24/7 passport collection

 

A new innovation is scheduled for roll out in Singapore that will see a secure robotic system take the place of humans to dole out secure documents at any time of day or night.

The iCollect device was revealed at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) annual workplan seminar as part of a trio of systems known as the 3Is - iCollect, iReturn and iEnquiry. Through the 3Is, members of the public can collect their passports, return their long term cards or verify the status of their applications.

The iCollect device is the fruit of a two-year joint collaboration between ICA, Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and Walta Technologies. The documents are stored in a secured vault and are distributed only after one’s identity has been validated by biometrics.

This initiative was developed to tackle the long queues faced by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). iCollect is expected to cut down the waiting time at the ICA counters as citizens no longer have to drop by during normal operating hours to collect their passports. The device, which works 24 hours, can be accessed anytime, much like an ATM machine.