Singapore Visa Requirements 2026: SG Arrival Card and Fees

Most visitors to Singapore do not need a visa for a short holiday, but holders of passports from a defined list of countries, including India, Russia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt, must get an entry visa before travelling. Every traveller, visa or not, must also submit a free SG Arrival Card with a health declaration in the three days before arrival, and carry a passport valid for at least six months.

This guide explains who needs what, how the visa routes work, what it costs as of October 2026 and why people are turned away, including under the no-boarding rules that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) introduced in January 2026.

Who needs a visa for Singapore

ICA publishes the list of travel documents whose holders need a visa. As of October 2026 it covers passports issued by Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, North Korea, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Moldova, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

A visa is also needed for certain other documents: refugee travel documents and alien's passports (which ICA must first recognise), Palestinian Authority passports, UAE temporary passports, the Hong Kong SAR Document of Identity, the Macao SAR Travel Permit and the PRC Travel Document. Ordinary passport holders of mainland China currently benefit from a mutual 30-day visa exemption.

If your passport is not on the list, you can usually arrive without a visa, but you still face the same checks at the border. Diplomatic, official and service passports from some listed countries, such as India, are exempt, so check ICA's country page for your document.

What about Assessment Level I and II?

You may see agents and older guides sort visa-required countries into Assessment Level I and Level II, with the stricter level requiring a Singapore-based sponsor. ICA's current pages no longer frame it that way. Instead, each country page states which application routes are open to that nationality. Follow the country page rather than any third-party grouping.

Your options compared

There are three ways to apply for a Singapore visa. ICA does not accept visa applications at immigration counters, so you cannot get one on arrival.

Local contact: a Singapore citizen or permanent resident aged 21 or over, or a Singapore-registered company, with a Singpass or Corppass account submits your application online through ICA's e-Service.
Strategic partner or authorised visa agent: an approved travel agency or agent files the application online for you, usually for a service charge on top of the government fee.
Singapore overseas mission: you apply at the nearest Singapore embassy, high commission or consulate, or through the agent that mission has appointed. Some missions, such as the consulate in Chennai, accept applications only via agents and not as walk-ins.

For tourists without friends or family in Singapore, an authorised visa agent is normally the simplest route. If you have a relative or business host in Singapore, the local contact route avoids agent charges. Where you cannot obtain a letter of introduction from a local contact, some missions may accept one issued by your own embassy.

Document checklist

Requirements vary slightly by nationality and mission, so treat this as the core set and add anything your country page lists.

Passport valid for at least six months from your date of entry, issued to you individually (group or collective passports are not accepted, and children need their own)
Photocopy of the passport biodata page
Form 14A, fully completed and signed
One recent passport-sized colour photo taken within the last three months, meeting ICA's photo guidelines
Form V39A letter of introduction from a local contact, if requested
Official English translations of any documents in another language, from the issuing embassy or a notary
Proof of onward or return travel
Evidence that you can support yourself during the stay
Yellow fever vaccination certificate if you have been in a country with yellow fever risk in the six days before arrival

Fees as of October 2026

ICA charges a non-refundable visa processing fee of S$30 per application. When a local contact, strategic partner or agent applies online, it is paid by Visa or Mastercard card.

Applications through an overseas mission or its agents cost more because local service fees are added. For example, the Singapore consulate in Chennai lists the S$30 fee converted into rupees plus a separate visa service fee of 1,000 rupees, and agents may add their own administrative charges. Fees are not refunded if the visa is refused or the application is withdrawn.

The SG Arrival Card is free. ICA warns that commercial websites charging to submit it on your behalf are not linked to the authority.

If you later extend your stay, ICA charges an extension fee of S$40 once the total stay reaches 90 days or more, plus the S$30 visa fee if you hold a visa-required passport.

