Singapore Visa for Tourists in 2024: A Comprehensive Guide

Singapore’s visa policy is simple and the country is very open to visitors. Most nationalities can enter visa-free and enjoy stays of either 30 or 90 days. The rest can obtain an e-Visa although a local Singaporean contact or a visa agent is a requirement.

Owing to digitalization, entering and leaving Singapore is seamless through one of the automated lanes. If you’re eligible, you won’t even have to speak to an immigration officer!

To save you time and summarize all the information, this guide will cover everything about Singapore visa policy, visa requirements and eligibility.

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Visa Policy and Visa Types

Passport holders of 163 countries and territories can travel visa-free to Singapore for 30 or 90 days.

Those who aren’t visa-exempt must obtain a tourist visa. There are two ways to do that. The first is an e-Visa through a Singaporean contact. The second is through an authorized visa agent or a Singaporean embassy.

Lastly, certain nationalities can take advantage of the Visa Free Transit Facility (VFTF) if in transit in Singapore to or from a third country. This option allows stays for up to 96 hours (4 days).

Singapore does not offer Visa on Arrival.

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Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply to all foreign citizens entering Singapore:

• At least 6 months of passport validity
• Valid visa unless visa exempt or using the Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF)
• Completed SG Arrival Card
• Return or onward ticket
• Proof of sufficient cash for your stay

Immigration officers very rarely ask for the last two. If you use the automated gates, you will not be asked for any proof.

It is also a good idea to check the list of Prohibited and Controlled Goods as Singaporean Customs can be a lot more curious.

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Visa Exemption

The following countries are visa-exempt for Singapore. The length of allowed stay is either 30 or 90 days depending on your nationality.

90 days

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Austria
4. Belgium
5. Bulgaria
6. Croatia
7. Cyprus
8. Czechia
9. Denmark
10. Estonia
11. Finland
12. France
13. Germany
14. Greece
15. Hungary
16. Ireland
17. Italy
18. Latvia
19. Lithuania
20. Luxembourg
21. Malta
22. Netherlands
23. New Zealand
24. Norway
25. Poland
26. Portugal
27. Romania
28. Slovakia
29. Slovenia
30. South Korea
31. Spain
32. Sweden
33. Switzerland
34. United Kingdom
35. United States

30 days

1. Albania
2. Andorra
3. Angola
4. Antigua and Barbuda
5. Bahamas
6. Bahrain
7. Barbados
8. Belize
9. Benin
10. Bhutan
11. Bolivia
12. Bosnia and Herzegovina
13. Botswana
14. Brazil
15. Brunei
16. Burkina Faso
17. Burundi
18. Cambodia
19. Cameroon
20. Canada
21. Cape Verde
22. Central African Republic
23. Chad
24. Chile
25. China
26. Colombia
27. Comoros
28. Congo, Dem. Rep. of
29. Congo, Rep. of
30. Costa Rica
31. Côte d’Ivoire
32. Cuba
33. Djibouti
34. Dominica
35. Dominican Republic
36. Ecuador
37. El Salvador
38. Equatorial Guinea
39. Eritrea
40. Eswatini
41. Ethiopia
42. Fiji
43. Gabon
44. Gambia
45. Ghana
46. Grenada
47. Guatemala
48. Guinea
49. Guinea-Bissau
50. Guyana
51. Haiti
52. Honduras
53. Hong Kong
54. Iceland
55. Indonesia
56. Israel
57. Jamaica
58. Japan
59. Kenya
60. Kiribati
61. Kuwait
62. Laos
63. Lesotho
64. Liberia
65. Liechtenstein
66. Macau
67. Madagascar
68. Malawi
69. Malaysia
70. Maldives
71. Marshall Islands
72. Mauritania
73. Mauritius
74. Mexico
75. Micronesia
76. Monaco
77. Mongolia
78. Montenegro
79. Mozambique
80. Myanmar
81. Namibia
82. Nauru
83. Nepal
84. Nicaragua
85. Niger
86. North Macedonia
87. Oman
88. Palau
89. Panama
90. Papua New Guinea
91. Paraguay
92. Peru
93. Philippines
94. Qatar
95. Rwanda
96. Saint Kitts and Nevis
97. Saint Lucia
98. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
99. Samoa
100. San Marino
101. São Tomé and Príncipe
102. Saudi Arabia
103. Senegal
104. Serbia
105. Seychelles
106. Sierra Leone
107. Solomon Islands
108. South Africa
109. Sri Lanka
110. Suriname
111. Taiwan
112. Tanzania
113. Thailand
114. Timor Leste
115. Togo
116. Tonga
117. Trinidad and Tobago
118. Turkey
119. Tuvalu
120. Uganda
121. United Arab Emirates
122. Uruguay
123. Vanuatu
124. Vatican City
125. Venezuela
126. Vietnam
127. Zambia
128. Zimbabwe

