Digital COVID-19 health certificate app being used in Singapore to resume international travel

January 4, 2021

International SOS, the International Chamber of Commerce, and AOKpass Pte. Ltd. helped implement the first use of ICC AOKpass at Singapore's Changi Airport to provide a digitally verifiable COVID-19 health certificate for entrance into the country. The organizations hope that the digital certification and ability to authenticate health records at border points of entry will help to facilitate the safe and efficient resumption of international travel during the global pandemic.

On 21st December, a Singapore citizen returning from Japan on Singapore Airlines flight SQ637 successfully used the ICC AOKpass for the first time, to officially present a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”) digital test result for arrival verification at Changi Airport’s immigration counters. Per reports, this was the first time an immigration authority has used a blockchain based, digitally verifiable health certificate.

Shinagawa East Medical Clinic, issued the digital certificate on ICC AOKpass, which was scanned by Affinidi’s Universal Verifier solution at the airport. Following the successful pilot program, all travelers, starting with Malaysia and Indonesia will be able to use ICC AOKpass to digitally authenticate their COVID-19 test results, as well as any other necessary health credentials during immigration at the Singapore airport.

Travelers from Malaysia and Indonesia will have dedicated immigration lanes at Changi Airport, to digitally verify their health credentials using the ICC AOKpass app. Before departure to Singapore, passengers will need to check the Singapore SafeTravel website for travel requirements, then book a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test at healthcare providers that issue digital health credentials through secure mobile apps like the ICC AOKpass.

The travelers will each receive their test result with a unique QR code in their ICC AOKpass app, which authenticates and securely stores their negative COVID-19 test results.

Upon arrival at Changi Airport, they can use the dedicated immigration counters to verify their health credentials by scanning the given QR code in the app. This facilitates faster immigration checkpoint clearance for travelers, enables more hassle-free travel, and reduces risks of crowds at the airport. At the same time, authorities will be able to combat incidents of COVID-19 test fraud and implement a global standard for traveling, which will further enhance efforts to ensure the safe resumption of global travel.

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