Immigration

All visitors to Singapore must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months from their date of arrival.

Citizens of Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland the United Kingdom and the United States do not need a visa for stays of 90 days or less.

Holders of a valid APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) may visit Singapore for up to 60 days without a visa.

Citizens of most other countries can stay without a visa for 30 days or less, so that's the case if your country is not named here.

Citizens of the following countries have to apply for a visa in advance, and can do so online, through a local contact in Singapore or at a Singaporean embassy or consulate: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Moldova, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

Citizens of several former Soviet countries (Georgia, Ukraine, and the Commonwealth of Independent States) are eligible for visa-free transit for up to 96 hours if you have an onward plane ticket to a third country. You may enter Singapore by any mode of transport, but must depart by air. A similar scheme is available for citizens of India who have a valid visa or residence permit issued by Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States (Schengen visas issued by other countries do not count), and have an onward plane, ferry or cruise ticket to a third country. Indian citizens visiting Singapore under the scheme may enter Singapore by any mode of transport, but must depart by air or sea.

No visa is required for transit at Changi Airport as long as you don't leave the secure area and your connecting flight leaves within 24 hours. See Sterile transit.

All travellers entering Singapore, including Singapore citizens, are required to complete a SG Arrival Card online no earlier than 3 days before your arrival date. If you have not done this before you get off the aeroplane, you may complete this form using the computers near the immigration desks. Once completed, you will receive an e-mail containing a barcode that you can scan at the immigration counter or you can use a screenshot of the confirmation page.

All visitors to Singapore can use the automated clearance gates, with no pre-enrollment required. Manual counters are still available for families with children under 6. Singapore no longer stamps passports for visitors: you will receive your terms of entry at the email address you provided in the SG Arrival Card.

Citizens of African and South American countries, and travellers who have recently been to Africa or South America, require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry into Singapore.

Single women from poorer countries planning long stays for tourism may be denied entry, due to suspicions that they might be intending to engage in unlicensed prostitution. Hippie types may expect a little extra attention from Customs, but getting a shave and a haircut is no longer a condition for entry. High-profile political activists are also often denied entry.

Males who enter Singapore illegally or who overstay their permits by more than 14 days face a mandatory sentence of at least three strokes of the cane.

Customs

Singapore has very strict drug laws, and drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty that is applied to everyone including foreigners. Even if you are only on sterile transit while in possession of drugs, you would still be subject to Singaporean law and capital punishment. Poppy seeds are also prohibited, as they contain morphine and are hence classified as a controlled substance. A positive urine test or a positive swab test of your belongings is sufficient grounds for you to be denied entry to Singapore and deported, even if no drugs are found in your possession.

Bringing in explosives or firearms without a permit is also a capital offense in Singapore. The importation of some types of weapons such as shuriken, nunchaku, switchblade knives, butterfly knives and chain whips is prohibited, and permits to import these will not be issued under any circumstances. In general, do not bring any type of weapon into Singapore.

Bring prescriptions for any prescribed medicines you may have with you. If you are bringing in more than 3 months' supply of any medication or if you are bringing in any sedatives (e.g. Valium/diazepam), strong painkillers (e.g. codeine ingredients), or cannabidiol (CBD)-containing medication you need to apply to the Singapore Health Sciences Authority for approval at least 10 working days before your expected arrival in Singapore.

Duty free allowances for alcohol are one litre each of wine, beer and spirits, though the 1 L of spirits may be replaced with 1 L of wine or beer. Travellers entering from Malaysia are not entitled to any duty free allowance. Alcohol may not be brought in by persons under the age of 18. You cannot bring tobacco products such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes (vapes) into Singapore; failure to declare and dispose of them at customs could potentially result in hefty fines and imprisonment. Importing non-medical chewing gum is illegal, but in practice customs officers would usually not bother with a few sticks for personal consumption.

There is no restriction on the amount of money that can be brought in or out of Singapore. However, you are required to declare to customs if you are carrying more than $20,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency in or out of Singapore. The declaration can be made when you are filling in your Singapore Arrival Card, or through this website. Not declaring exposes you to arrest, heavy fines and possible imprisonment.

