National Registration Act
(Chapter 201, Section 19)
National Registration Regulations
Rg 2
G.N. No. S 226/1991

REVISED EDITION 1990
(31st August 2000)
[3rd June 1991]
Citation
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the National Registration Regulations.
Definition
2.  In these Regulations, “police officer” has the same meaning as in the Police Force Act (Cap. 235) and includes a member of the Special Constabulary and a member of the Auxiliary Police Force constituted under that Act.
Registration and re-registration under Act
3.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), every person who is required to register under the Act shall, within one year of attaining the age of 15 years, report to the registration officer and register in accordance with these Regulations.
(1A)  A person who is required to register under the Act, may, at any time in the year he attains the age of 15 years, but not earlier, report to the registration officer and register in accordance with these Regulations; and on such reporting, the person shall be regarded for the purposes of these Regulations as applying for registration under the Act and regulation 4 shall apply to that person.
[S 610/2008 wef 01/12/2008]
(2)  Where any person who was below the age of 15 years before 1st January 1997 has been issued with an identity card or a replacement in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations in force immediately before that date, he shall not be required to register under paragraph (1) upon attaining the age of 15 years.
(3)  Every person who is required to register under the Act but who was resident outside Singapore during the whole of the period specified in paragraph (1) shall, within one year of his return to Singapore, report to the registration officer and register in accordance with these Regulations.
(4)  Nothing in this regulation shall prevent the registration of a person who fails to register within the period specified in paragraph (1).
(5)  Without prejudice to section 13(1)(a) of the Act, every person who is required to re-register under section 6 of the Act but who has failed to do so before 31st December 1995 shall, as soon as is practicable, report to the registration officer and re-register in accordance with these Regulations.
Procedure and documents
4.—(1)  Every person required to register or re-register under the Act shall —
(a)deliver to the registration officer one unmounted photograph showing a true likeness of himself taken in accordance with the specifications stated in the National Registration (Photographs) Regulations (Rg 1) or submit to all such steps as may be reasonably necessary for the taking of a photograph of himself in accordance with any directions given by the registration officer;
(b)surrender his previous identity card, if any;
(c)submit to all such steps as may be reasonably necessary for the taking of a finger impression;
(d)give the following particulars to the registration officer:
(i)his name or if he is known by different names, each of his names in full;
(ii)[Deleted by S 526/2002 wef 30/09/2002]
(iii)the full particulars of his place of residence;
(iv)his race;
(v)his language or dialect;
(vi)his place of birth;
(vii)his date of birth and sex;
(viii)[Deleted by S 526/2002 wef 30/09/2002]
(ix)his status as a citizen of Singapore or other citizenship or national status;
(x)[Deleted by S 526/2002 wef 30/09/2002]
(xi)such other particulars as the registration officer may consider necessary; and
(e)produce such documentary evidence as the registration officer may consider necessary to support the accuracy of any particulars submitted.
(2)  The registration officer may, in his discretion, endorse, with a stamp or other distinguishing mark, any document produced to him under this regulation.
(3)  The registration officer may, in his discretion, refuse to register a person by the Chinese name by which he seeks to be registered if such name comprises any Chinese character which cannot be found in any Chinese dictionary recognised by the Registrar.
[S 606/2000 wef 01/01/2001]
Issue of identity cards
5.—(1)  The registration officer may, in his discretion, issue to the person giving the particulars referred to in regulation 4 an identity card containing the person’s photograph, his finger impression as provided in regulation 4(1)(c) and such other particulars as may be necessary for his identification.
[S 526/2002 wef 30/09/2002]
(2)  Identity cards issued under these Regulations shall be of 2 types; one type being pink in colour for citizens of Singapore and the other being blue in colour for persons who are not citizens of Singapore.
