With effect from 1 January 2021, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will cease to accept the Malaysian Collective Travel Document (MCTD) for entry by Malaysians into Singapore. This is to strengthen the security and efficiency of immigration clearance at Singapore’s checkpoints.

2          The MCTD is a travel document issued by the Immigration Department of Malaysia to groups of five to 20 Malaysian nationals, in lieu of passports. However, the MCTD poses security concerns as it facilitates the sharing of one travel document by multiple unrelated travellers. Other than the MCTD, ICA does not accept any other countries’ collective travel documents.

3          As ICA moves towards greater use of automation and multi-modal biometrics for clearance, the MCTD poses operational concerns, as it requires manual data entry of all travellers’ details, resulting in longer clearance times. MCTD holders are also unable to use our automated lanes. As such, we will no longer accept the MCTD for immigration clearance at our checkpoints from 1 January 2021.

4          Malaysian travellers currently issued with an MCTD should apply for passports if they plan to travel to Singapore from 1 January 2021 onwards. ICA has informed the Immigration Department of Malaysia of our plans to cease recognition of the MCTD for immigration clearance, and will work with them on the implementation.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
5 FEBRUARY 2020