Immigration Regulations - Singapore Statutes Online

Immigration Act

(Chapter 133, Section 55(1))

Immigration Regulations

Rg 1

G.N. No. S 252/1972

REVISED EDITION 1998

(15th June 1998)

[25th August 1972]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Immigration Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“alien” means any person who is not a citizen of Singapore;

“Controller” includes —

(a)	an immigration officer or other person authorised by the Controller to act generally on his behalf under these Regulations; and
(b)	where the Controller authorises an immigration officer or other person to act on his behalf for the purpose of one or more but not all of these Regulations, for the purposes of such regulation, the immigration officer or other person so authorised;

“Form” means a form set out in the First Schedule, and a form referred to by a number means the form so numbered in that Schedule;

“group Singapore visa” means a Singapore visa granted to and in respect of 3 or more non-citizens for those non-citizens to travel to and enter Singapore as a group within a specified period;

“holder”, in relation to a Singapore visa, means the non-citizen to whom it was granted or a person included in it;

“unberthed passenger” means a ship’s passenger for whom no accommodation in any cabin, stateroom or saloon is reserved.

Application for Singapore visa

3.—(1) Every application for a Singapore visa shall —

(a)

be made in such form as the Controller may approve (to be completed in accordance with any directions on it) by or on behalf of the person who will be the holder of the Singapore visa if the application is granted (referred to in this regulation and regulation 3D as the applicant);

(b)

be made in such manner as the Controller may approve, which may include the use of such electronic application service on what is commonly known as the Internet as the Controller may provide for this purpose;

(c)

be accompanied by —

(i)	one photograph of the applicant, which shall be taken not more than 3 months before the date of the application and shall comply with the specifications set out in the Second Schedule;
(ii)	such other personal identifiers as the Controller may require;
(iii)	photostat copies of the applicant’s foreign passport or foreign travel document, which must be valid for not less than 6 months after the applicant’s expected date of arrival in Singapore;
(iv)	where required by directions in the application form, a letter of introduction from a public authority or public officer, or an employer or a business associate or a prospective employer or business associate of the applicant, where applicable, resident or conducting business in Singapore; and
(v)	such other documents and information as the Controller may require in any particular case; and

(d)

be accompanied by the relevant fee specified in the Interpretation (Singapore Visa — Fees) Order 2007 (G.N. No. S 652/2007).

(2) In addition to the requirements specified in paragraph (1), the Controller may require an applicant for a Singapore visa to provide his finger impression and submit to all steps as may reasonably be required for the taking of a finger impression.

(3) Nothing in this regulation shall prevent the Controller from requiring an applicant for a Singapore visa to furnish such other particulars, information and documents as the Controller may specify in any particular case.

Grant of Singapore visa

3A.—(1) Before granting a Singapore visa for or in respect of any non-citizen, the Controller must be satisfied of the identity of the non-citizen.

(2) Every Singapore visa shall be granted by the Controller for and on behalf of the Government and may be granted —

(a)	to a non-citizen for that non-citizen to travel to and enter Singapore within a specified period; or
(b)	to and in respect of 3 or more specified non-citizens for those non-citizens to travel to and enter Singapore as a group within a specified period (referred to in these Regulations as a group Singapore visa).

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), evidence of a Singapore visa that has been granted to a non-citizen may be given by —

(a)	a label that is affixed to the non-citizen’s passport by the Controller;
(b)	an imprint or endorsement that is stamped in the non-citizen’s passport by the Controller; [S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]
(c)	a document that is given to the non-citizen by the Controller; or [S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]
(d)	a document that is issued in an electronic form to the non-citizen by the Controller through the electronic application service referred to in regulation 3(1)(b). [S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]

(4) Where —

(a)	the name of a child or person is included in the passport or other document of identity of a parent of the child or of a spouse or other relative of the person, as the case may be; and
(b)	the child or person accompanies that parent, spouse or relative (as the case may be) to Singapore,

the child or person shall be taken to be included in any Singapore visa granted to the parent, spouse or relative (as the case may be) if, and only if —