(3)  In this regulation —
“finger impression” includes an image, in the likeness of a thumb or finger impression reproduced from data acquired by electronic, photographic or similar means and stored by means of a computer or other like instrument;
“photograph” includes an image, in the likeness of a photograph reproduced from data acquired by electronic, photographic or similar means and stored by means of a computer or other like instrument.
Custody of identity card
6.  Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, any person to whom an identity card is issued shall, upon collection of the identity card, be responsible for its custody.
[S 40/2009 wef 16/02/2009]
Officers who may require production of identity cards
7.—(1)  Any registration officer, immigration officer, police officer, officer of customs, officer of the Central Narcotics Bureau or Special Investigator of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (referred to in this regulation as the inspecting officer) and any other officer or class or description of officer authorised in writing in that behalf by the Commissioner, may at any time require any person (not being a person exempted from registration under regulation 22) to produce his identity card for inspection, or to produce it within such time to such person and at such place as the officer requiring its production may think fit.
(2)  An inspecting officer may retain any identity card for the purpose of investigations.
(3)  Any inspecting officer, other than a police officer in uniform purporting to act under paragraph (1), shall, if so requested by any person from whom he has required the production of an identity card, produce for inspection by the person the written authority under which he purports to be acting.
(4)  For the purpose of receiving or considering any application for, or any matter connected with, the citizenship of Singapore as provided in any law for the time being in force relating to the citizenship of Singapore, any public officer or other person having any statutory duty under the provisions of any such law shall have all the powers of an inspecting officer conferred by paragraphs (1) and (2).
Other authority entitled to demand production of identity cards
8.—(1)  Any authority to whom a person required to be registered or re-registered under these Regulations applies for the grant of any licence, permit or other document or for the exercise of the authority’s lawful functions, may, in its discretion, require the applicant to produce his identity card.
(2)  If the applicant does not produce to the authority his identity card or other proof to the satisfaction of the authority that he has been registered, re-registered or exempted from registration under these Regulations, the authority may, in its discretion, defer consideration of the application until the applicant produces either his identity card or such other proof.
(3)  Where an invalid identity card has been produced to any authority referred to in paragraph (1), it shall be lawful for the authority to retain such identity card and forward it to the Commissioner for cancellation.
(4)  For the purpose of this regulation, “invalid identity card” means an identity card which ceased to be valid under section 6(2) of the Act.
Replacement identity cards
9.—(1)  When an identity card is lost, destroyed or so defaced that any particulars thereon are no longer decipherable, the person to whom the card relates shall, within 14 days, report the fact to the nearest registration office and apply for a replacement identity card.
(2)  A replacement identity card may be issued in place of the one lost, destroyed or defaced on such conditions as may be imposed by the Commissioner.
(3)  Any person issued with a replacement for a lost identity card and who subsequently recovers possession of the lost identity card shall, within 7 days of its recovery, surrender it to the registration officer for cancellation.
(4)  Any person who finds or comes into possession of an identity card which does not belong to him shall, without undue delay, deliver it to the person to whom it relates or to a registration officer or to a police station.
Replacement identity cards for incorrect particulars
10.—(1)  A person registered under these Regulations who —
(a)changes his name; or
(b)has in his possession an identity card containing any particulars, other than his address, which are to his knowledge incorrect,
shall, within 28 days, report the fact to the nearest registration office and apply for a replacement identity card with the correct particulars.
(2)  A registration officer, if satisfied that any person who —
(a)reports any change of name under paragraph (1), has in fact changed his name; or
(b)reports that any particulars on his identity card, other than his address, are incorrect,
may issue him a replacement identity card.
(3)  A registration officer or a police officer may, in his discretion, require a person in possession of an identity card which, in the opinion of the registration officer or police officer, is in any way unsatisfactory for the purpose of the identification of that person to surrender the card and apply for the issue of a replacement identity card.
Collection of identity card
10A.—(1)  Upon the issue of an identity card (including a replacement identity card), the Commissioner or a registration officer shall, by notice in writing, inform the person to whom the identity card is issued to collect the identity card and surrender any previous identity card within such time and in such manner as may be specified in the notice.