Visa exemption is available at all border crossings via air, land, and sea.

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Singapore Tourist Visa (e-Visa)

The nationalities that require a Singapore tourist visa are split into two levels. 

The main difference is that Level II countries must also submit a Letter of Introduction for Visa Application (LOI).

Assessment Level I Countries

1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belarus
4. Georgia
5. India
6. Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyzstan
8. Moldova
9. North Korea
10. Russia
11. Tajikistan
12. Turkmenistan
13. Ukraine
14. Uzbekistan

Assessment Level II Countries

1. Afghanistan
2. Algeria
3. Bangladesh
4. Egypt
5. Iran
6. Iraq
7. Jordan
8. Kosovo
9. Lebanon
10. Libya
11. Mali
12. Morocco
13. Nigeria
14. Pakistan
15. Palestine
16. Somalia
17. South Sudan
18. Sudan
19. Syria
20. Tunisia
21. Yemen

Visa Requirements

Even though it’s an e-Visa, as an applicant, you cannot apply for the e-Visa on your own. The e-Visa application must be submitted by a local Singaporean contact or applied through an authorized visa agent approved by ICA such as VFS Global. 

The Singaporean contact must be at least 21 years old, a legal citizen or resident of Singapore, and have access to SingPass, the Singapore Identity Verification app.

Both Level I and Level II are required to submit:

1. Completed and signed Form 14A
2. A passport-sized color photograph taken within the last 3 months. These are the photo requirements.
3. A photocopy of your passport biodata page

Level II countries are additionally required to obtain:

1. Completed Form V39A which is a Letter of Introduction for Visa Application (LOI), issued by a local contact in Singapore.

Finding a local contact for LOI may prove troublesome for some travelers. A LOI issued by your Embassy can also be accepted if you are unable to secure an LOI from an individual.

The application costs 30 SGD (~22$).

If your application is successful, your Singaporean contact or the visa agent can send you the e-Visa file. You must print it and present it on arrival to enter the country.

Applications are processed within 3 working days (excluding the day of submission).

Read our detailed Singapore tourist visa (e-Visa) guide for in-depth information on e-Visa requirements, documents, the application process and the entry procedure at the airport.

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Singapore Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF)

The Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF) allows entry into Singapore for up to 96 hours under certain conditions.

Eligible Countries

The following countries are eligible for VFTF:

1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belarus
4. Georgia
5. India
6. Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyzstan
8. Moldova
9. Russia
10. Tajikistan
11. Turkmenistan
12. Ukraine
13. Uzbekistan

Requirements

India passport holders

Nationals of India are eligible for VFTF if they meet the following requirements:

1. Enter Singapore by any mode of transport but leave only via air or sea to a third country. You may be asked to show an onward ticket departing Singapore within 96 hours. Flight, ferry, and cruise tickets are allowed.
2. Have a valid visa or long-term pass (valid at least one month after the date of entry into Singapore) issued by or allowing entry into any of the following countries:
   • Australia
   • Canada
   • Germany
   • Japan
   • New Zealand
   • Switzerland
   • United Kingdom
   • United States of America
3. If traveling on a single entry visa from one of the countries above, you may be eligible for the VFTF on the return from your journey if:
   • You travel directly from the country that issued the visa, through Singapore, back to your home country
   • You have not been to your home country since you last used the visa

Schengen visas allow entry to both Germany and Switzerland, so they are accepted even if issued by another country.