(i)	the child’s or person’s name is included in any imprint or endorsement on the passport or other document of identity of that parent, spouse or relative;
(ii)	a separate label is affixed to that passport or document of identity evidencing the grant of a Singapore visa in respect of the child or person; [S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]
(iii)	a separate document evidencing the grant of a Singapore visa in respect of the child or person is given to that parent, spouse or relative by the Controller; or [S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]
(iv)	a document is issued in an electronic form to the parent, spouse or relative by the Controller through the electronic application service referred to in regulation 3(1)(b) evidencing the grant of a Singapore visa in respect of the child or person. [S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]

(5) If a group Singapore visa is granted to and in respect of 3 or more non-citizens for those non-citizens to travel to and enter Singapore as a group within a specified period —

(a)	these Regulations shall apply as if each of them were the holder of the Singapore visa, subject to sub-paragraph (b); and
(b)	if any such non-citizen fails to travel to and enter Singapore at the same time together with the group within the specified period, the Singapore visa deemed under sub-paragraph (a) to have been granted to that non-citizen shall cease to be valid when the rest of the group enters Singapore. [S 657/2007 wef 01/12/2007]

Validity of Singapore visa

3B.—(1) A Singapore visa may be granted subject to any of the following general conditions as to validity where specified therein:

(a)	the Singapore visa shall be valid to enable the holder thereof to travel to and enter Singapore on a single occasion within a specified period;
(b)	the Singapore visa shall be valid to enable the holder thereof to travel to and enter Singapore on a restricted number of occasions within a specified period; or
(c)	the Singapore visa shall be valid to enable the holder thereof to travel to and enter Singapore on an unrestricted number of occasions within a specified period.

(2) A Singapore visa shall cease to be valid —

(a)	at the end of the day specified in the Singapore visa;
(b)	where the Singapore visa is valid for travel to and entry into Singapore on a single occasion during a specified period, on the completion of that journey;
(c)	where the holder of the Singapore visa is granted any pass under these Regulations, when that pass is cancelled in accordance with these Regulations; or
(d)	where the Singapore visa is cancelled in accordance with these Regulations.

(3) A Singapore visa to travel to and enter Singapore during or within a period is not permission for the holder to travel to Singapore, or to enter Singapore, outside that period.

Amendments to Singapore visa

3C. The Controller may, at any time, make such alterations, additions or deletions as may be necessary to render accurate the particulars recorded in any Singapore visa regarding the identity or status of the holder of that Singapore visa.

[S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]

Refusal of Singapore visa

3D. The Controller may, by notice in writing or otherwise, refuse a Singapore visa to any applicant therefor.

Cancellation of Singapore visa

3E. The Controller may, by notice in writing or otherwise, cancel any Singapore visa granted to or in respect of any person.

Application for entry permit

4.—(1) A person who requires an entry permit to enter Singapore may apply to the Controller for the issue to him of a entry permit and, where applicable, for the inclusion in the entry permit of the names of his wife and of any child accompanying him.

[S 657/2008 wef 02/01/2009]

(2) An application for an entry permit may be made by a husband on behalf of his wife or by a parent on behalf of a child.

(3) Every application for an entry permit shall be made in such form as the Controller may require and shall be accompanied by —

(a)	2 recent photographs of the applicant; and
(b)	where the names of his wife and of any child accompanying him are to be included in the entry permit, 2 recent photographs of his wife and 2 recent photographs of the child. [S 657/2008 wef 02/01/2009]

(3A) Every application for an entry permit shall be supported by a declaration made by the sponsor of the applicant as to —

(a)	the truth of the statements contained in the application; and
(b)	the good character of the applicant.

