Singapore passport

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Singapore passport is a travel document issued to the citizens of Singapore. It is issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore. Only Singapore citizens can apply for this passport.

The passport is a popular target for counterfeits, due largely to the relatively liberal visa requirements accorded to Singaporean travellers to destinations such as the United States, and the tendency for immigration to clear Singapore passport holders more quickly.^[1] It thus adopted several measures to foil forgers, including utilizing digital photos and special ink since October 1999, and the Biometric passport from August 2006.

Contents 1 Validity 2 Biometric passport 3 National Service issues 4 Visa-free access for Singapore passport 4.1 Africa 4.2 Americas 4.3 Asia 4.3.1 ASEAN 4.3.2 Non-ASEAN 4.4 Europe 4.4.1 European Union 4.4.2 Non-EU 4.5 Oceania 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Validity

The Singapore passport is valid for a period of five years for passports issued since April 1, 2005 and ten years for passports issued before April 1 2005. Before biometric passports were issued in August 2006, the passports for male citizens between 11 and 18 were only valid for two years, and had to be renewed or replaced every two years. Biometric passports cannot be modified due to the "write once" policy by ICAO. A new passport is valid for a total period of five years. For the renewal of a passport that has a validity of nine months or less, the new one will have a validity of five years plus the remaining validity in the old passport. However, if a passport is being renewed with a validity of more than nine months, it will be valid for five years and nine months. ^[2] To travel overseas, a passport must be valid for at least six months for countries other than Malaysia, and two months for Malaysia.

[edit] Biometric passport

Since 15 August 2006, all newly-issued Singapore passports contain biometric features (BioPass). A major reason for this addition was to comply with the requirements for the US Visa Waiver Program.^[3] The features also help to prevent forgery and minimize the abuse of Singapore passports. A biometric passport contains 64 pages unlike the machine readable passports which contains 96 pages. It costs S$80 for a passport, with a higher cost due to the special features encoded into the passport. There is a ten dollar rebate if one applies for the passport on the internet, by post or by the deposit box with applicants having to collect the passport personally.

The biometric passport is valid for 5 years for first time applicants, compared with 10 years for previously issued passports without biometric features before April 1, 2005. Also, the new passport does not accept modifications such as extensions of validity, and the updating of photographs due to ICAO's "write once" policy.^[4] In a break from long standing practice, the passport number is now unique to each passport, instead of being identical to the holder's NRIC number.^[4] Children are no longer allowed to travel on their parents' passport.^[5]

These changes have indirectly increased the cost of international travel, especially overland to Malaysia, giving rise to a certain amount of criticism from the public, especially in the Straits Times forum page.^{[citation needed]}

The biometric passport project costs S$9.7 million.^[6]

[edit] National Service issues

All male citizens are required to serve National Service. Previously, the Singapore government had a policy of limiting the passport validity of boys aged 11 and above, up to their enlistment. To travel, the boys had to apply to extend for 9 months extensions of the validity of their passports. Such extensions were added with a rubber stamp. The stated objective of such exit control measures is to deter NS-evasion, and to act as a "psychological reminder" of the NS obligations.

Since the new biometric passport does not permit such modifications, a decision was made by the Ministry of Defence to do away with limited-validity passports to avoid the inconvenience and costs imposed on families of the boys. The other exit control requirement, i.e. the need for exit permits, still stands. Exit permits are still required for overseas trips which last longer than three months.^[7]

[edit] Visa-free access for Singapore passport

According to a study done by Henley & Partners, Singapore has a Henley Visa Restrictions Index of 122, which means that Singapore Citizens enjoy visa-free access to 122 countries and territories. Singapore is ranked 8th in the study in terms of international travel freedom.^[8]

It is estimated that 182 countries and territories granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Singapore passport holders, while 154 countries and territories are visa free accessible.(visa on arrival for free counted). Visa issued prior to arrival or pre-arrangement required for countries or territories not mentioned below.^[9]

Where visa-free access is permitted, such access is not necessarily a right, and admission may technically be at the discretion of border enforcement officers. Visitors engaging in activities other than tourism may require a visa or work permit.

