Singapore Arrival Card Guide: How to Complete the SG Arrival Card

Planning a trip to Singapore? Before arriving at the immigration checkpoint, most travelers are required to complete the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) online. The SGAC is an electronic declaration that allows travelers to provide their personal, travel, and health information to Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) before entering the country. 

What Is the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC)?

The Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) is an electronic arrival declaration that travelers must submit before entering Singapore. It is managed by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and collects essential information such as your personal details, passport information, travel itinerary, accommodation, and health declaration.

The SGAC is not a visa and does not grant permission to enter Singapore by itself. Travelers who require a Singapore visa must still obtain one separately. The SGAC is primarily used to provide Singapore authorities with the information needed for immigration and arrival processing.

Travelers should submit the SGAC within 3 days before their scheduled arrival in Singapore, including the day of arrival. Submission is free through the official ICA channels, so travelers should be cautious of unofficial websites that charge a fee for completing the form.

Who Needs to Submit the Singapore Arrival Card?

Most travelers entering Singapore are required to submit the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) before arrival. According to Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), the requirement applies to travelers entering Singapore by air, sea, or land, with a few specific exemptions.

1. Foreign Visitors

Foreign visitors, including short-term tourists, generally need to submit the SGAC before entering Singapore. This includes travelers arriving for tourism, business visits, family visits, or other short-term purposes. The SGAC must be submitted within 3 days, including the day of arrival, before entering Singapore.

2. Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents & Long-Term Pass Holders

Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders are generally required to submit the SGAC when entering Singapore. However, they are exempt when returning via Singapore's land checkpoints, such as Woodlands or Tuas.

If they enter Singapore through air or sea checkpoints, they are required to submit the SGAC.

3. Transit and Transfer Passengers

Travelers who are transiting or transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance are exempt from submitting the SGAC. However, if a transit passenger needs to clear immigration and officially enter Singapore, the SGAC requirement may apply.

4. Children and Infants

The SGAC requirement applies to travelers regardless of age, so children and infants entering Singapore generally need to be included in the submission. Parents or guardians can complete the declaration on their behalf.

Information Required for the SG Arrival Card

Before completing the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC), travelers should prepare several pieces of personal, passport, travel, and health information. Having these details ready can make the submission process faster and help reduce the risk of entering incorrect information.

1. Passport and Personal Details

You will generally need to provide information that matches your passport, including:

• Full name as shown on your passport
• Passport number
• Nationality or citizenship
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Country of birth
• Passport expiry date

Make sure the information matches your travel document exactly to avoid issues during immigration clearance.

2. Contact Information

Travelers may also need to provide contact details, such as:

• Email address
• Mobile phone number
• Country of residence

Use an active email address and phone number so that you can receive relevant confirmation or travel-related information.

3. Travel Information

Prepare details about your journey to Singapore, including:

• Date of arrival
• Mode of travel, such as air, land, or sea
• Flight, vessel, or other transport details
• Last place of embarkation before Singapore
• Intended duration of stay

If you are flying to Singapore, it is useful to have your flight booking information available when completing the form.

4. Accommodation Details

If you are staying in Singapore, you may need to provide information about your accommodation, such as:

• Hotel or accommodation name
• Address in Singapore
• Contact details, where applicable

If you are staying with family or friends, make sure you have the relevant residential address available.

5. Health Declaration

The SGAC also includes a health declaration. Travelers should answer the questions truthfully based on their health status and recent travel history. Depending on Singapore's current entry requirements, additional health-related information or requirements may apply.

6. Information for Family Members

Parents or guardians can submit SGAC declarations for accompanying family members, including children. Make sure each traveler's details are entered correctly according to their individual passport or travel document.

How to Submit the Singapore Arrival Card

Step 1: Access the Official SG Arrival Card Service

Go to the official ICA SG Arrival Card e-Service or use the MyICA Mobile app. Avoid third-party websites that charge a processing fee, as the official SGAC submission is free.

Official ICA SG Arrival Card e-Service

Step 2: Submit Within the Required Time

You can submit the SGAC within 3 days before your arrival in Singapore, including the day of arrival. For example, if you arrive on 20 August, you can submit it from 18 August onwards.

Step 3: Enter Your Personal Information

Fill in the required details based on your passport, including your name, nationality, passport information, contact details, and other personal particulars. Make sure all information matches your travel document.

Step 4: Provide Your Trip Details

Enter information about your upcoming journey, such as your arrival date, mode of transport, travel details, and accommodation in Singapore.

Step 5: Complete the Health Declaration

Complete the electronic health declaration as part of the SGAC submission. Travelers should provide accurate and truthful information.

