The Singapore VFTF (Visa-Free Transit Facility) allows entry into Singapore for up to 96 hours if in transit to a third country. You must be from one of the eligible countries, hold a valid onward ticket, and comply with all other requirements to enter Singapore.
The VFTF is issued at the port of entry in Singapore. You don’t need to apply for the VFTF before you travel.
Quick summary:
- Eligibility: 13 nationalities
- Allowed stay: 96 hours
- Extensions: Strictly not extendable
- Cost: Free
If you haven’t already, read the Singapore Visa Guide for general information on available visas for tourists, their eligibility and requirements.
Table of Contents
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What is Singapore VFTF (Visa-Free Transit Facility)?
The Singapore Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF) is a way for transit passengers to enter Singapore, stay up to 96 hours, and leave for a third country.
The third country must be a country different from the last one you were in before traveling to Singapore.
The VFTF is sometimes called the Singapore 96-hour transit visa, although there is no prior visa application required and no visa is actually issued at the port of entry.
Eligible scenario example:
You are traveling from Mumbai, India to Sydney, Australia with transit in Singapore. You have 22 hours of layover at Changi Airport in Singapore.
If you meet the VFTF requirements, you can obtain VFTF at Changi Airport to leave the airport for up to 96 hours.
Ineligible scenario example:
You are traveling from Mumbai, India and back to Mumbai on the next day. This trip is not considered transit but a round-trip with Singapore as your destination. You are not eligible for VFTF in Singapore. Instead, you will have to apply for a Singapore tourist visa before your trip.
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Who is eligible for Singapore VFTF?
Nationals from the following 13 countries are eligible for Singapore VFTF.
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Georgia
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova
- Russia
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
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What are Singapore VFTF requirements?
The requirements are slightly different for Indian nationals and nationals from the remaining 12 countries.
Requirements for Singapore VFTF for Indian nationals
The requirements for Singapore VFTF for Indian nationals are as follows.
- You can enter Singapore by air, sea or land but you must depart Singapore by air or sea only.
- You must hold a valid onward air, ferry, or cruise ticket departing Singapore within 96 hours.
- You must hold a valid visa issued by any of the following countries:
- Australia
- Canada
- Germany
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- The visa must be valid for at least 1 month from the date of entry into Singapore.
Your visa can be single-entry, multiple-entry or a long-term pass. Single-entry visas must meet additional requirements.
Additional requirements if using a single-entry visa
If your visa is a single-entry visa, then the following additional requirements apply.
- You must have already used your single-entry visa to enter the visa-issuing country.
- You must come directly from the country that issued the single-entry visa, transit in Singapore on the VFTF, and proceed directly to your home country.
- You must have not returned to your home country since using your single-entry visa.
Let’s understand the requirements for a single-entry visa with an example.
Say, you are holding an Indian passport and a Japan single-entry visa. You went to Japan on your single-entry visa and now you are returning to India via Singapore.
You have 22 hours layover in Singapore.
You are eligible to use VFTF to enter Singapore.
Requirements for Singapore VFTF for the remaining 12 countries
The requirements for Singapore VFTF for nationals of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are as follows.
- You may enter Singapore by air, sea or land but you must depart Singapore by air.
- You must be in transit to or from any third country.
- You must have a valid onward flight ticket departing within 96 hours.
Let’s understand the above requirements with an example.
Say, you hold a Russian passport and traveling from Bangkok, Thailand to Bali, Indonesia via Singapore. You have a 28-hour layover.
You are eligible to use VFTF at Changi Airport in Singapore for up to 96 hours.
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How long can you stay in Singapore using VFTF?
You can stay up to 96 hours (4 full days) inside Singapore using the VFTF.
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What are the allowed ports of entry and exit for VFTF?
| Nationality | Permitted to enter | Permitted to exit |
|---|---|---|
| India | Any mode of transport through any border | Only via air or sea |
| All other eligible countries | Any mode of transport through any border | Only via air |
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What is the fee to obtain VFTF?
The Singapore VFTF is completely free of charge. VFTF is not a visa so you are not applying or paying for anything.
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What are the required documents for VFTF?
To obtain VFTF in Singapore, you will have to present the following documents at the port of entry.
