GEN 1.3 ENTRY, TRANSIT AND DEPARTURE OF PASSENGERS AND CREW

1 CUSTOMS REQUIREMENTS

1.1 The Red and Green Channel system is operated at the Airport to expedite customs clearance of arriving air passengers. All arriving passengers and crew members shall present themselves personally with their baggage and make oral declarations at the Red Channel if they have any prohibited or controlled goods or goods exceeding their duty-free concession and Goods and Services Tax (GST) import relief. If they do not have any of such goods, they may leave the Arrival Hall through the Green Channel. However, as part of our multi-layered security checks, some travellers going through the Green Channel may be subjected to further checks. Departing passengers are not subject to Customs formalities unless required to do so. Baggage may be examined in such manner as deemed necessary and it shall be the duty of the person in charge of the baggage to produce, open, unpack and repack such baggage.
1.2 Dutiable Goods. All dutiable goods brought into Singapore are subject to customs duty and/or excise duty and GST. There are 4 categories of dutiable goods: Intoxicating liquors; tobacco products; motor vehicles; and motor fuel. Please refer to the Singapore Customs’ website for the latest list of dutiable goods and their respective duty rates. There is no customs duty on goods exported from Singapore.
1.3 Duty-Free Allowance. Please note that each arriving traveller is allowed to bring in a maximum of 10 litres of liquor products, subject to the payment of duty and GST. A traveller arriving with more than 10 litres of liquor products must present a valid Customs import permit for clearance at our checkpoints. Travellers are entitled to duty-free concession for liquors if they meet all the following conditions:

Travellers will be given duty-free concession for liquors on one of the following options:

OptionSpiritsWineBeer
A1 Litre1 Litre-
B1 Litre-1 Litre
C-1 Litre1 Litre
D-2 Litres-
E--2 Litres

Bona-fide crew members are granted duty-free concession on 0.25 litre of spirits and 1 litre of wine or 1 litre of beer.

1.4 GST Taxable Goods. All goods brought into Singapore are subject to GST, at the prevailing rate of 9 percent of the goods’ Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value and applicable duty (for dutiable goods only). This is inclusive of all other charges, costs and expenses incidental to the sale and delivery of the goods into Singapore.
1.5 GST Import Relief. Travellers (excluding crew members and holders of a work permit, employment pass, student pass, dependent pass or long-term pass issued by the Singapore Government), are granted GST import relief on new articles, souvenirs, gifts and food preparations brought into Singapore. These goods must be intended for traveller's personal use or consumption and not for sale. The GST import relief amount is based on the number of hours the traveller has spent outside Singapore, as specified in the table below:
Time spent outside SingaporeValue of goods granted GST relief
48 hours and aboveS$500
Less than 48 hoursS$100

There is no GST import relief and duty-free concession on intoxicating liquor and tobacco products, as well as goods imported for commercial purposes.

For more information on duty-free concession and GST import relief, please visit Singapore Customs’ website.

1.6 Declaration and Payment of Duty and/or GST. Arriving travellers are required to declare and pay the duty and GST to bring in dutiable and taxable goods exceeding their duty-free concession and GST import relief. For convenience, you are encouraged to make an advance declaration and payment of duties and GST prior to your arrival through our Customs@SG web portal. Once tax payment is successful, the Customs@SG web portal will create an e-receipt in your mobile device and you may exit the Arrival Hall via the Green Channel. If you are stopped for checks, you can show the e-receipt stored in your mobile device as proof of payment to the officers. Please visit Singapore Customs’ website for more information on the Customs@SG mobile app and web portal. Alternatively, you may proceed directly to the Customs Tax Payment Office or the Red Channel upon arrival to declare your goods. Please present supporting documents such as invoices or receipts indicating the value of your goods to facilitate declaration and payment (if necessary).
1.7 Goods Requiring a Customs Import Permit. A valid Customs import permit is required for clearance if travellers are carrying (but not limited to):

1.8 Prohibited Goods. The following items are NOT allowed to be imported into Singapore. Some examples of prohibited goods include (but not limited to):

It is an offence to attempt to bring prohibited goods into Singapore.

1.9 Controlled Goods. You are required to obtain an import permit or authorisation form from the relevant Competent Authorities before you can bring controlled goods into Singapore. Please produce the goods and the import permit or authorisation form to the checking officer at the Red Channel on your arrival. Some examples of controlled goods include (but not limited to):

Please visit the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website for more information on controlled and prohibited goods .

2 IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS

All passengers are required to present themselves with their travel documents, and endorsements (if necessary).