(3B) No person shall act as a sponsor for an applicant for an entry permit unless the person is resident in Singapore.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), any person who at the time of his arrival in Singapore satisfies the Controller that he —

(a)	is in possession of a valid passport and, if an alien, of a valid entry visa, when such visa is required;
(b)	is within any of the categories of persons set out in the Schedule to the Immigration (Prohibition of Entry) Order (O 2);
(c)	is not travelling by sea as an unberthed passenger;
(d)	intends to enter Singapore otherwise than for the purpose of remaining temporarily therein; and
(e)	is not a prohibited immigrant,

may on his arrival, subject to section 24, 25 or 26 of the Act, apply for the issue to him of any entry permit and for the inclusion in the permit of the names of his wife and of any child accompanying him.

(5) Where in the case of any person applying for an entry permit under paragraph (4), a senior immigration officer is of the opinion that further inquiries are necessary, he may issue to that person a special pass in accordance with regulation 15.

(6) Every entry permit shall be in the Form 5 except that the Controller may, in the case of an entry permit granted to a person making application therefor under paragraph (4), make an appropriate endorsement on the passport or other travel document held by the person, and the endorsement shall be deemed to be an entry permit for the purposes of these Regulations.

(7) Except in the case of a person described in paragraph (4) or a person seeking to remain in Singapore after the expiry of a pass issued to him, an application for an entry permit shall be made before the arrival in Singapore of the person making such application.

(8) No entry permit shall be issued to any such person described in paragraph (7) except prior to his arrival in Singapore.

(9) At the time of the issue of an entry permit, the Controller may impose any condition not inconsistent with the provisions of the Act.

Security in respect of entry permit

5.—(1) The Controller may require in respect of the issue of an entry permit such security, whether by deposit or otherwise, as he may think necessary for all costs, charges and expenses which may be incurred in the maintenance and repatriation or removal from Singapore of the applicant in the event of his being required to be repatriated or removed from Singapore at any time within 2 years from the date of his entry into Singapore.

(2) Where any person in respect of whom security has been furnished under paragraph (1) is repatriated or removed from Singapore at any time within 2 years from the date of his entry into Singapore, the total amount of all costs, charges and expenses incurred in the repatriation or removal of that person and his dependants, if any, shall be certified in writing by the Controller, whose certificate shall be conclusive evidence thereof, and such amount, or so much thereof as the security will cover, shall be recovered out of such security.

(3) Subject to paragraph (2), such security, or the balance thereof, if any, as the case may be, shall be returned to the person who furnished the security at the expiration of the period for which the security was furnished, or of such shorter period as the Controller may think fit.

Application for re-entry permit

6.—(1) Every application for a re-entry permit shall be made in such form as the Controller may require.

(2) An applicant who is resident in Singapore may, in his application, apply for the inclusion, in the re-entry permit to be issued to him, of the names of his wife and of any child, who are then resident in Singapore and who it is intended shall accompany him on his re-entry into Singapore.

(3) The Controller may require the appearance in person before him of any applicant resident in Singapore and of his wife and any child in respect of whom an application is made under paragraph (2).

[S 657/2008 wef 02/01/2009]

(4) Every application for a re-entry permit made under paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the person making the application is in possession of a valid passport or other travel document.

(5) Every re-entry permit shall be in Form 7.

[S 657/2008 wef 02/01/2009]

(6) The Controller may make an appropriate endorsement on the passport or other travel document held by an applicant for a re-entry permit, and such endorsement shall be deemed to be a re-entry permit for the purposes of these Regulations.

Validity of entry and re-entry permits

7.—(1) An entry permit shall be valid for a single entry into Singapore and shall cease to be valid if the holder of the permit, being out of Singapore on the date of issue thereof, has not entered Singapore within 6 months after that date.

(2) The Controller may extend the period under paragraph (1) by a further period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 6 months.

(3) A re-entry permit shall be valid for such period not exceeding 12 months from the date of issue thereof as may be specified in the permit and if so endorsed thereon by the Controller, for any number of re-entries during the period of its validity, and, if not so endorsed, for one re-entry only.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), the Controller may issue a re-entry permit for any period exceeding one year or extend the validity of any re-entry permit for such period or periods as he may think fit.

