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Picture (iii) ¨C Polycarbonate data page
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Picture (iv) ¨C Visa pages
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ANNEX B
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE BIOPASS
Q1: Who is eligible to apply for a Singapore
biometric passport (BioPass) and why?
A1: Certain groups of
individuals will be among the first to carry the Singapore biometric
passport. These groups, including Government officials and SIA crew,
will help ICA to uncover and address any as-yet undetected issues
early before the full implementation of the BioPass. We have taken a
careful and calibrated approach for the BioPass as this is the first
time Singapore is issuing biometrically-enabled passports. An
important consideration is that our passport policies should not
cause undue inconvenience to Singaporeans travelling overseas.
Q2: Are there any conditions attached to the
BioPasses issued to them?
A2: Phase 1 holders of
the BioPass would be asked to give regular feedback on their usage
experiences with the BioPass to ICA.
Q3: I need to make a trip to the US soon. Can I
apply for the BioPass?
A3: Singapore is taking
a phased approach for the introduction of our BioPass. Singaporeans
cannot apply for the BioPass in Phase 1 of the implementation of the
BioPass. In Phase 1, only certain groups, including Government
officials and SIA crew, will be issued with BioPasses.
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All Singapore citizens carrying valid machine-readable passports
already enjoy visa-free entry to the US. There is no need for
Singapore citizens to hold a BioPass for this. It is only after the
US-set deadline of 26 Oct 2006 that countries under the Visa Waiver
Programme, including Singapore, have to introduce biometric
passports.
Q4: Will my existing non-biometric Singapore
passport be recognised by foreign authorities, especially by the US?
Will I face problems with the US immigration authorities if I don't
hold a BioPass?
A4:
Singapore citizens carrying valid machine-readable passports will
continue to be recognised by foreign authorities including the US.
Such passport holders already enjoy visa-free entry to US and thus,
there is no need for such passport holders to hold BioPasses. All
our passports issued locally from 2 January 1991 are
machine-readable.
Nonetheless, we would like to
highlight that the grant of entry into a foreign country is the
prerogative of the foreign immigration authority concerned, based on
the country¡¯s assessment criteria. Hence, possession of a valid
passport does not always guarantee entry to the foreign countries.
Q5: When will the public be eligible to apply for
BioPass?
A5:
After phase 1, ICA will look into the full implementation of BioPass.
By August 2006, all new passports will be BioPass. More details will
be released then.
Singapore citizens carrying valid
machine-readable passports currently enjoy visa-free entry to US.
All our passports issued locally from 2 January 1991 are
machine-readable.
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Q6: How can BioPass holders take care of their
passports?
A6:
All passports should be accorded proper respect and care. As the
BioPass contains a chip and antenna embedded in the data page,
BioPass holders are advised to treat the BioPass like any portable
electronic device i.e. by ensuring that it does not become wet, bent
or mutilated.
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Source:
www.ica.gov.sg News Release 31
Mar 2006
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All new Singapore passports to be
BioPass by August 2006
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