Visa Requirements for Singaporean Citizens

Visa requirements for Singapore Citizens are the specified rules and conditions that apply to Singaporean citizens upon traveling abroad.

Singaporean citizens have almost unlimited international travel liberty. The only country ahead of Singapore is Japan. This means that there are numerous countries that have come forward with either a visa exemption or a Visa on Arrival system for Singapore nationals to use.

More than 120 countries grant Singaporean’s passport holders visa-free admission for all recreational, professional, or transit-related reasons for short-term stays.

In contrast, there are 30 countries that still require Singaporeans to secure a visa at an Embassy prior to the travel. Again, over thirty destinations use a Visa on Arrival system, leaving about 20 countries that have come forward with an eVisa system.

Visas on Arrival, eVisas, and visa-free systems allow all foreign travelers to take on short-term international trips. These three travel authorization documents make it possible to go on vacation, make family and friends visits, explore foreign countries, have a layover while transiting, or handle any business affairs abroad.

In order to be allowed to stay for extended periods of time within another country, it is a standard procedure for a citizen of Singapore to visit the Embassy or a Consulate of the country they wish to visit. You have to apply for a traditional paper visa upon visiting 30 different countries.

Out of all the visa types available, electronic visas are the most traveler-friendly and easy to obtain when compared to the other three types. Read on to learn more about each visa type, specific requirements, application procedures, and more!

Electronic Visa

eVisa is an electronic alternative to the regular visa obtained at an Embassy. eVisas are easily accessible online for all Singapore citizens who meet minimum requirements. All you have to do to get this document is conduct an intuitive and quick application process online.

List of countries that offer an eVisa option for Singapore citizens

• Australia
• American Samoa
• The Ascension Island
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Benin
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Guinea-Bissau
• India
• Kuwait
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• New Zealand
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Russia
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• South Sudan
• Suriname
• Tajikistan
• Ukraine

eVisas for Singapore passport holders may be provided for one entry or many visits, with the majority of them being issued for leisure, professional, or transportation reasons to another place. This can include attending academic or business presentations, negotiating commerce deals and inter-country travel.

Travelers usually need just their valid passport that will not expire for the whole duration of their trip, an active email address, and the applicant’s face photo (that may be taken with a PC camera or your phone).

To apply the traveler will need to complete an online application form. Use your phone, laptop, PC, or even a tablet to fill your application within a few minutes from home. Cover the eVisa issuing fee with any preferred method of online payment and simply wait for approval. Once your document gets processed, it will be delivered to your email inbox in the form of a PDF file.

Visa on Arrival

Visa on Arrival is as its name suggests a visa obtainable after arriving into the selected destination. Travelers using this system do not need to handle their travel authorization documents prior to departure. However, there still may be a few requirements to meet and supporting documentation to prepare before leaving.

List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival for Singapore citizens

• Artsakh
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Benin
• Bolivia
• Comoros
• Egypt
• Guinea-Bissau
• Iran
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• The Maldives
• The Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mozambique
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Tajikistan
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• The United Arab Emirates

A Visa on Arrival system is currently available in over 30 destinations for tourists from Singapore. This type of visa serves ideally for shorter visits, such as taking a vacation. The length of the permitted stay is usually either 30 or 90 days.

VoA requirements differ between countries. Research if your destination requires you to provide any supporting documents upon arrival.

Typically, the routine for acquiring this visa type involves:

• The Singaporean citizen should proceed to the border entry checkpoint and ask for a VoA application form;
• The customs officials would then provide you with an application form (you may need to wait in line);
• You will then need to complete this form in its entirety,
• After this, you will very likely be asked to provide extra supporting documentation, such as an itinerary or proof of having sufficient funds for the trip. Once that’s done, simply wait for approval.

Visas on Arrival for Singaporeans are typically issued for travel-related reasons, like leisure, business, or transiting through the country.

Embassy Visa

An Embassy visa is a regular visa obtained at an Embassy, often in the form of a stamp in the traveller’s passport. This visa can allow for both short and long-term trips.

List of countries that require Singaporean Citizens to present an Embassy visa upon arrival

• Abkhazia
• Afghanistan
• Algeria
• Bhutan
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• The Central African Republic
• Chad
• The Republic of the Congo
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Crimea
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Falkland Islands
• Guyana
• Iraq
• Liberia
• Libya
• Mali
• The Margarita Island
• Nauru
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Sudan
• Syria
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela
• The United States Minor Outlying Islands
• Yemen

There are now 30 countries, which require Singapore nationals to get an Embassy visa, irrespective of the reason for the planned trip.

When applying for an Embassy visa, Singaporean Citizens are mandated to provide a large number of supporting documents (including, in some cases, official documents) to validate the purpose of their visit. To fully complete the application form, all documents must be submitted to an Embassy.

The required documents may differ between different countries and specific visa types. Thus, it’s important to contact the appropriate Embassy at least a few weeks before the planned departure time to get up-to-date information prior to applying.

Keep in mind that due to the lengthy process required to gain an Embassy visa, it is advisable to begin application proceedings around a month prior to any trip to ensure all documentation has been processed for approval.

Embassy visas are regular paper visas that serve not only short-term but also long-term trips. Moreover, usually travel authorization documents obtained at an Embassy come in many different types, including those related to working, studying, or even living in a foreign country.

Visa-free countries

Luckily for Singaporean citizens, more than a hundred countries allow them to enter without obtaining a visa. You won’t need to handle any travel authorization document prior to the planned trip nor upon arrival when visiting any of these destinations.

Check the list of visa-free countries for Singaporean citizens.

Singapore passport holders are entitled to a visa-free stay usually for up to 3 months at a time; however, each country stipulates its own rules and regulations regarding the length of the permitted stay.

Traveling visa-free must be related to leisure, transit or professional duties, while there are some nations that allow additional reasons, e.g., medical care to be pursued while in their country.

It is common for visa-exempt entrance restrictions to specify that travelers must be in possession of a passport that will not expire for at least six months ahead of the planned trip.