Singapore Visa Policy

Familiarize yourself with Singapore visa policy and find out visa requirements depending on your nationality.

Visa Policy for Singapore

The visa policy of Singapore outlines the requirements that all foreign nationals who are planning to visit Singapore need to meet to be able to travel to, enter, and remain inside the country.

The visa requirements to travel to Singapore depend on the nationality of the visitor, the amount of expected time that the visitor will stay in the country, and the purpose of the visit.

The Singapore visa law establishes that all travelers visiting Singapore, even those who have visa exemption, need to obtain the Singapore Electronic Arrival Card, or SG Arrival Card, to gain entry to the island state.

This SG Arrival Card can be obtained through a simple online application, and replaces the previous paper-based Disembarkation/Embarkation Card system.

All visitors to Singapore must complete this online registration with their personal and passport details, travel plans for Singapore, and a health declaration. Once approved the SG Card is automatically linked to the traveler’s passport.

The SG Arrival Card is not a visa. Visa-required citizens for Singapore need both an approved SG Arrival registration and a visa to travel to the country.

Singaporean visa regulation states that some foreign nationals need to apply for either an electronic visa or an embassy visa before they can visit Singapore.

Moreover, visa-exempt nationalities who are planning to spend more time than that permitted visa-free will also be required to obtain a visa from an embassy. A visa on arrival is not available for Singapore.

Browse the boxes below to learn more about the visa policy of Singapore, their requirements according to your nationality, and more about the SG Arrival Card.

Tourist Visa Policy for Singapore

The Singapore tourist visa policy determines that there are some countries whose citizens do not require to obtain a visa to travel to Singapore if they plan to visit the island for short stays for tourism.

Foreign nationals who are not visa-exempt need to either obtain a tourist electronic visa (tourist eVisa) or a consular visa to gain entry to Singapore.

An eVisa or embassy visa for tourism needs to be obtained before departure from the traveler’s country of residence, either through an online application or from the nearest diplomatic mission of Singapore.

However, no matter their nationality, all foreign visitors to Singapore need to register online for a SG Arrival Card, a mandatory entry authorization that can be obtained through an easy online application.

Tourist visa regulations state that all holders of an SG Arrival Card are required to have a passport valid for over 6 months from the date of arrival to Singapore.

Furthermore, all tourists arriving in Singapore may be required to present proof of return flight tickets and proof of enough funds for the duration of stay upon arrival at Singapore border control. In some cases it may also be necessary to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Check below for further information about the visa requirements to visit Singapore.

SG Arrival Card

All foreign nationals that are planning to visit Singapore have to register for a Singapore Electronic Arrival Card, as it is a mandatory requirement to enter the country.

This new system substitutes the now-defunct Disembarkation/Embarkation Card (D/E Card), which was a paper-based form available at the border. Instead, the SG Arrival Card can be obtained through an online application form and allows the traveler to pass quickly through border control upon arrival.

This mandatory entry authorization is approved as a single entry permit which allows visitors to gain entry to the country through air, land, and sea ports in Singapore.

Applicants are required to complete the simple online SG Arrival registration form with personal, passport, and travel information, including the expected arrival date. Once approved, it is automatically linked to the applicant’s passport.

Holders are recommended to keep an electronic copy of the SG Arrival Card with them when traveling to Singapore. Upon arrival, visitors will have to show the passport used to complete the online registration.

It may also be necessary to present some additional documentation, such as return ticket, sufficient funds, and yellow fever certificate, to gain entry at Singapore border control.

As an SG Arrival Card is not the same as a visa, some travelers may also need to apply for an eVisa or embassy visa, according to their nationality, purpose of the visit, and amount of time they need to spend in the country.

Find below a complete list of nationalities that need to register for a Singapore Arrival Card.

Apply Online

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

The Singapore visa policy states that, alongside the SG Arrival Card, some nationalities need to obtain an embassy visa before departure, to be able to travel to and obtain entry to Singapore, no matter the period of stay or the aim of the visit.

Currently, nationals of around 50 countries are required to submit an embassy visa application at the nearest government office of Singapore located in their country of residence.

A Singapore consular visa can be requested for different purposes, such as tourism, business, transit, work, study, or for other reasons. The applicant will be requested to select the type of visa needed.

To receive a Singapore embassy visa, the first step is to schedule a visa appointment for an interview. After that, the applicant must print and complete an embassy visa application form which must be taken to the interview, alongside additional supporting documentation depending on the visa type requested.

Citizens are recommended to schedule the embassy interview well in advance of the intended arrival date in Singapore, as a correctly processed consular visa can take up to 2 weeks or more to be approved.

However, the standard processing time for a Singapore embassy visa is 3 business days. Once approved, a visa vignette is affixed to the traveler’s passport.

Find below a list of the nationalities who require an approved consular visa to travel to Singapore.

Get Embassy Info

Singapore eVIsa

Singapore classifies all visa-required foreign travelers into two groups: either Assessment Level I or Assessment Level II.

Visitors to Singapore from both of these groups must obtain a visa for Singapore no matter the duration of the stay or duration of travel.

However, nationals from Level 1 have 2 options for method of application: either obtain the embassy visa from the nearest Singaporean diplomatic mission in person, or submit an online application for a Singapore eVisa through an electronic application.

A Singapore online visa may be submitted through a local Singaporean contact or a strategic partner in the country or through a Singaporean consulate or one of their authorized visa agents outside Singapore.

A visa online for Singapore is usually approved within 1 business day. The traveler is usually advised to bring a printed copy of the eVisa with them to present upon arrival at border control in the country.

However, foreign travelers from Assessment Level 2 are unable to submit an electronic application for a Singapore eVisa. All individuals in this group must apply for a visa in person at the nearest Singaporean diplomatic mission or one of its authorized visa agents outside Singapore.

All visa-required foreign travelers, whether in Assessment group I or group II, are required to obtain an approved SG Arrival card in addition to a visa to travel to Singapore.

Visa Not Required

Although all foreign visitors traveling to Singapore are required to obtain an approved electronic SG Arrival Card, visa regulations state that there are a few countries that can travel to the island territory without a visa.

Foreign citizens from visa-exempt countries can travel to Singapore for tourism and spend a period from 30 up to 90 days visa-free depending on nationality if they have an approved SG Arrival Card.

However, for periods of longer stay, for purposes other than tourism, it is necessary for these same nationalities to obtain a visa for Singapore either from an embassy or through an online application, depending on their country of origin.

Singapore visa law also states that visa-required nationalities do not need a Singapore transit visa to pass through the country to a third destination under certain conditions.

A transit visa is not required if the passenger does not intend to leave the airport transit area or clear immigration in Singapore, and if they have checked-in luggage for their final destination.

Moreover, they must hold a valid ticket to the onward destination and not be traveling on a low-cost airline. Otherwise, a transit visa is required.

Check the list below to see the countries whose citizens are visa-free for Singapore for short stays.

Get Embassy Info

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