All other countries

For the other countries on the VFTF list, these requirements are in place:

1. Enter Singapore by any mode of transport but leave only via air to a third country. You may be asked to show an onward ticket departing Singapore within 96 hours. Only flight tickets are acceptable.

Read the Singapore VFTF guide for more information such as documents to present and the process to obtain VFTF at the airport in Singapore.

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Visa-Free Transit

Visa-free transit does NOT allow you to enter Singapore!

You are considered a transiting traveler if you travel via Singapore without clearing immigration. All nationalities are eligible.

As a transiting passenger, you are allowed to stay within the transit area of Singapore Changi Airport.

Most layovers don’t require you to clear immigration. However, be careful with low-cost carriers and tickets booked separately. If that’s your case, you likely have to pass through immigration and customs and recheck your luggage. In that case, you must have a visa or be visa-exempt.

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SG Arrival Card

The SG Arrival Card is mandatory for all visitors to Singapore regardless of nationality.

You can complete the SG Arrival Card online up to 3 days before arrival. There’s no minimum required time before arrival so you can complete it at the airport too.

The SG Arrival Card is automatically linked to your passport information. If you don’t complete it properly, automated lanes will reject you and you must see a border officer to amend it.

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Automated Clearance

Singapore has made strides towards complete automation of its borders. It is expected that soon all arrivals will be processed through automated lanes. For now, these are the eligible countries:

1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Bangladesh
4. Belgium
5. Brunei
6. Bulgaria
7. Cambodia
8. Canada
9. China
10. Croatia
11. Cyprus
12. Czechia
13. Denmark
14. Estonia
15. Finland
16. France
17. Germany
18. Greece
19. Hong Kong
20. Hungary
21. Iceland
22. India
23. Indonesia
24. Ireland
25. Israel
26. Italy
27. Japan
28. Jordan
29. Kuwait
30. Laos
31. Latvia
32. Lithuania
33. Luxembourg
34. Macao
35. Malaysia
36. Malta
37. Myanmar
38. Netherlands
39. New Zealand
40. Norway
41. Philippines
42. Poland
43. Portugal
44. Qatar
45. Romania
46. Saudi Arabia
47. Slovakia
48. Slovenia
49. South Africa
50. South Korea
51. Spain
52. Sri Lanka
53. Sweden
54. Switzerland
55. Taiwan
56. Thailand
57. United Arab Emirates
58. United Kingdom
59. United States
60. Vietnam

The procedure is quick and straightforward. If this is your first time in Singapore, the machine will also collect your fingerprints, an iris scan, and a face picture.

You will NOT receive a stamp on your passport. After entry, you will receive an e-Pass to the email you have provided in the SG Arrival Card with the last day of stay allowed in Singapore.

Exit is also automated and passports are not stamped either.

Watch the below video by ICA to familiarize yourself with how to use the automated immigration lanes.

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Electronic Visit Pass (e-Pass)

Singapore has phased out issuing physical entry stamps in the passport. An Electonic Visit Pass or e-Pass is issued and sent to your email after clearing the immigration in Singapore. You can also retrieve a copy for your e-Pass on the ICA website

The e-Pass will have the details such as your date of entry into Singapore, maximum days of allowed stay and your last day of stay granted.

Read the article on the Singapore Electronic Visa Pass (e-Pass) for details on how to retrieve and save a copy of e-Pass for your records.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Singapore require a COVID test or Vaccination Certificate?

All Covid-related restrictions were dropped on 13 February 2023. There are no requirements regarding testing or vaccination. That said, while submitting an SG Arrival Card, you will fill out the health declaration whether or not you are experiencing any symptoms.

Can I get an SG Arrival Card at the airport?

Yes, you can. The paper-based arrival cards are phased out, so you will have to fill out an online SG Arrival Card. You can fill it out at the airport too, takes about 5-10 minutes.

What documents are required to enter Singapore?

• Passport valid for at least 6 more months
• Valid visa unless visa-exempt
• Onward ticket (very rarely, especially if using an automated lane).

Can I transit at Singapore Changi Airport without a visa?

Yes, you can, regardless of nationality, as long as you don’t leave the transit area.

You may enter and exit as you please if you’re visa-exempt. 

Alternatively, you may be eligible for a visa-free transit facility allowing stays inside Singapore for up to 96 hours.