Different passport number

The Straits Time
6 Mar 2010

'An integral move to curb abuse and makes it easier to share information on lost and stolen passports.'

MS CHIA HUI KENG, head, Public & Internal Communications Branch, Corporate Communications Division, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority: 'I thank Mr Lawrence Seow for his letter on Monday ('Why the change?') about the inconvenience of having different identification numbers for the identity card and the passport. Before the introduction of the Singapore biometric passport in August 2006, the unique identification number of Singaporeans, commonly known as the IC number, was used as the passport number of non-biometric passports. Now, the inventory control number of the biometric passport is used as the passport number. The use of the inventory control number, which will not be repeated, is an integral move to curb passport abuse globally and makes it easier to share information on lost and stolen Singapore passports. The change is in line with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, an important standards-setting body for international travel. The biometric passport number will change whenever the passport holder applies for a new passport.'


Why the change?
'The use of different numbers for passports and identity cards causes inconvenience.'

The Straits Time
1 Mar 2010

MR LAWRENCE SEOW: 'The use of different numbers for passports and identity cards (ICs) causes inconvenience. In the past, passport and IC numbers were identical. My passport is due to expire and I applied for and collected my new passport. To my surprise, it has a different number from my IC. Nowadays, it is common to book flights online and in advance. I have booked four different trips online with my old passport number (before I collected my new passport) as I was not aware that my new passport would have a different number. Hence, I foresee a problem on check-in because although the name matches, the passport number is different.'