Singapore visa-free entry guide

The basics

Official sources indicate that Singapore requires a visa only for holders of travel documents from a listed set of countries and places. Visa-free entry is not a separate application. The period of stay is set by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer at the checkpoint and recorded on the electronic visit pass (e-Pass).

Validity

Not applicable. The visit pass issued at the checkpoint sets the permitted stay.

Stay per entry

Decided by the immigration officer at entry. Sources reviewed do not state a fixed visa-free stay length.

Where you apply

No visa application for visa-exempt travelers. The SG Arrival Card is submitted online.

Fee

Sources reviewed do not state a fee for visa-free entry. ICA states that SG Arrival Card submission is free of charge.

Who it's for

ICA states that holders of travel documents from the countries and places on its visa-required list must apply for a visa. Check the ICA list for your own travel document.

• Visit pass holders may not engage in any business, professional or paid or unpaid employment in Singapore, unless they hold a valid work pass or are engaging in Work Pass Exempt Activities, according to ICA's extension page.
• Travelers who need a visa but are in transit may be eligible for the separate Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF), which is not covered in this guide.

How to apply

Travelers who are not visa-required do not apply for a visa. The main pre-arrival step is the SG Arrival Card (SGAC).

• Check ICA's list of visa-required travel documents to confirm whether your document is on it.
• Submit the SG Arrival Card online within three days before arrival, including the day of arrival. Submission is free and can be done through the SGAC e-Service or the MyICA Mobile app.
• ICA states that travelers who fail to submit the SGAC may be denied entry.
• Provide a valid email address on the SGAC. ICA states the e-Pass is notified digitally by email and shows the period of stay granted and the last day of stay allowed, with no endorsement in the passport.
• Present biometrics (for example fingerprints, face and iris) at immigration clearance. ICA states that travelers who fail to comply may be denied entry.

Documents

ICA states that holding a visa does not guarantee entry, and the immigration pass is granted by officers at the point of entry.

• Travel document: an individually issued valid travel document. Collective documents are not accepted. ICA states that passports must have at least 6 months of validity for all travelers except Singapore passport holders.
• SG Arrival Card submitted within three days before arrival. The SG Arrival Card is not a visa.
• Sufficient cash and proof of onward travel (tickets, visas), according to ICA's entry page.
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate for travelers with recent travel to risk countries. ICA states this applies to travel in the past six days before arrival, and to those who spent more than 12 hours in airport transit in such countries.
• Customs declaration if goods exceed relief or concession limits, and a declaration for cash and bearer negotiable instruments totaling more than S$20,000 or the foreign currency equivalent.

Stay and extensions

ICA states that visitors who want to stay beyond the period granted can apply online for a Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) extension. Applications are subject to approval, and walk-in applications are not accepted. The period of extension is subject to ICA's assessment.

• Timing: an application may be submitted when the STVP has 14 days or less of remaining validity.
• Documents: a scan of the passport page with personal particulars, and the Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) number from the SG Arrival Card. Additional documents may be requested case by case.
• Local sponsor: required if you have immediate family who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents, or if you hold a passport from certain listed countries. The sponsor must be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident aged at least 21 with a Singpass account.
• Fee: ICA states an S$40 extension fee applies if the extension leads to a stay of 90 days or more from the date of entry, and again for each subsequent block of 90 days. A S$30 visa fee applies to visa-required visitors, if applicable.
• Processing: ICA states extensions are processed within five working days, excluding public holidays and weekends, though some may take longer.
• ICA advises departing on or before the expiry date of your existing pass, and states that overstaying is a punishable offence.

Things to confirm

• The visa-free stay length for your nationality. Sources reviewed do not state it.
• Whether your nationality is on ICA's visa-required list.
• Any minimum funds figure. Sources do not publish one.
• Whether airlines enforce the onward ticket requirement at check-in, and whether the departure date must fall within the permitted stay. Sources do not say.

Sources

Every claim above comes from these pages. Higher tiers carry more authority. How we tier sources.