Amendments to the Immigration Act to Take Effect from 1st April 2018

1.     The amendments to the Immigration Act, which were passed in Parliament on 8 January 2018, will take effect from 1 April 2018. These amendments will strengthen the security of our checkpoints.

ICA Officers to Exercise Selected Police Powers at Checkpoints

2.     From 1 April 2018, ICA officers will perform protective security functions in support of Police officers at the checkpoints. These include responding to incidents, conducting preliminary investigations, and containing the situation. This will help ensure that security incidents at the checkpoints are dealt with even more promptly.

Collection of Personal Identifiers from Transit Passengers

3.     The amendments also empower ICA to collect personal identifiers, such as photographs, passport details, and fingerprints, from transit passengers at Changi Airport where necessary, and from Singapore visa applicants.