Step 6: Review and Submit

Before submitting, carefully check your passport, travel, accommodation, and health information. Incorrect information could cause problems during your arrival process.

Step 7: Keep Your Confirmation

After successful processing, you will receive confirmation of your SG Arrival Card. For web submissions, ICA provides the SG Arrival Card as a PDF, while confirmation is also sent by email. The submission includes a unique DE Number associated with your passport number.

ICA states that an individual SGAC submission generally takes around 5–7 minutes, so it is best to complete it before heading to the airport or checkpoint.

When Should You Submit the SG Arrival Card?

Travelers must submit the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) within 3 days before their arrival in Singapore, including the day of arrival. This means you cannot submit it too far in advance, so it is best to plan your submission according to your travel date.

Example of the SGAC Submission Window

If your scheduled arrival in Singapore is 20 August, you can submit the SG Arrival Card from 18 August through 20 August.

Submit It Before Your Journey

Although the SGAC can be submitted on the day you arrive, it is recommended to complete it before heading to the airport, ferry terminal, or land checkpoint. This helps ensure that your arrival information has already been submitted when you reach Singapore immigration.

What If You Forget to Submit It?

Travelers who arrive without submitting the SGAC may be required to complete it before proceeding with immigration clearance, which can cause additional inconvenience or delays. ICA advises travelers to submit the SGAC before arriving in Singapore.

Singapore Arrival Card for Transit Passengers

Transit passengers do not usually need to submit the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) if they are simply transiting or transferring through Singapore without clearing Singapore immigration. This means they remain within the airport’s transit area and continue to their connecting flight without officially entering Singapore.

1. When Transit Passengers Do Not Need the SGAC

You generally do not need to submit the SGAC if:

• You are connecting to another flight through Singapore.
• You remain in the designated transit area.
• You do not pass through Singapore immigration.
• Your baggage is checked through to your final destination and you do not need to collect it in Singapore.
• You already have your onward boarding pass or can obtain it without clearing immigration.

ICA defines a transit traveler as someone traveling to another country via Singapore without clearing Singapore arrival immigration.

2. When Transit Passengers Need the SGAC

You will generally need to submit the SGAC if you must clear Singapore immigration and enter the country during your connection. For example, this may happen when:

• You need to collect your checked baggage and check in again for your connecting flight.
• Your connecting flights are booked separately and require you to exit the transit area.
• Your airline requires you to clear immigration to obtain your onward boarding pass.
• You plan to leave the airport during your layover.
• You otherwise need to formally enter Singapore.

ICA specifically notes that passengers who need to clear immigration to collect tickets or baggage and check in again are not considered transit travelers and must meet Singapore's entry requirements.

How to Use the SG Arrival Card Upon Arrival in Singapore?

1. Arrive at the Singapore Checkpoint

After landing at Changi Airport or arriving through another Singapore checkpoint, follow the signs for Arrival Immigration and proceed to immigration clearance.

2. Prepare Your Passport

Present your valid passport or travel document to the immigration authorities when required. The SGAC information you submitted beforehand will be accessed electronically during the immigration process.

3. Complete Immigration Clearance

Depending on your eligibility, you may use automated immigration clearance or proceed to an immigration counter. Travelers may be required to provide biometric information such as facial, fingerprint, or iris biometrics during clearance.

You generally do not need to print the SG Arrival Card just to pass immigration. However, it is a good idea to keep your SGAC acknowledgment email or PDF accessible on your phone in case you need to refer to your submission details.

4. Receive Your Electronic Visit Pass

For foreign visitors, Singapore no longer provides a passport stamp for the Visit Pass. Instead, an electronic Visit Pass (e-Pass) is sent to the email address provided in your SGAC after you clear immigration. It shows important information such as your permitted period of stay and the last day you are allowed to remain in Singapore.

5. Proceed to Baggage Claim and Customs

After immigration clearance, collect your luggage and proceed through customs. If you are carrying goods that require declaration, follow Singapore's customs declaration requirements and use the appropriate customs channel.

Important Things to Remember

• SGAC must be submitted before arrival; it is not something you normally complete at the immigration counter.
• Keep your passport ready for immigration clearance.
• Keep your SGAC acknowledgment email/PDF accessible as a backup.
• Check your e-Pass email after clearing immigration.
• The SGAC does not guarantee entry into Singapore; the final decision to grant entry is made during immigration clearance.
• If you have not submitted the SGAC before arrival, ICA may require you to complete it and rejoin the immigration queue, potentially causing delays.