All travellers, including Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, Long-Term Pass holders and foreign visitors, are required to electronically submit their pre-trip health and travel history declarations to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) via the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) e-Service, before arriving in Singapore. This does not apply to those transiting/transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance.

All travellers seeking entry into Singapore are required to comply with Singapore's border control requirements, which can be found at ICA | Entering, Transiting and Departing.

2.2 Any person entering Singapore from a place outside Singapore, or is leaving Singapore for a place outside Singapore (including aircrew entering or leaving Singapore on functional checktest flights) shall present to an immigration officer at an authorised airport, a valid passport or a valid travel document recognised by the Government of Singapore (in the case of an alien, a visa for Singapore where such a visa is required) with the exception of the following persons:
  1. A member of the Singapore Armed Forces travelling on duty;
  2. A member of such Visiting Forces as the Minister may determine;
  3. Any child or person who is included in the passport or other travel document of a parent of the child, or of a spouse or other relative of the person and is accompanying that parent, spouse or relative (as the case may be) when travelling to and leaving from Singapore.

Nationals of the following countries require visas for the purpose of social visits in Singapore (with exception of an aircrew who is an airline crew member that, in the course of a journey on duty from a place outside Singapore to Singapore, or from a place outside Singapore to a place outside Singapore, calls at an authorised airport):
-Afghanistan
-Algeria
-Bangladesh*
-Commonwealth of Independent States*⁺
-Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
-Egypt
-Georgia*
-India*
-Iran
-Iraq
-Jordan*
-Kosovo
-Lebanon
-Libya
-Mali
-Morocco*
-Nigeria*
-People's Republic of China*
-Pakistan
-Somalia
-South Sudan^
-Sudan
-Syria
-Tunisia*
-Turkmenistan*
-Ukraine*
-Yemen
-Holders of Alien’s passport

Visitors holding Hong Kong Document of Identity, Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Travel Permit, Palestinian Authority Passport, Refugee Travel Document** issued by the Middle-East countries and Temporary Passport issued by United Arab Emirates will also require a visa to enter Singapore.

* Holders of diplomatic, official and service passports do not need a visa for entry, unless otherwise stated below:

- CIS (except Armenia, Belarus, Russia and Uzbekistan) - Holders of Diplomatic, Official or Service passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 30 days

- Armenia - Holders of Diplomatic passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 90 days

- Belarus - Holders of Diplomatic or Official passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 90 days

- Russia - Holders of Diplomatic or Service passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 90 days

- Uzbekistan - Holders of Diplomatic passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 90 days

- Georgia - Holders of Diplomatic or Service passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 30 days

- Indonesia - Holders of Diplomatic or Official passports are exempted from visa requirements

- Morocco - Holders of Diplomatic passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 30 days

- PRC - Holders of Diplomatic, Service or Public Affairs passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 30 days

- Saudi Arabia - Holders of Diplomatic passports are exempted from visa requirements

- Thailand - Holders of Diplomatic or Official passports are exempted from visa requirements

- Turkmenistan - Holders of Diplomatic, Official or Service passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 30 days

- Ukraine - Holders of Diplomatic, Official and Service passports are exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 90 days

- Vietnam - Holders of Diplomatic or Official passports are exempted from visa requirements

^ South Sudan has been recognised as a sovereign state, with AL2 visa to be imposed. Only the ordinary and official South Sudan TDs has been assessed to be recognised for entry.

⁺ Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Krygyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Taijikistan, and Uzbekistan.

** Refugee Travel Documents issued by Middle-East countries are subjected to assessment of recognition for entry into Singapore.

Nationals of Commonwealth of Independent States (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine may qualify for the 96-hour visa free transit facility (VFTF) provided that:

  1. the person is in transit to a third country;
  2. the person holds a valid passport, confirmed onward air-ticket, entry facilities (including visa) to the third country and have sufficient funds for the period of stay in Singapore;
  3. the person continues his journey to the third country within 96 hours visa free period granted; and
  4. the person satisfies Singapore's entry requirements.

