ICA need to clarify - Passport for lodging complaints?

[po2wq]

The first time I visited China, crossing into Shenzhen from Hong Kong, I noticed 3 categories of immigration lanes, Locals, Oversea-Chinese and Foreigners. As the Oversea-Chinese lanes have shorter queues, I queued up there. Upon reaching the officer's counter, she looked at my Singapore passport and said that I should be at the Foreigners' queue. She briefly explained to me that Singapore passport holders aren't included in the Oversea-Chinese category. Nevertheless, she went ahead to stamp my passport and clear me through with a smile and a gentle reminder that I should use the Foreigners' lanes next time. ...

u were lucky ...

got 1 time, me came back 2 sg ... din c properly, q @ ... cant remember exactly now ... it was either foreign passpots or other passpots ...

reached counter ... tol me q was nt 4 me ... n wud b unfair 2 handle my passpot bcos there r others bhind me who r in ze rite q ... tol me go 2 correct lane n q ...

 

[cass888]

Even before Goh Chok Tong mentioned it when he was PM, I will see a long queue of Singpaorean iliterates who insist on queueing at the "Singaporeans Only" queue when there is a short "All Passports Queue". Even then I couldn't help laughing to myself as I got through the "All Passports" while seeing the nutcases still queueing up.

Nowadays you can even see people queueing to use the fingerprinting machine when the "All Passports" line is clear. That is just plain stupid, with all due respect (though none be due at all).

I think you have never travelled before, else you wouldn't even be saying this.

You obviously have no clue what is going on. Have you ever travelled outside this country?

 

[cass888]

You are not observant enough. In the all passports queue, by guessing the nationality of the people of you, you can tell the risk of getting stuck. Just a rule of thumb, less likely to face trouble with people holding blue passports.

Anyway it's the same in Hong Kong.

4) If you travel often, your chances of getting caught in all passport lane with a visitor facing scrutiny for an extended periord of time is higher.

 

[scroobal]

Time yourself again. There was a discussion on this before in this forum. For automated there are 2 stages - passport scanner and fingerprint reader and not to mention gate entry and exit. Manual only has 1 stage.

The automation was done for 2 purposes
1) More secure as fingerprint is there for matching when manual process does not verify fingerprint
2) Less staff so less cost.

ICA has never claimed it was faster. They use the misleading term "express", "convenience" and "own time"

People tend to associate automation with speed. In this case, your brother and you must have assumed too much.

Due to job requirements, yes I travel frequently(at the very least once every 3 weeks), and yeah I'm fairly certain I clear the automated lane faster then the normal lane. In fact during the first inception of the thing, I actually experimented the thing with my bro with me in the normal lane and him on the automated. He cleared both times(in and out the country) faster then me.

And no I never have to face that in SG since I always use the automated lanes. I had that a lot when I am outside the country

 

[Char_Azn]

Time yourself again. There was a discussion on this before in this forum. For automated there are 2 stages - passport scanner and fingerprint reader and not to mention gate entry and exit. Manual only has 1 stage.

The automation was done for 2 purposes
1) More secure as fingerprint is there for matching when manual process does not verify fingerprint
2) Less staff so less cost.

ICA has never claimed it was faster. They use the misleading term "express", "convenience" and "own time"

People tend to associate automation with speed. In this case, your brother and you must have assumed too much.

I am fully aware of how the thing works but I haven't actually timed it before but I'll try doing that on my next trip in which should be next month. But from past experience, the automated lane was faster. However I am pretty sure it shouldn't take more then 1 min to clear each individual stage. Like I said earlier, when he first came out I did try to find out which was faster and when trying to clear the automated vs manual lane, my bro got through on the automated faster then I did both times we tried. I'll need to time it first personally to comment further

 

[scroobal]

I was right about you not travelling before. Before Goh Chok Tong's suggestion, there was no "All Passports" channel. It was "Foreign Passports" and the usual "Singapore Passports" and "PR"

Credit for your imagination.

Even before Goh Chok Tong mentioned it when he was PM, I will see a long queue of Singpaorean iliterates who insist on queueing at the "Singaporeans Only" queue when there is a short "All Passports Queue". Even then I couldn't help laughing to myself as I got through the "All Passports" while seeing the nutcases still queueing up.

Nowadays you can even see people queueing to use the fingerprinting machine when the "All Passports" line is clear. That is just plain stupid, with all due respect (though none be due at all).

I think you have never travelled before, else you wouldn't even be saying this.

 

[scroobal]

I too thought it would be faster but unfortunately it was not the case. It becomes longer when a queue forms and even longer when the fingerprint scanner plays up. Usually no problem with the passport scanner. It also explains why since it was introduced in 2006, no further channels have been created. Thats after 3 over years.

I actually checked to find out if these jokers in ICA made any claims that it was faster. Could not find any.

I am fully aware of how the thing works but I haven't actually timed it before but I'll try doing that on my next trip in which should be next month. But from past experience, the automated lane was faster. However I am pretty sure it shouldn't take more then 1 min to clear each individual stage. Like I said earlier, when he first came out I did try to find out which was faster and when trying to clear the automated vs manual lane, my bro got through on the automated faster then I did both times we tried

 

[Ramseth]

Once in my experience, a grumpy uncle once remarked out loud that immigration clearance lanes should be divided into IQ >50 and and IQ <50. Automated lanes should certainly be faster if people knows how to use it.

He'd forgotten the he was quite more privileged to be educated and electronically literate than others who didn't enjoy the same in their youths. It has nothing to do with IQ or "sinkiness" level; when in doubt, it's commonsense and prudence for Singapore passport holders to go queue up in lanes that say Singapore Passports instead of All Passports.

A forummer earlier remarked, which part of "All Passports" don't Singaporeans understand. Frankly, it's quite confusing, as many less enlightened or less adventurous Singaporeans think that there must be a difference. Otherwise, with "All Passports" lanes, why is there a need for "Singapore passports" lanes?

 

[cass888]

I use a new passport every three years and I am quite sure you are wrong.

So don't try to cover up with untruths. There had been an "All Passports" channel BEFORE Goh Chok Tong mentioned it.

Like an SDPie once said in Parliament - Don't Talk Cock.

I was right about you not travelling before. Before Goh Chok Tong's suggestion, there was no "All Passports" channel. It was "Foreign Passports" and the usual "Singapore Passports" and "PR"

Credit for your imagination.

 

[yinyang]

...clearing the customs in SG is REALLY fast. I have never had to spend more then 10 min clearing customs here. In fact I usually choose not to check in my luggage because I almost always clear customs faster then my luggage reach the belt. We have one of the fastest airports in terms of time needed to clear the customs checkpoint is concern hence if they are this efficient to begin with, why the need to go through all that trouble to set up extra gantries to specifically serve locals when there are already more then enough of them.

True, ICA clearance is fast enough that I often beat the luggage belt (which is also fast compared with other airports). Unless one hangs around the DFS.

Think we are spoilt by our standards, just see what other airports (whether hub or not) do to you with passports meandering Q and luggage belt taking like forever. Even visitiors compliment ours

 

[vincenttan]

Wang Chen Yong u are a marked man, the next time u go through customs u will get a "real check" - strip checks

 

[scroobal]

Like I said, credit for your imagination. Why would Goh suggest "All Passport" when it already exist. Now logic is something that cannot be imagined. Imagination does have limitations.

I use a new passport every three years and I am quite sure you are wrong.

So don't try to cover up with untruths. There had been an "All Passports" channel BEFORE Goh Chok Tong mentioned it.

Like an SDPie once said in Parliament - Don't Talk Cock.