Detection of Fake Passports at Singapore's Checkpoints

Mr David Ong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the number of passport infringements for both incoming and outgoing passengers at Changi Airport in the last three years; and (b) whether ICA has taken measures to prevent future possible lapses, in light of the MH370 incident.

Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many Singapore passports are reported lost, missing or stolen each year for the last five years; (b) what is the average time lapse, at each stage, between the filing of the missing passport report, cancellation of the passport by ICA, and the reporting to Interpol of the missing passport for inclusion in its database; and (c) whether the ICA will step up public education efforts to encourage Singaporeans to better protect their passports and what they should do when their passports are lost or stolen.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs what precautions does ICA take at our checkpoints to ensure that there are strict procedures to prevent detection failure of fake passports.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether ICA has been checking the passports of all outbound and inbound travellers at all ports of exit and entry against Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database in the last three years; (b) how many travellers have been caught using lost or stolen passports which are not their own; and (c) what punishments have been meted out for the

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commission of such offences.

All persons entering or leaving Singapore are subject to stringent checks at the checkpoints, which include travel document examination and identity verification. There are several layers of checks to detect stolen or fraudulent passports.

ICA actively taps into its network of global partners to exchange information on lost and stolen travel documents to prevent undesirable persons from using such documents. Since 2008, ICA has been using the INTERPOL's database containing over 40 million travel documents reported lost or stolen by 167 countries, in the passport document examination process. Singapore is one of several INTERPOL member states that cross-check travellers' passports against this database, accessing it about 29 million times a year, to determine if a passport presented had been reported lost or stolen.

Over the past five years, about 7,000 Singapore passports are reported lost or stolen each year. Once a report is received, ICA will immediately cancel any reported lost or stolen passport, update its database and convey the relevant information to INTERPOL.

Over the past five years, across all our checkpoints, an average of about 350 travellers per year have been detected to be in possession of forged or tampered travel documents, or had presented a travel document that did not belong to him or her. Under section 47 of the Passports Act, anyone found guilty of offences relating to false foreign travel documents shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both.

To deter forgery or tampering with Singapore passports, Singapore is one of many countries which have issued new passports with stronger security and protection features, such as biometrics. These passports comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) recommendations and requirements, including security standards to ensure the integrity of biometric

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passports.

It is an offence under the Passports Act not to report any loss of passport. A Singapore passport is an important document and highly valued by local and foreign criminals. During the passport application and collection process, and in public outreach and community engagement through talks and exhibitions, ICA constantly reminds Singaporeans of the importance of safe-keeping their passports and the need to report any loss of their passports immediately.

ICA maintains our security with tight controls at our borders over persons who present stolen or lost passports. At the same time, the security features of our Singapore biometric passport, and the education efforts and strict enforcement of laws regarding lost and stolen passports, help ensure that Singaporeans who travel, face fewer queries and delays due to inquiries regarding their passports.