Nationals of India and the PRC may qualify for the 96-hour VFTF provided that:

  1. the person is in transit to or from a third country via Singapore by any mode of transport and will depart via air or sea;

  2. the person holds a valid passport and confirmed onward air/ferry/cruise ticket for departure from Singapore within 96 hours;

  3. the person has a valid visa*/long-term pass (with a validity of at least 1 month from the date of entry into Singapore under the VFTF) issued by any of the following countries:

    -Australia
    -Canada
    -Germany
    -Japan
    -New Zealand
    -Switzerland
    -United Kingdom
    -United States of America

* A visa is considered valid so long as it is issued by/ good for entry into one of the eight countries listed above. Travellers with Single Journey Visas (SJV) may still be granted VFTF on the return leg of their journey (i.e. after the SJV is used and no longer valid), but:

-the person must travel directly from the country that issued the SJV, en route through Singapore, back to their home country
-the person must not have returned to their home country since they last used the SJV.
Visitors and Long-Term Pass holders must satisfy the following basic entry requirements before they are allowed to enter Singapore:

  1. They are in possession of entry approval letters issued by the Singapore Government and passports with at least 6 months’ validity with assurance of their re-entry into their countries of residence or origin;
  2. They have sufficient funds to last for the intended period of stay in Singapore;
  3. They hold confirmed onward/return tickets and entry facilities (including visas) to their onward destinations;
  4. Short-term travellers holding a passport of travel document from a visa-required country/ region must apply for a Visa; and
  5. They must fulfil all prevailing public health requirements.

The granting of social visit passes to all visitors is determined by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the point of entry.

3 PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Strict compliance with the provisions of the International Health Regulations, 2005, of the World Health Organisation, and Singapore's Infectious Diseases Act is required.
3.2 The pilot-in-command of an aircraft landing at Airports in Singapore shall furnish the Airport Health Officer with one copy of the General Declaration form (see ICAO Annex 9 Appendix 1) and one copy of the Passenger Manifest (see ICAO Annex 9 Appendix 2) signed by the pilot-in-command.
3.3 Vaccination Certificate Requirements for entry into Singapore are as follows:

A valid International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required from all travellers, including Singapore Residents, with travel history to countries with risk of yellow fever transmission (regardless of area, city or region) in the six days prior to arrival in Singapore. The certificate is valid for life, beginning from 10 days after the date of vaccination (this applies to existing and new certificates). Travellers without a valid International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever (e.g. unvaccinated individuals, including those who are ineligible to receive the vaccination, and travellers whose certificate has yet to become valid), are liable to be quarantined under Section 31 of the Infectious Disease Act. For more details on public health requirements related to yellow fever, please refer to Singapore’s Ministry of Health website (https://www.moh.gov.sg/diseases-updates/yellow-fever) and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority website (https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore/yellow-fever-vaccination-certificate).

3.4 For more details on public health requirements related to COVID-19, please refer to https://www.caas.gov.sg/legislation-regulations/covid-19-publications/.

4 FLYING LICENCES AND RATINGS

4.1 VISITING PILOTS - HOLDERS OF NON-SINGAPORE PILOT LICENCES
4.1.1 When a holder of a non-Singapore pilot's licence wishes to fly on a Singapore registered aircraft in a private capacity in Singapore, he will be required to apply for a Certificate of Validation for his foreign licence. The Certificate of Validation, if approved, will be issued for this purpose only and for a limited period. The applicant would also be required to fulfil certain conditions. Pilots who wish to apply for a Certificate of Validation should contact the Personnel Licensing Section of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (see address in paragraph 4.2.2 below)
4.2 CONVERSION OF FOREIGN LICENCE TO SINGAPORE LICENCE
4.2.1 Pilots holding valid licences, including an instrument rating and/or flying instructor's rating issued by ICAO Contracting States, may be considered for the conversion of their licences under the following conditions:
a.

The pilot must demonstrate formal prospective employment by a Singapore air operator, approved training organisation or flying club to operate on Singapore registered aircraft.
(This requirement will not be applicable for the conversion of a foreign licence to a Singapore PPL.)

b.

The pilot's foreign licence and its associated ratings must be valid from the time of application to the time of issue of a Singapore licence and its associated ratings.

c.

The pilot must fulfil all conversion terms as specified by CAAS within a period of 6 months preceding the issue of a Singapore licence and its associated ratings.

4.2.2 Further details on the conversion of a foreign licence can be obtained from:

Safety Policy and Planning Division
Personnel Licensing Section
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2
South Finger Pier Level 3
Unit No. 038-039
Singapore 819643

TEL: (65) 65412482
FAX: (65) 65434941

4.3 PILOTS WHO HAVE ATTAINED THE AGE OF 65
4.3.1 Any pilot who has attained his 65th birthday shall not be permitted to act as pilot-in-command or co-pilot of an aircraft engaged in scheduled or non-scheduled international commercial air transport operations within Singapore airspace.
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