Passes

8.—(1) The following classes of passes may be issued under these Regulations for the purpose of entitling a person to enter and remain temporarily within Singapore:

(a)	[Deleted by S 347/2007 wef 01/07/2007]
(b)	a dependant’s pass;
(c)	a visit pass;
(d)	a transit pass;
(e)	a student’s pass;
(f)	a special pass; and
(g)	a landing pass . [S 728/2006 wef 01/01/2007] [S 347/2007 wef 01/07/2007]
(h)	[Deleted by S 347/2007 wef 01/07/2007]
(i)	[Deleted by S 347/2007 wef 01/07/2007]

(2) Subject to these Regulations, the issue of any pass shall be at the discretion of the Controller.

(2A) Where any person was, 10 days before entering Singapore, in any country affected by any disease listed in the First or Second Schedule to the Infectious Diseases Act (Cap. 137), the Controller may, if he considers it necessary, as a condition for the grant of any pass to the person under these Regulations, require the person to undergo quarantine and medical surveillance in such manner and place and in accordance with such other requirements as the Controller may determine.

(3) Any pass may be issued in such form and manner as the Controller may determine and shall be subject to such special conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Act, as the Controller may think fit to impose.

[S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]

(4) Every pass issued to any person under these Regulations (whether issued before, on or after 14th April 2003) shall be subject to the condition that during the validity of the pass the holder shall, if so required by the Controller, undergo quarantine and medical surveillance in such manner and place and in accordance with such other requirements as the Controller may determine if the holder was, 10 days before his entering Singapore under that pass, in any country affected by any disease listed in the First or Second Schedule to the Infectious Diseases Act .

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), every dependant’s pass, visit pass or student’s pass issued by the Controller under these Regulations shall be subject to, and the holder of the pass shall comply with, the following conditions:

(a)

the holder of the pass shall, if so requested by the Controller or any police officer, produce for inspection the pass within such time and at such place as may be specified by the Controller or the police officer;

(b)

the holder of the pass shall notify the Controller, in such form and manner as the Controller may determine, any change in his place of residence within 14 days after the change;

(c)

if the pass is lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, the holder of the pass shall report, in such form and manner as the Controller may determine, the loss, theft, damage or destruction to the Controller within 7 days after becoming aware of that fact or occurrence;

(d)

the holder who reports the loss or theft of his pass to the Controller under sub-paragraph (c) shall, if he recovers possession of his stolen or lost pass —

(i)	notify the Controller; and
(ii)	if a replacement pass has been issued to the holder under regulation 9, surrender the pass so recovered to the Controller,

within 7 days after the recovery of possession;

(e)

the holder of the pass shall surrender the pass to the Controller immediately after its cancellation or expiry.

[S 68/2009 wef 23/02/2009]

[S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]

(6) Paragraph (5) shall not apply in respect of a pass which is issued in the form of an endorsement on the passport or other travel document of the person to whom the pass is issued.

[S 393/2008 wef 06/08/2008]

[G.N. Nos. S 252/92; S 259/72; S 218/73; S 335/75; S 309/77; S 126/78; S 211/80; S 59/81; S 168/81; S 30/82; S 40/82; S 148/83; S 221/83; S 79/84; S 87/84; S 225/84; S 310/84; S 169/85; S 274/85; S 337/85; S 345/85; S 223/86; S 339/86; S 57/87; S 188/87; S 218/87; S 232/87; S 255/87; S 50/88; S 57/88; S 418/88; S 40/89; S 92/89; S 287/90; S 67/91; S 62/92; S 108/92; S 26/93; S 47/93; S 86/93; S 220/93; S 229/93; S 240/93; S 349/93; S 381/93; S 489/93; S 9/94; S 15/94; S 201/94; S 225/94; S 230/94; S 71/95; S 199/95; S 496/95; S 25/96; S 96/96; S 131/96; S 167/96; S 313/96; S 535/96; S 74/97; S 107/97; S 338/97; S 383/97; S 33/98; S 50/98; S 155/98; S 206/98]

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