[edit] Africa

Countries and Territories	Conditions of access
Botswana	90 days [1]
Burundi	visa can be obtained upon arrival at Bujumbura Airport [2]
Cape Verde	visa issued upon arrival [3]
Comoros	visa issued upon arrival [4]
Djibouti	1-month visa can be obtain upon arrival for DJF5,000 [5]
Egypt	30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$15 [6]
Gambia	visa issued on arrival [7]
Ghana	90 days [8][9]
Kenya	3 months [10][11]
Lesotho	14 days [12][13]
Madagascar	90-day visa issued upon arrival for MGA28,000 [14]
Malawi	90 days [15]
Mauritius	6 months in a year (tourist), 90 days in a year (business) [16][17]
Mayotte	90 days [18]
Morocco	3 months [19]
Mozambique	30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$25 [20][21]
Namibia	3 months [22]
Niger	1-month visa issued upon arrival for XOF20,000 [23]
Réunion	90 days [24]
Saint Helena	visa-free access
Seychelles	1 month [25]
South Africa	90 days [26]
Swaziland	60 days [27]
Tanzania	visa-free access [28][29]
Togo	1-month visa issued upon arrival for XOF10,000 ~ XOF35,000 [30]
Uganda	6 months [31][32]
Zambia	90 days in a year [33][34]
Zimbabwe	3 months [35]

[edit] Americas

Countries and Territories	Conditions of access
Anguilla	3 months [36][37]
Antigua and Barbuda	1 month [38][39]
Argentina	90 days [40]
Aruba	30 days [41]
Bahamas	visa-free access [42]
Barbados	6 months [43][44]
Belize	1 month [45]
Bermuda	6 months [46][47]
Canada	6 months [48][49]
Cayman Islands	30 days [50]
Chile	30 days [51]
Colombia	90 days [52][53]
Costa Rica	90 days [54]
Cuba	30 days [55]
Dominica	21 days [56]
Dominican Republic	Tourist card can be purchased for US$10 on arrival for up to 30 days [57]
Ecuador	90 days [58][59]
El Salvador	90 days, Tourist card must be purchased on arrival for $10 [60]
French Guiana	90 days [61]
Greenland	3 months [62]
Grenada	3 months [63][64]
Guadeloupe	90 days [65]
Guatemala	90 days [66]
Haiti	3 months [67][68]
Honduras	3 months [][69]
Jamaica	visa-free access [70][71]
Martinique	90 days [72]
Mexico	180 days [73][74]
Montserrat	3 months [75]
Netherlands Antilles	14 days [76]
Nicaragua	90 days [77]
Panama	30 days [78][79]
Peru	90 days [80]
Puerto Rico	90 days [81][82]
Saint Barthélemy	90 days [83]
Saint Kitts and Nevis	3 months [84][85]
Saint Lucia	6 weeks [86]
Saint Martin	90 days [87]
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	90 days [88]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1 month [89]
Suriname	120 days [90][91]
Trinidad and Tobago	visa-free access [92]
Turks and Caicos Islands	30 days [93]
United States of America	90 days [94]
British Virgin Islands	30 days [95]
United States Virgin Islands	90 days [96]

[edit] Asia

Countries and Territories	Conditions of access
[edit] ASEAN
Brunei Darussalam	30 days [97]
Cambodia	30 days [98]
Indonesia	30 days [99]
Laos	30 days [100]
Malaysia	1 month [101]
Philippines	21 days [102]
Thailand	30 days [103]
Vietnam	30 days [104]
[edit] Non-ASEAN
Armenia	21-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30 [105]
Azerbaijan	30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$100 [106]
Bahrain	14-day visa issued upon arrival for BHD5 [107][108]
People's Republic of China	15 days (see note : [10]) [109]
Republic of China (Taiwan)	30 days [110]
Georgia	visa issued upon arrival [111][112]
Hong Kong	90 days [113]
Iran	14-day visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)[114]
Iraq	Visa issued upon arrival for Iraqi Kurdistan at Erbil ariport [115]
Israel	3 months [116]
Japan	3 months [117]
Jordan	visa issued upon arrival for JOD10 [118][119]
South Korea	90 days [120]
Kuwait	3-month visa issued upon arrival for KWD5 [121]
Lebanon	1-month visa issued upon arrival (free of charge) [122][123]
Macau	30 days [124]
Maldives	30 days [125]
Mongolia	14 days [126]
Nepal	60-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30 [127]
Oman	visa issued upon arrival : 1 month (OMR 6), 1 year multiple entries stay up to 3-week per visit (OMR 10) [128]
Qatar	21-day visa issued upon arrival for QAR 55 [129][130]
Syria	visa issued upon arrival [131]
Sri Lanka	30 days [132]
Timor-Leste	30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30 [133]
Turkey	90 days [134]
United Arab Emirates	60 days [135]
Yemen	1-month visa issued upon arrival for YER10,500 [136]