[S 40/2009 wef 16/02/2009]
(2)  A registration officer may, by notice in writing, cancel any identity card that is not collected within the period specified in paragraph (1).
[S 40/2009 wef 16/02/2009]
(3)  The fee payable in respect of an identity card that is cancelled under paragraph (2) shall not be refunded.
[S 40/2009 wef 16/02/2009]
Report of change of residence
11.—(1)  A report of change of residence under section 8 of the Act shall be in such form as the Commissioner may require and shall be completed and returned to the Commissioner.
(2)  The form, if sent by post, shall be post-free.
(3)  On receipt of a report of change of residence, the Commissioner shall send an acknowledgment card which shall be retained by the person as proof that the report was made.
Death of identity card holder
12.  Upon the death of a person to whom an identity card was issued, the person in possession of his identity card shall, within 7 days after the date of death, deliver the identity card to the Registrar of Births and Deaths or to a registration officer.
Surrendering of identity cards
13.—(1)  Any person registered under these Regulations —
(a)who intends to leave Singapore permanently;
(b)who ceases to be a citizen of Singapore;
(c)whose re-entry permit has expired while he is overseas; or
(d)whose entry permit has been cancelled under the Immigration Act (Cap. 133),
shall surrender his identity card to a registration officer or, in exceptional circumstances, to an immigration officer or to a diplomatic or consular officer of the Government of Singapore in a foreign country —
(i)within 14 days of the date of his intended departure, if he is leaving Singapore permanently; or
(ii)immediately, after ceasing to be a citizen of Singapore or after the expiry or cancellation of his re-entry or entry permit.
(2)  Any officer to whom any identity card is surrendered by any person under paragraph (1) shall issue a receipt to the person in such form as the Commissioner may determine.
[S 413/2006 wef 15/07/2006]
Re-registration at age of 30 years
14.—(1)  Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), any person who —
(a)has been registered in accordance with these Regulations; and
(b)attains the age of 30 years on or after 1st January 2002,
shall, within one year of attaining the age of 30 years, apply for re-registration under these Regulations.
(2)  Where any person to whom this regulation applies has been issued with an identity card or replacement identity card within 10 years immediately before attaining the age of 30 years, he shall not be required to re-register under paragraph (1).
(3)  Every person who is required to re-register under this regulation but who was resident outside Singapore during the whole of the period specified in paragraph (1) shall, within one year of his return to Singapore, report to the registration officer and re-register in accordance with these Regulations.
(4)  Nothing in this regulation shall prevent the re-registration of a person who fails to re-register within the period specified in paragraph (1).
Publication of information
15.  The Commissioner may, in his discretion, cause to be published any information derived from the register required to be kept and maintained under section 4 of the Act.
Powers of registration officer
16.  A registration officer may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of these Regulations —
(a)call upon any person to appear before him to answer any question which the registration officer may consider reasonably necessary to ask that person;
(b)require any person applying for registration or re-registration to make such further declaration or supply such further particulars or documents as the registration officer may reasonably require; or
(c)impound any document produced to him in connection with any application for registration or re-registration if he has reason to doubt its genuineness or correctness or the validity of its issue.
Duties of hotel keepers, etc.
17.—(1)  The owner, manager or other person in charge of any hotel, boarding house, hostel or other like dwelling place shall not accommodate any person, other than a person exempted from registration or re-registration under regulation 22, unless he is in possession of an identity card issued to him and produces it at the time of his request for accommodation to the owner, manager or other person.
(2)  Where any person seeks accommodation at any hotel, boarding house, hostel or other like dwelling place and is not in possession of, or fails to produce, an identity card issued to him, it shall be the duty of the owner, manager or other person in charge thereof to notify the nearest police station of the fact immediately.
