In recent years, the entry process has been simplified in many countries by the introduction of electronic systems such as e-Visas. However, some countries, such as Cameroon, Singapore and Malaysia, have decided to take a different approach to facilitating travellers' entry, while ensuring effective control of migration flows.
These countries are now opting for “arrival cards“. Although each country has its own definition, these are generally mandatory electronic registration cards for all foreign travelers that must be completed before arrival, often by "forcing" the download of a mobile application onto the traveler's phone.
The emergence of arrival cards
Like e-Visas, the arrival cards enable authorities in different countries to centralize and facilitate the management of the personal data of people entering their country. They work both ways: they are designed to prevent administrative complications for governments, but also to simplify the procedure for foreign visitors.
In general, these free electronic forms require basic information such as name, passport number, date of birth, reason for trip, address, etc. It's a sort of modern way of filling in the paper entry forms that many countries were still using. The big difference is that they are computerized and centralized.
THE arrival cards are often relics of the compulsory health forms introduced during the Covid (Colombian Check-MIG, Ivorian Déclaration de Déplacement par Voie Aérienne (DDVA), etc.). Authorities in all countries quickly realized the benefits of offering an online 100% solution.
Advantages of arrival cards for governments
One of the main aims of introducing arrival cards is to improve border security by making the check-in process more efficient. They help to minimize the presence of undesirable travelers, such as those with criminal records or from countries deemed to be at risk. These tools also help authorities to combat trafficking of all kinds, including drugs and human beings.
THE arrival cards also offer better tracking of traveler entries and exits, facilitating the work of immigration services. As they mature, these electronic documents can provide governments with valuable data on migration and tourism trends, enabling them to invest appropriately in infrastructure, employment and local projects.
Benefits for travellers
For travellers, arrival cards offer a number of practical and secure advantages. For one thing, visitors can complete these forms at their convenienceThis way, they can avoid wasting precious time in queues, while ensuring they don't run into any administrative problems once they're in the country. In this way, they avoid wasting precious time in queues, while being sure of not encountering any administrative problems once they arrive.
What's more, because these documents are electronic, they avoid the human errors associated with managing paper files. There's no risk, for example, of losing the hard copy or staining the document with ink. They are therefore safer and less likely to result in a refusal.. Finally, as a secure platform, arrival cards also protect sensitive traveler data, offering greater protection against identity theft and other fraud.
Countries that prefer arrival cards
Singapore is undoubtedly the pioneer in the use of arrival cardswith the SG Arrival Card. This success has prompted other administrations in the region to choose this option over e-Visa. This is particularly true of Malaysiawhich has set up its own arrival card system for an obligation since December 1.. Le Cambodia has followed suit to impose an e-Arrival in 2024.
Even if these two countries are often cited as references, other territories are currently considering adopting arrival cards to replace their current control processes. It is not impossible, for example, that some members of the ASEAN regional bloc (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) will follow suit in the years to come.
The General Customs Directorate of the Cameroon make it compulsory, from January 1, 2024, to download a non-intrusive mobile passenger screening application to replace the paper forms distributed to travelers by airlines. This "arrival card"-type attestation has already been available on iOS And Android and provides a QR Code for presentation on arrival.
What does the future hold for e-Visas?
If the Arrival Cards Although e-Visas are designed to obtain information on travelers regardless of their visa waiver status, they are by no means obsolete, and are still favored by many countries. Even today, some destinations combine the two systems (e-Visa and arrival card) to maximize efficiency, especially as the information required is often identical.
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