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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>ICA explains passport fee hike
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the letter by Mrs Ng Beng Choo, 'Passport renewal cost' (March 30).
As with most other public services, the passport fee is determined based on a cost-recovery model. The cost of producing a passport cannot simply be linked to frequency or duration of use.
The Singapore biometric passport is a more secure travel document and is fully compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements for cross-border travel.
The cost, and hence the fee, for a biometric passport is higher than that of a non-biometric passport, as it comes with added features to ensure its integrity and sturdiness. The shorter validity period for the biometric passport allows for new technologies to be incorporated more rapidly, thus deterring passport forgery and abuse.
In this way, we can ensure that the passports held by Singaporeans are protected by up-to-date security features.
We hope that the above information clarifies any doubts that Mrs Ng and other passport applicants may have with regard to the cost of the biometric passport. Chia Hui Keng (Ms)
Head, Public & Internal Communications Branch
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the letter by Mrs Ng Beng Choo, 'Passport renewal cost' (March 30).
As with most other public services, the passport fee is determined based on a cost-recovery model. The cost of producing a passport cannot simply be linked to frequency or duration of use.
The Singapore biometric passport is a more secure travel document and is fully compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements for cross-border travel.
The cost, and hence the fee, for a biometric passport is higher than that of a non-biometric passport, as it comes with added features to ensure its integrity and sturdiness. The shorter validity period for the biometric passport allows for new technologies to be incorporated more rapidly, thus deterring passport forgery and abuse.
In this way, we can ensure that the passports held by Singaporeans are protected by up-to-date security features.
We hope that the above information clarifies any doubts that Mrs Ng and other passport applicants may have with regard to the cost of the biometric passport. Chia Hui Keng (Ms)
Head, Public & Internal Communications Branch
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