[edit] Europe

Countries and Territories	Conditions of access
[edit] European Union
Austria	3 months in a half year [137][138]
Belgium	3 months in a half year [139][140]
Bulgaria	3 months in a half year [141][142]
Cyprus	3 months in a half year [143][144]
Czech Republic	3 months in a half year [145][146]
Denmark	3 months in a half year [147][148]
Estonia	3 months in a half year [149][150]
Finland	3 months in a half year [151][152]
France	3 months in a half year [153][154]
Germany	3 months in a half year [155][156]
Gibraltar	visa-free access [157]
Greece	3 months in a half year [158][159]
Hungary	3 months in a half year [160][161]
Republic of Ireland	3 months in a half year [162][163]
Italy	3 months in a half year [164][165]
Latvia	3 months in a half year [166][167]
Lithuania	3 months in a half year [168][169]
Luxembourg	3 months in a half year [170][171]
Malta	3 months in a half year [172][173]
Netherlands	3 months in a half year [174][175]
Poland	3 months in a half year [176][177]
Portugal	3 months in a half year [178][179]
Romania	3 months in a half year [180][181]
Slovakia	3 months in a half year [182][183]
Slovenia	3 months in a half year [184][185]
Spain	3 months in a half year [186][187]
Sweden	3 months in a half year [188][189]
United Kingdom	6 months [190]
[edit] Non-EU
Albania	1 month with entry tax : €10 [191]
Andorra	90 days [192]
Croatia	90 days [193][194]
Faroe Islands	3 months (same as Denmark) [195]
Guernsey	6 months (same as UK) [196]
Iceland	3 months in a half year [197]
Isle of Man	6 months (same as UK)[198]
Jersey	6 months (same as UK) [199]
Kosovo	90 days[200]
Liechtenstein	3 months in half a year (same as Switzerland) [201]
Monaco	90 days [202]
Montenegro	90 days [203]
Norway	3 months in half a year [204]
San Marino	90 days [205]
Serbia	90 days [206]
Switzerland	3 months in half a year [207]
Vatican City	90 days [208]

[edit] Oceania

Countries and Territories	Conditions of access
American Samoa	30 days [209]
Cook Islands	31 days [210]
Fiji	4 months [211]
Guam	15 days [212]
Kiribati	visa-free access [213]
Micronesia	30 days[214]
Nauru	30 days [215]
New Caledonia	3 months [216]
New Zealand	3 months [217]
Niue	30 days [218]
Northern Mariana Islands	30 days [219]
Palau	30 days [220][221]
Papua New Guinea	60-day visa issued upon arrival for PGK100 (tourist), PGK500 (business) [222]
French Polynesia	90 days [223]
Samoa	60 days [224]
Solomon Islands	3-month visitor permit issued upon arrival [225]
Tokelau	free cruising permit can be obtain in Apia, Samoa [226]
Tonga	31-day visa issued upon arrival (free of charge) [227]
Tuvalu	1 month [228]
Vanuatu	30 days [229][230]
Wallis and Futuna	90 days [231]
Australia	pre-arrival Electronic Travel Authority required
Norfolk Island	same as Australia [232]

[edit] References

1. ^ Zaihan Mohd Yusof, Serangoon Rd man asks undercover reporter: Psst, want to buy a passport?, The New Paper, 9 Jun 2004. Accessed 11 Nov 2006.
2. ^ Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Application for Singapore Passport, accessed 17 Dec 2006
3. ^ U.S. State Department, Visa Waiver Program (VWP), accessed 10 Nov 2006.
4. ^ ^{a b} Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore, Biopass FAQ, accessed 11 Nov 2006.
5. ^ Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore, Deletion of Child's Particulars, accessed 11 Nov 2006.
6. ^ Channel NewsAsia, Singapore's biometric passport project to cost S$9.7 million, accessed 3 Dec 2006.
7. ^ MINDEF, Introduction of the Singapore Biometric Passport - Revisions To Exit Control Measures, 25 July 2006. Accessed 14 Nov 2006.
8. ^ Henley & Partners,International Visa Restrictions accessed 16 Aug 2007
9. ^ IATA,Visa Information from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines accessed 16 Aug 2007
10. ^ Visa-free access will be suspended from July 1st until after the Olympics, see http://app.mfa.gov.sg/2006/press/view_press.asp?post_id=3914

[edit] External links

• Issuing of Singapore passports

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