Step by step

Check ICA's visa requirements list and your country page to confirm whether you need a visa and which routes you may use.
Choose your route: local contact, strategic partner or authorised agent, or the nearest Singapore mission.
Gather the documents and complete Form 14A, making sure every answer matches your passport exactly.
Submit the application no more than 30 days before your planned arrival and pay the S$30 fee plus any agent or mission charges.
Once approved, ask your local contact or agent for a printed copy of the e-Visa.
Within the three days before arrival, counting arrival day, submit the SG Arrival Card through the ICA website or the free MyICA Mobile app, including the electronic health declaration and a working email address.
At the checkpoint, show your passport and e-Visa, give your fingerprints, face and iris scans, and check your email for the electronic visit pass that confirms how long you may stay.

The SG Arrival Card and health declaration

All travellers entering Singapore must submit the SG Arrival Card, including visa-exempt visitors. The window opens three days before arrival, counting the arrival day itself, so someone landing on a Friday can submit from Wednesday. The health declaration is part of the same form, and false statements can be prosecuted under the Infectious Diseases Act. If your health changes after submitting, use the update option.

Passengers transiting without clearing immigration are exempt, as are Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders entering by land. Failure to submit can lead to refusal of entry. The card is not a visa.

How long you can stay

The length of your stay is set by the visit pass granted by the ICA officer at the checkpoint, not by the validity of your visa. Since March 2022, visitors receive an electronic visit pass by email instead of a passport stamp, so read it carefully to see your last permitted day.

If you need more time, apply online through ICA's e-Service when your pass has 14 days or less left. Processing can take up to five working days. Visit pass holders may not work or do business for pay, and overstaying is an offence.

Visa-free transit facility

Some visa-required travellers can spend up to 96 hours in Singapore without a visa while transiting. Nationals of India and selected PRC document holders qualify if they hold an onward ticket leaving within 96 hours and a valid visa or long-term pass, valid for at least a month, for a country such as Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK or the US. Nationals of the CIS countries, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Ukraine qualify with a confirmed onward flight to a third country within 96 hours and must leave by air. The stay cannot be extended.

Timing

ICA usually processes visas within three working days, not counting the day of submission, but some cases take longer. Applications through mission agents may take three to five working days. Because you can only apply in the 30 days before arrival, aim to submit around three to four weeks ahead, leaving room for extra document requests.

Common refusal and entry problems

Since 30 January 2026, ICA can issue no-boarding directives to airlines flying into Changi and Seletar airports. Using advance passenger data, including SG Arrival Card submissions, it can tell an airline not to board a traveller who lacks a valid visa, holds a passport with less than six months' validity, or is otherwise barred. If you are refused boarding but still need to travel, write to ICA through its feedback channel and get approval before buying a new ticket.

Passport with less than six months' validity on arrival
Inconsistent or incomplete answers on Form 14A
Weak evidence of onward travel or funds
Previous overstays or immigration offences
Missing or inaccurate SG Arrival Card
Declining to provide biometrics at the checkpoint
Appearing to be travelling for work while holding only a visit pass

A visa does not guarantee entry. The officer at the checkpoint makes the final decision.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Singapore?

Only if your passport or travel document is on ICA's visa-required list, which includes India, Russia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Egypt. Most other nationalities can visit without one but must still submit the SG Arrival Card.

Can I get a Singapore visa on arrival?

No. ICA does not accept visa applications at immigration counters. Visa-required travellers must be approved before travel, except those who qualify for the 96-hour visa-free transit facility.

How much does a Singapore tourist visa cost?

The ICA processing fee is S$30 as of October 2026 and is non-refundable. Agents and overseas missions add their own service fees, so the total depends on where you apply.

When should I fill in the SG Arrival Card?

Within the three days before you arrive, counting the arrival day. It is free on the ICA website or the MyICA Mobile app. Avoid paid third-party sites.

How long does a Singapore visa take?

Usually around three working days after submission, though some applications take longer. Apply no more than 30 days before arrival.

Does a Singapore visa guarantee entry?

No. The visa is permission to travel to the border. The ICA officer decides whether to admit you and for how long.

Entry rules, fees and the visa-required list can change at short notice. Before you book or apply, check the latest details on the ICA website and the website of the Singapore mission responsible for your country, and submit your SG Arrival Card only through official channels.