How to apply for a Singapore entry visa

Who needs a Singapore entry visa?

ICA's entry-visa list is organised by the country or place that issued the travel document. [2] If the passport or travel document is issued by one of the countries or places in the table below, the traveller needs a valid Singapore entry visa to travel to and seek entry into Singapore. [2]

A visa is also required for travellers using a refugee travel document, an Alien's passport, a Palestinian Authority passport, a temporary passport issued by the United Arab Emirates, a Document of Identity issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, a Travel Permit issued by the Macao Special Administrative Region of China, or a People's Republic of China (PRC) Travel Document. [2] The refugee travel document and Alien's passport are subject to an assessment of recognition for entry into Singapore. [2]

How do you apply for a Singapore entry visa?

Applications are submitted online. [2] ICA does not accept visa applications over immigration counters. [2]

If the traveller does not have a Local Contact with a Singpass or Corppass account, the application may be submitted through an authorised visa agent appointed by the Singapore Overseas Missions or at the nearest Singapore Overseas Mission. [2] The applicant should liaise directly with the nearest Singapore Overseas Mission for the detailed procedure when using an authorised agent or the mission itself. [2]

A Singapore entry visa is pre-entry permission to travel to and seek entry; it is not an immigration pass. [2] The grant of an immigration pass is determined by ICA officers at the point of entry, and the period of stay is not tied to the visa's validity. [2]

From 11 March 2022, foreign visitors arriving in Singapore are notified digitally of their Visit Pass (e-Pass) by email, with no endorsement in the passport. [2] The e-Pass notification shows the period of stay granted and the last day of stay allowed, so a valid email address must be provided when submitting the SG Arrival Card. [2]

What documents and conditions apply when entering Singapore?

All travellers, regardless of age, must hold a valid individually issued travel document; collective travel documents are not accepted. [2] [4] Except for Singapore passport holders, travellers must ensure their passport has a minimum validity of six months. [4]

For British citizens travelling from the UK, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) says the passport must have an expiry date six months after the date of arrival. [6]

All travellers must submit an SG Arrival Card within three days, including the day of arrival, before arriving in Singapore, except those transiting or transferring without seeking immigration clearance and Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass Holders entering via land checkpoints. [4] Submission is free through the SGAC e-Service or the MyICA Mobile app, and travellers who fail to submit it may be denied entry. [4] The SG Arrival Card is not a visa. [2]

Travellers must present biometrics, such as fingerprints, facial and iris data, during immigration clearance, and those who fail to comply may be denied entry. [4] The FCDO says biometric details, including fingerprints, are recorded electronically on arrival and departure. [6]

Short-Term travellers should have sufficient cash and proof of onward travel, such as tickets and visas, and must not stay beyond the Visit Pass validity, which is different from the visa validity period. [4] A Short-Term Visit Pass holder is not permitted to engage in any business, professional or paid employment activity in Singapore, and overstaying is a punishable offence. [4]

Visitors who wish to stay beyond the period granted can apply for a Visit Pass extension online using the e-Service, subject to approval. [4] ICA also says a Short-Term Visit Pass extension is the route for extending the duration of stay. [2]

All travellers, including Singapore residents, who have been in a country with risk of yellow fever transmission in the six days before arrival must produce a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. [4] This includes travellers who spent more than 12 hours in airport transit in such a country. [4] The FCDO says travellers arriving from a transmission-risk country without a certificate may be quarantined or refused entry. [6]

Travellers entering with goods above their Goods and Service Tax import relief or duty-free concession must make a customs declaration and pay tax using the Customs@SG web application before arrival. [4] A Physical Currency and Bearer Negotiable Instruments declaration is required when entering with a total value exceeding S$20,000 or its equivalent in a foreign currency. [4]

When does the Visa-Free Transit Facility apply?

A visa-required traveller who is eligible may use the Visa-Free Transit Facility for a stay of less than 96 hours in Singapore. [4] ICA lists nationals of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Georgia, India, Turkmenistan and Ukraine, plus selected nationals of the People's Republic of China who are not holding ordinary, diplomatic, public affairs or service PRC passports, as potentially eligible. [2]

The selected PRC group includes holders of the PRC Travel Document, the Document of Identity issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and the Travel Permit issued by the Macao Special Administrative Region of China. [2]

An entry visa is pre-entry permission to travel to and seek entry. [2] The Visa-Free Transit Facility is an option for eligible visa-required travellers staying less than 96 hours. [4] ICA says these travellers may be eligible and directs readers to the Visa-Free Transit Facility page for more information. [2]

What are the exceptions and limits?

• Possession of a valid visa does not guarantee entry into Singapore. [2]
• A Singapore entry visa is not an immigration pass; the immigration pass is granted at the point of entry, and the period of stay is not tied to the visa's validity. [2]
• The SG Arrival Card is not a visa, and a valid visa holder must still follow the latest travel requirements and advisories. [2]
• The Visa-Free Transit Facility is available only for eligible visa-required travellers and only for a stay of less than 96 hours. [4]
• British citizens travelling from the UK can visit Singapore without a visa for tourism or business; the immigration officer decides the period of stay, normally between 30 and 90 days. [6]
• Overstaying penalties can include fines, imprisonment, caning and deportation, depending on how long the traveller has overstayed. [6]
• The yellow fever certificate rule applies to all travellers, including Singapore residents, who have been in a transmission-risk country in the six days before arrival, and also to those with more than 12 hours of airport transit there. [4]

Frequently asked questions

Is a Singapore entry visa the same as a Visit Pass?

No. A Singapore entry visa is pre-entry permission to travel to and seek entry, not an immigration pass; the immigration pass is granted by ICA officers at the point of entry, and the period of stay is not tied to the visa's validity. [2]

Can I apply for a Singapore entry visa at the immigration counter?

No. ICA does not accept visa applications over immigration counters; applications are made online, or through an authorised visa agent or Singapore Overseas Mission if the traveller does not have a Local Contact with a Singpass or Corppass account. [2]

Does a Singapore entry visa guarantee entry?

No. ICA says possession of a valid visa does not guarantee entry, and the grant of an immigration pass is decided at the point of entry. [2]

Can I use the Visa-Free Transit Facility instead of an entry visa?

Eligible visa-required travellers may use the Visa-Free Transit Facility for a stay of less than 96 hours in Singapore, and ICA lists the nationalities that may qualify. [4] [2] Travellers who are not eligible for the facility still need a valid entry visa if their travel document is on the visa-required list. [2]

What is the SG Arrival Card?

The SG Arrival Card is a submission required within three days before arrival, including the day of arrival, for all travellers except specified transit and land-checkpoint cases; it is not a visa. [4] [2]

Related pages

Use the Frequent Flyer Encyclopedia glossary for related terms such as entry requirements, visa-free transit and SG Arrival Card.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers Singapore's entry-visa rules and related border conditions; it does not cover the entry rules of other countries or any airline, hotel or credit-card loyalty programme.

1. ICA: Check if You Need an Entry Visa, checked 18 October 2026
2. ICA: Entering Singapore, checked 18 October 2026
3. UK FCDO: Singapore travel advice, entry requirements, checked 18 October 2026