Visitors travelling to Singapore for holidays, business trips and social visits for periods of up to 30 days can obtain an entry visa on arrival at Changi Airport, expect for those holding travel documents issued by the following countries:

  • Afghanistan
  • Algeria
  • Bangladesh (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders)
  • Armenia*
  • Azerbaijan*
  • Belarus*
  • Georgia
  • India
  • Kazakhstan*
  • Kyrgyzstan*
  • Moldova*
  • Nigeria
  • Russia*
  • Tajikistan*
  • Turkmenistan*
  • Ukraine*
  • Uzbekistan*
  • Egypt
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Jordan (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders)
  • Lebanon
  • Libya
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders)
  • People’s Republic of China (Except Diplomatic/Service/Public Affairs passport holders for a stay of up to 30 days)
  • Pakistan
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Somalia
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Tunisia (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders)
  • Yemen

* – May be granted entry if in transit

Other visitors who require a visa

People holding these travel documents also need a visa to enter Singapore:

  • Hong Kong Document of Identity
  • Palestinian Authority Passport
  • Refugee Travel Document issued by the Middle-East countries
  • Temporary Passport issued by United Arab Emirates
  • Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Travel Permit

All of the above document holders will need to apply for an entry visa before travelling.

For those eligible for an entry visa on arrival wishing to stay a little longer (up to 89 days), some basic entry requirements must be satisfied before a Social Visit Pass can be granted – see below. All people staying in Singapore with this pass are forbidden from engaging in any sort of business or paid employment while in Singapore. The period of stay allowed will be shown on your social visit pass, stuck in your passport.

Requirements:

  • Valid passport with at least 6 months left on it
  • Valid Singapore visa, if required
  • Funds to last the entire stay
  • Confirmed onward or return travel tickets (where applicable)
  • Visas for onward destinations (where applicable)
  • Completed Disembarkation/Embarkation Card
  • Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate (where applicable)

Visas can be processed in as quickly as one day or up to four weeks, so plan ahead if you know you need to make an application for a Social Visit Pass for Singapore. You can apply online for your visa here. Currently these Singapore visas cost S$30 a go, and they’re non-refundable if your application is denied.

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Permanent Residency in Singapore

If you wish to apply for permanent Singapore immigration you must meet a minimum of one of the following criteria:

  • If you are the partner, elderly parent or child under 21 of a Singaporean citizen or permanent resident
  • Those already employed in Singapore and in possession a P, Q or S work pass
  • Investors and entrepreneurs if they can prove they have made (or will make) a significant contribution to the local economy

Singapore Citizenship

There are three key routes to Singaporean citizenship:

  • People aged under 21 who have lived in Singapore for at least two years can apply for citizenship
  • The spouse of a Singapore citizen can apply for citizenship once they have been either married or living in Singapore for over two years
  • A child born outside Singapore who has at least one Singaporean parent can apply for citizenship

Work Visas

There are four main types of Singapore work visa, all of which will be explained in greater detail below:

  • Singapore Employment Pass (EP)
  • Singapore Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass)
  • Singapore S Pass
  • Personalized Employment Pass for Singapore (PEP)

Employment Pass Singapore

The most common work permit for employees in Singapore, which lasts two years and can be renewed. Applicants must make a monthly salary of over S$2500 and have a degree from a reputable university and can go onto apply for residency later if they meet the criteria.

Entrepreneur Pass for Singapore

This Singapore work permit – also known as the EntrePass – is relevant to owners of new companies wanting to trade here. Valid for periods of up to two years, holders can eventually find themselves eligible for permanent residency. Businesses must either be new or less than six months old. You can also apply for the Dependant’s Pass or the Long Term Visit Pass for your family once you have been granted your EntrePass.

Singapore Employment Pass (S)

This one is for medium skilled workers on salaries of at least S$1,800 a month. S Passes are allocated according to whether the employer in question has yet met their quota of international workers, as well as according to applicants’ experience and qualifications. Holders of this visa can also go on to apply for residency.

Personalised Singapore Employment Pass (PEP)

If you know you want (and need) to work in Singapore but don’t have a job offer yet, then this is your visa. This Singapore work visa isn’t attached to any one specific employer, so holders can change jobs without having to reapply for new visas every time. Time limits apply on how long holders can remain unemployed between jobs and this visa doesn’t permit self-employment. This permit is limited to five years and opens doors to permanent residency at a later stage.

Student Pass Singapore

Those wishing to study in Singapore will need an offer from an educational institution first. Your Student Pass application should be made as soon as you receive your offer of a place on a full time program of study and are issued a month before your course is due to start.

Applications should be made online through the Student’s Pass On-Line Application & Registration (SOLAR) system.

These visas cost S$30 to apply for and a further S$60 upon issue, and students should pick up their visa from the Student’s Pass Unit in Singapore. With this in mind, a social visit pass must be used by the student on initial entry to Singapore. The following documents will need to be seen before your pass is issued:

  • Valid passport
  • Completed Disembarkation/Embarkation card
  • A colour passport-sized photograph
  • A signed printout of SOLAR eForm 16
  • A copy of the in-principle approval letter
  • A medical report in the prescribed format

For further information on Visas for Singapore, check out the visitors’ pages on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority website. Here you’ll find helpful and detailed guidance on application criteria for all Singapore visas as well as fully downloadable application forms.