Singapore Arrival Card: When to Submit and What You Need

Before a Singapore trip, put two reminders in your calendar: check entry eligibility while making bookings, then submit the arrival declaration shortly before departure. Doing both on the same day can leave too little time for a visa application.

When to submit the arrival card

ICA's SG Arrival Card page sets a window of three days, including arrival day. Landing on 10 October means you can submit from 8 October. Use the official e-Service or MyICA app and keep the acknowledgement available offline.

Transit passengers staying airside without immigration clearance are exempt. Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders are exempt when entering through Woodlands or Tuas; they still submit for air and sea arrivals.

Prepare the form before opening it

Have your passport, journey details, accommodation address and a working email address ready. Match your name and document number carefully to your passport. Answer the health declaration truthfully, then review the dates before submitting. If the trip or your health status changes, use ICA's update function.

Save the confirmation alongside your hotel booking and onward ticket. One shared travel folder is easier to find at an airport than separate screenshots spread across a phone.

Check the other entry requirements

The ICA entry checklist covers passport validity, onward travel, sufficient funds and applicable health requirements. Visitors generally need at least six months of passport validity; Singapore passport holders are exempt from that requirement. Yellow fever documentation can apply based on recent travel or transit history.

Check visa requirements for your travel document before buying non-refundable travel. Filing the SGAC does not replace a required visa or guarantee admission.

Check your permitted stay after arrival

Foreign visitors receive an electronic visit pass. Read the last permitted day of stay in the e-Pass notification or ICA enquiry service; do not infer it from a visa's expiry date. Keep that date in your itinerary if you are extending the trip or making a regional side visit.

Customs and airport planning

Consult the customs links in ICA's entry checklist for declarations, duty-free concessions and prohibited goods. An arrival-card acknowledgement does not clear purchases or restricted items through customs.

For terminal connections and the journey to your hotel, use our Changi guide. If you plan to take the train, check the MRT guide before a late arrival. Those decisions are easier to make before boarding than in an arrivals queue.