In The Future, We Might Not Need Passports to Travel to M’sia Via Land

Gone are the days when you’d have to u-turn at the Malaysia-Singapore border to go back home because you realised you left your passport behind.

Or was it just me?

Malaysia and Singapore are stepping up their passport game with plans to use a passport-free QR code system. That means faster immigration clearances and (maybe) no more seven to eight-hour wait times to get through during public holidays. Yay!

Imagine driving up to the border, flashing a QR code on your phone, and voila – you’re good to go. No need to worry about passport stamps or tedious checks – technology takes care of it all.

The system isn’t just there to reduce wait times, it’s to create a special economic zone that not only boosts economic ties but also makes crossing borders as smooth as spreading butter on toast…hopefully.

Singapore and Malaysia stand as each other’s second-largest trading allies, witnessing a substantial 18.9 per cent increase yearly in bilateral trade, reaching $153 billion in 2022.

Changi Airport Follows Suit

This new advance in technology isn’t going to be limited to travel to Malaysia. As one of the world’s best airports, Singapore is also going to be introducing automated immigration clearance which will only require biometric data.

While some automated machines are already being used, it is only to a certain extent. The aim is to “reduce the need for passengers to repeatedly present their travel documents at touch points and allow for more seamless and convenient processing,” according to Communications Minister Josephine Teo.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring your passport along. Since Singapore will be one of the first few countries that will push out this technology, many other countries will still require a passport for authentication.

More KTM Trains to Malaysia from Singapore

Another way to get to Malaysia from Singapore is through KTM trains. And yes, we all know how tough it is to book a slot, having to camp in the wee hours in hopes of securing one can be tiring.

Thankfully, the Malaysian government has announced last year that they will be increasing the frequency of trains from 31 trips in a day to 36.

The new schedule will be released after further discussions from both parties but fret not as the additions have already been confirmed.