Singapore requires all travelers to provide thumbprints, iris scans and a facial photo on entry to the country. This applies to all travelers, regardless of visa requirement.
Data collected during the visa process (if required) or on your initial visit to the country will be used at subsequent visits to verify your identity.
As with many countries, Singapore also retains all accessible biometric data on your passport. This data will vary depending on your nationality.
How long will my data be stored?
There is no public policy on how long your data will be stored. It should be assumed Singapore will retain the data indefinitely.
Who is this information shared with?
Currently your data stored with ICA in Singapore is not shared with other countries - however, Singapore will likely seek to retain their Visa Waiver status with the United States, this is likely to require Singapore providing access to their biometric immigration databases to DHS in the United States.
What information is required on exit?
On exit the process is similar to entry with one notable difference, if fingerprints have been captured on entry into the country, they are unlikely to request fresh copies on exit.
Automated Border Control
Singapore uses e-Gates to speed up the immigration process. Travelers are only eligible to use these e-Gates if their biometric data has already been enrolled into ICA's system. These gates will scan your face and iris prints and compare them to previous samples.
Those who haven't traveled to Singapore before must use the Manual Clearance option on their first visit.