Immigration in just 30 seconds thanks to passport scanning for Vietnamese at Tan Son Nhat

Today (August 1), the automatic passport scanning system installed at the international terminal of Tan Son Nhat airport (HCMC) was officially put into trial operation. The passport scanning system imported from Europe has been installed at Tan Son Nhat international terminal since the beginning of the year, according to the project of the Vietnam Immigration Department to be deployed nationwide from the end of 2022.

These machines are very familiar to people who often travel or work in Singapore and European and American countries, but this is the first time they have been deployed at an airport in Vietnam.

Initially, passport scanning only applies to citizens holding Vietnamese passports. Those who already have an electronic passport with a chip can go through the automatic entry gate immediately, but those who do not have an electronic passport with a chip will have to register manually at the airport.

Below are images of passengers from abroad landing at Tan Son Nhat airport this morning, August 1, being guided to register to use passport scans, recorded by Thanh Nien.

Passengers from abroad landing at Tan Son Nhat airport this morning, August 1, were instructed to register to use passport scan.

The manual passport data registration process takes about 2 - 4 minutes, including passport scanning, fingerprints, facial biometrics...

The information will be fully printed on a form for people to sign and confirm, or returned via email.

Before going through the manual registration counter to receive registration results, passengers can update their passport information, fingerprints and facial biometrics at the automatic machine to further reduce time.

On the first day of implementation, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Border Police sent forces to provide detailed instructions to each passenger on each operation.

A group of Vietnamese tourists who have just returned from a trip to Thailand are excited to experience the passport scanning technology that has been deployed for the first time in Vietnam.

Passengers only need to register once. Subsequent entries can be made directly through the automatic entry gate, without having to register again at any airport in Vietnam.

Passengers after registering passport information will go straight through the automatic immigration counter.

Passport check at the automatic counter only takes about 20 - 35 seconds.

Returning from Australia after a month-long summer study abroad trip, Nguyen Do My Anh (15 years old) took less than 30 seconds to complete the immigration procedures because she had an electronic passport with a chip, no registration required. According to My Anh, the automatic immigration process at Tan Son Nhat airport is just as convenient and fast as the immigration system at the Australian airport. "When I got off the plane, I was a bit scared when I saw the line of people waiting to enter the country because I had just flown back and was tired, and there was another flight to Hanoi. If I had to wait in line, it would be torture. Luckily, the police informed me to go through this automatic gate, it was very fast. I am very happy because Vietnam has modern technology like other countries" - My Anh said

The function and usage of this system are similar to passport scanners of other countries, with information processing speed that can only take 10 - 20 seconds per passenger, helping to reduce a lot of time for processing security checks.

Tan Son Nhat Airport has now installed 10 passport scanners, including 5 for exiting passengers and 5 for entering passengers. Initially, passport scanning will only be applied to Vietnamese citizens holding Vietnamese passports entering the country. The initial exit system will only be limited to Vietnamese passengers holding diplomatic or official passports; passengers holding ordinary passports must have an APEC card. Foreign passengers wishing to exit the country through the automatic gate must have a permanent or temporary residence card.

The passport scanning system is expected to save time and reduce congestion, especially during peak periods at the country's largest airport.

HM

Thanhnien.vn

Thanhnien.vn