- Valid passport
- Boarding pass from the country you arrived from (you may or may not be asked for this)
- Boarding pass or e-ticket print to the country you are departing to
- Valid visa from the eligible country (for India passport holders only)
The airline check-in staff may not be familiar with VFTF, so they may deny your boarding. Carry a print of VFTF requirements on the ICA website and IATA Travel Centre as proof.
VFTF requirements on ICA website
You can print VFTF requirements on the ICA website directly from your browser. If you’re having trouble, download this PDF and print it. You can show this print to the airline’s staff if they don’t know about VFTF.
VFTF requirements on IATA Travel Centre
You can query IATA Travel Centre with your Departure, Arrival and Transit countries. Select Singapore as your Transit country and at least 48 hours as your transit time. It’s fine if your transit time is less than 48 hours but for IATA Travel Centre to display VFTF requirements, we must use 48 hours or more as transit time.
Once the result is displayed, you can print that page and show it to airline staff if they are unfamiliar with VFTF requirements.
Use this IATA Travel Centre guide to check and print Singapore VFTF requirements.
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What is the Singapore VFTF process at the Changi Airport?
The Singapore VFTF process is the same as if you were visa-exempt or holding a visa. Follow the below steps to obtain VFTF at Changi Airport.
Prerequisite: Prepare all necessary documents
Prepare the following documents before your trip to Singapore.
- Original passport
- Valid visa from the eligible country (for India passport holders only)
- Print of e-ticket departing from Singapore (if your arriving and departing flights are on different itineraries)
- Print of VFTF requirements from the ICA website
- Print of VFTF requirements from IATA Travel Centre
Step 1: Fill out the SG Arrival Card
Fill out your SG Arrival Card (SGAC) online within 3 days before you arrive in Singapore.
Follow this SG Arrival Card (SGAC) step-by-step guide to fill out your SGAC online. This guide includes instructions and screenshots that will help fill out your SGAC easily.
Step 2: Check in for your flight
When checking in for your flight, the airline staff may ask for your Singapore visa. Show the prints of VFTF requirements from ICA and IATA Travel Centre. If the airline staff is not convinced, ask to speak to their manager.
Managers will have the authority to call up the officials at Singapore airport to confirm VFTF requirements. If they are not aware of VFTF requirements, they can confirm with the officials in Singapore.
Step 3: Clear immigration at Changi Airport
When you arrive at the immigration at Changi Airport, proceed to the manned immigration counters. You cannot use automated gates when using VFTF.
Present your passport and ticket/boarding pass to the next country. The officer will examine your documents and return them to you.
You may be asked a few questions on how long you plan to stay, what do you plan to do, etc.
Step 4: Receive the VFTF special pass
After clearing immigration, you will receive an email with your VFTF special pass (e-Pass). This e-Pass will include your date of arrival, total allowed stay, and the last day of your allowed stay.
If you didn’t receive the email or landed in your spam/junk, follow this step-by-step guide to retrieve your Singapore e-Pass online.
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Can you extend VFTF?
Singapore VFTF is strictly non-extendable. That means you cannot extend your stay or convert to any other visa type. The only way to stay longer is to leave and reenter on a tourist visa.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use VFTF to enter Singapore even if I’m not in transit?
No. You can use VFTF to enter Singapore ONLY if you are in transit. That means the country you depart to must be different from the country you arrive from.
For example, you can enter Singapore using VFTF if your itinerary is Indonesia-Singapore-Thailand. You cannot enter Singapore using VFTF if your itinerary is Indonesia-Singapore-Indonesia.
Must the arrival and departure flights be on a single itinerary with the same PNR number?
No. Arrival and departure flights in Singapore do not have to be a single itinerary with the same PNR number. They can be two different tickets purchased separately.
The advantage of having them on a single itinerary with the same PNR number is that you don’t have to explain or convince the airline check-in staff that you will use VFTF in Singapore. They will just assume that you will stay airside in Singapore airport.
If you have separate flight tickets with different PNR numbers, then the airline staff will ask to see your Singapore visa. You will have to do some convincing that you will use VFTF. The staff may not be familiar with VFTF, so you will have to show the ICA’s VFTF requirements page or speak to their manager.
Must the arrival and departure flights be on the same airline?
No. The arrival and departure flights can be on different airlines. In this case, you will end up with two different tickets with two different PNR numbers.
The airline staff may ask for a visa, but you can show them ICA’s VFTF page or a screenshot from IATA travel center.