(3)  Where any person seeks accommodation at any hotel, boarding house, hostel or other like dwelling place and claims to be a person exempted from registration under regulation 22, the owner, manager or other person in charge thereof shall take all reasonable steps to satisfy himself that the person claiming such exemption is entitled in law to the exemption before providing accommodation for him.
(4)  Any owner, manager or person in charge of a hotel, boarding house, hostel or other like dwelling place who accommodates any person in contravention of this regulation or fails or neglects to notify the police in accordance with paragraph (2) shall be guilty of an offence.
Duties of pawnbroker
18.  A pawnbroker shall not take any article in pawn unless —
(a)the person offering to pawn the article produces for the inspection of the pawnbroker his identity card; and
(b)the number of the identity card is recorded by the pawnbroker as required under the Pawnbrokers Act 2015 (Act 2 of 2015) or any rules made thereunder.
[S 172/2015 wef 01/04/2015]
19.  [Deleted by S 556/2007 wef 01/12/2007]
Offences
20.  Any person who —
(a)in giving any particulars referred to in regulation 4 makes any statement or gives any information which is false in any material particular, and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true;
(b)[Deleted by S 413/2006 wef 15/07/2006]
(c)fails to comply with a summons or requisition of a registration officer made under regulation 16;
(d)being a parent or guardian of a person under the age of 16 years, conduces, by neglect or otherwise, to the commission of an offence by such person;
(e)being a person who has been granted unrestricted residence in Singapore under any written law relating to immigration in force in Singapore and who has not registered himself under the provisions of the Act and of these Regulations within 30 days from the date of his entry into Singapore or, if he was already in Singapore at the time of the grant, within 30 days from the date of the grant;
(f)being a public officer, except in the public interest and with the permission of the Commissioner, or for the purpose of criminal proceedings, publishes or communicates to any person any information contained in the register required to be kept under section 4 of the Act or any book or record made under or for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of these Regulations; or
(g)fails to comply with any of these Regulations,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to a fine not exceeding $3,000 or to both.
Composition of offences
21.  The Commissioner may, in his discretion, compound any offence under these Regulations by collecting from the person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum of money not exceeding $100.
Exempted persons
22.—(1)  The following persons shall be exempted from registering under these Regulations:
(a)the President of Singapore;
(b)a child of any age before the start of the year in which he attains the age of 15 years;
[S 610/2008 wef 01/12/2008]
(c)any bona fide traveller who is in possession of a valid passport or other travel document or official document of identity that has been stamped by an immigration officer of Singapore to show that he is permitted to remain in Singapore for a restricted period;
(d)any person to whom a diplomatic identity card, a consular identity card or an international organisation identity card has been issued by the Government;
(e)a member of any visiting armed force lawfully present in Singapore (excluding locally enlisted personnel) in possession of the official identity card or other document of identity ordinarily issued to members of such force; and
(f)any person in possession of a valid identity card which has been issued to him in any of the States of Malaya under the provisions of any law for the time being in force in the States of Malaya relating to the issue of identity cards and who has not been granted unrestricted residence in Singapore under any written law relating to immigration in force in Singapore.
(2)  Every person referred to in paragraph (1)(f) who resides in Singapore for a period exceeding 30 days shall report to a registration officer in such form as the Commissioner may require —
(a)his place of residence in Singapore, within 40 days of his arrival in Singapore; and
(b)every subsequent change of residence in Singapore, within 28 days of such change.
Destruction of documents, etc.
23.  The Commissioner may order the destruction of identity cards, photographs, finger impressions, information and documents furnished by the applicants which are in his possession when he considers that such identity cards, photographs, finger impressions, information or documents are obsolete or invalid or no longer required.
Fees
24.—(1)  The fees payable for the purposes of these Regulations shall be as set out in the Schedule.
(2)  The Commissioner may, in his discretion, waive any fee required to be paid under these Regulations.
[G.N. Nos. S 226/91; S159/95; S560/95; S134/96; S538/96; S 130/97; S115/98; S356/98; S133/99; S575/99]