 was nearly 26 per cent higher than that for the whole of 2024, and 46 per cent more than those refused entry in 2023. <\/p>\n
ICA said many of the travellers were turned away with the help of advancements in the authority\u2019s new clearance concept, which introduces multiple layers of security. <\/p>\n
These include automated lanes equipped with counter-forgery detection capabilities, and a multi-modal biometrics screening system that allows ICA to quickly uncover those attempting to enter Singapore through impersonating someone else or using multiple identities.<\/p>\n
People of interest, such as those who have committed crimes and are banned from returning to the country, can also be detected through the systems.<\/p>\n
ICA\u2019s Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Joe Tan said the authority also leverages advance passenger information and data analytics to identify such travellers before they arrive at the checkpoints.<\/p>\n
He added that these travellers are then flagged to undergo more stringent security checks before they are allowed to enter Singapore.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not deny travellers entry simply because they are identified to be high-risk upstream. These travellers are stopped at our automated lanes upon arrival for further checks,\u201d said DAC Tan.<\/p>\n
He added that officers will conduct further interviews and investigations to determine the travellers\u2019 intentions and eligibility to enter the country. <\/p>\n
Currently, countries like the United States and Australia already operate a similar initiative, working with airlines to stop high-risk travellers from boarding flights into the country. <\/p>\n
In the US, the Secure Flight programme screens passengers in real time against a watch list managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for known or suspected terrorists.<\/p>\n\n\nThe integration of ICA\u2019s passport-less clearance at automated immigration clearance lanes by September 2024 helped to streamline the screening process.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
In Australia, this is done through its Movement Alert List, which is administered by the Department of Home Affairs. <\/p>\n
The list contains the information for people of interest, which could include those with serious criminal records or who pose security risks to the community, or under visa exclusion periods.<\/p>\n
Similarly, ICA is moving its capabilities upstream to stem the tide of undesirable travellers making their way into Singapore. <\/p>\n
The agency will progressively roll out the NBD initiative from January 2026 that will prevent known high-risk, prohibited or undesirable foreigners from boarding flights to Singapore.<\/p>\n
DAC Tan, who is the current deputy director of ICA\u2019s operations division, said the implementation of the NBD comes after multiple engagement sessions with airline operators since 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently, airlines conduct checks manually, relying on visual inspection of the passport biodata page and any supporting documents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis process is prone to human error, and airlines do not have the systems to verify whether a traveller holds a valid Singapore visa or has actually submitted their (arrival card details),\u201d said DAC Tan.<\/p>\n\n\nICA Deputy Assistant Commissioner Joe Tan said high-risk travellers stopped at the automated lanes will undergo further interviews and investigations.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
With the NBD initiative, airlines will be able to receive boarding instructions after advance passenger information is screened through ICA\u2019s systems, which will guide the operators to issue NBDs to those found ineligible for entry into Singapore, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen such travellers check in for a flight to Singapore, the airline which has been issued the NBD notice will (stop) these travellers from boarding the flight.\u201d <\/p>\n
But DAC Tan stressed that NBDs will be issued only to travellers whom ICA is fully certain are prohibited in Singapore. <\/p>\n
Those who have been issued with NBDs but still wish to enter Singapore must contact ICA to seek approval for entry before they arrange for a new flight into the country, said DAC Tan. <\/p>\n
For now, ICA depends heavily on officers like Sergeant 3 (SGT3) Muhammad Yusri Karim to sieve out undesirable travellers coming into Singapore, as part of its multi-layered security screening process. <\/p>\n\n\nICA Sergeant (SGT3) Muhammad Yusri Bin Karim said passport-less clearance lets officers a clear large volume of passengers more securely and efficiently.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
SGT3 Yusri, 36, serves as an assessment and investigation officer at the Airport Command. <\/p>\n
\u201cPreviously at the manual counters, we had to perform both immigration clearance and profiling work. This means we only had a few seconds to profile and determine if they are a high-risk traveller and interview them on the spot. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt can get very stressful when you start to see long queues forming and feel fatigue,\u201d said SGT3 Yusri. <\/p>\n\n\nPassengers are reminded to submit the SG Arrival Card before clearing immigration at Changi Airport Terminal 3.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The integration of ICA\u2019s passport-less clearance at automated immigration clearance lanes by September 2024 helped to streamline the screening process.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith passport-less clearance, which uses iris and facial biometrics for scanning, the time needed to clear one traveller has reduced significantly. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are able to clear a large volume of passengers more securely and efficiently,\u201d said SGT3 Yusri. <\/p>\n
And while NBDs will naturally play a bigger role at air and sea checkpoints due to the need to purchase boarding tickets, that does not mean land checkpoints will be compromised, said DAC Tan. <\/p>\n
\u201cForeigners will still have to submit their arrival cards at land checkpoints so we will still have their advance information. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole purpose of NBDs is to deny undesirable travellers from boarding (flights) into Singapore. It doesn\u2019t compromise our ability to stop them even if they were to come to Singapore,\u201d said DAC Tan. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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