Pornography, pirated goods, and religious publications by the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Unification Church may not be imported to Singapore, and all baggage is scanned at land and sea entry points. In theory, all entertainment media including movies and video games must be sent to the Board of Censors for approval before they can be brought into Singapore, but that is rarely if ever enforced for original (non-pirated, non-copied) goods, and it's very unlikely that your hard drives will be searched.

By plane

Singapore is one of Southeast Asia's largest aviation hubs, so unless you're coming from Peninsular Malaysia or Batam/Bintan in Indonesia, the easiest way to enter Singapore is by air. In addition to its flag-carrier, Singapore Airlines, regarded as one of the world's best airlines in terms of customer service, Singapore is also home to low-cost carrier Scoot.

In addition to the locals, every carrier of any size in Asia offers flights to Singapore, with pan-Asian discount carrier AirAsia operating a dense network from Singapore. There are also nonstop services to Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South Africa. Singapore is particularly popular on the "Kangaroo Route" between Australia and Europe, with Qantas and British Airways using Singapore as their refuelling stop between London and Sydney.

In addition to the local airports, travellers from Malaysia or Indonesia can consider flying into Johor Bahru (JHB IATA), Batam (BTH IATA) or Tanjung Pinang (TNJ IATA) instead, as flights to those airports are usually cheaper than to Changi or Seletar. The downside is that you'll have to pass through customs and immigration twice, and there are no direct public transportation links between those airports and Singapore, meaning that you will have to arrange your own transportation. If you have a lot of time, flying to Kuala Lumpur (KUL IATA), which is served by more destinations than the aforementioned three airports, can also save you some money. Coaches from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore take about 5 hours.

Changi Airport

Main article: Singapore Changi Airport

1MISSING WIKILINK Changi Airport (SIN IATA) is the main airport and serves all commercial jet flights. It regularly shows up in "Best Airport" rankings and is big, pleasant, and well-organised, with remarkably fast immigration and baggage distribution. The airport is split into four main terminals (T1, T2, T3 and T4). The famous Rain Vortex is essentially an indoor park surrounded by a shopping mall, that isn't the worst place to hang out for a few hours before your flight.

Grab/Gojek rideshare or taxis are the fastest way to the city, and will cost about $20–30 including a $5 airport surcharge ($3 for off-peak hours). An additional 50% surcharge applies 1–6AM. On the MRT, it takes about 45 minutes to town with an easy cross-platform transfer at Tanah Merah. Paper tickets are no longer available, and visitors will need to use a credit/debit card or purchase an EZ-link card at the ticket office. An adult fare to City Hall costs $2.14, with trains running from 5:31AM (5:59AM on Sundays and bank holidays) to 11:18PM. See Singapore Changi Airport for the full scoop.

Seletar Airport

2 Seletar Airport (XSP IATA) serves all turboprop flights and general aviation. Completed in 1928 and first used for civil aviation in 1930, it was Singapore's first airport. The only commercial flights to Seletar are Firefly services from Kuala Lumpur's Subang Airport (a smaller airport closer to the city centre, not the main international airport of Kuala Lumpur) and Berjaya's "scheduled charters" to Redang. Bus 102 runs from Hougang MRT (North-East Line) directly to the airport, but most travellers opt for a taxi instead. A $3 surcharge applies for trips from the airport.

By train

Once the southern terminus of Malaysia's Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railway or KTMB) network, the central 3 Tanjong Pagar railway station has been decommissioned and KTMB trains now terminate at the JB Sentral railway station in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The station is expected to be integrated into a future MRT station, but as of 2026, it is derelict and cordoned off.

The Shuttle Tebrau connects the last Singaporean station, 4 Woodlands Train Checkpoint with JB Sentral. One-way tickets originating in Singapore costs $5 while the reverse costs RM5. From Woodlands, immigration formalities for both countries are carried out before boarding. From Johor Bahru, Malaysian immigration checks are conducted at JB Sentral before boarding, and Singapore immigration checks upon arrival at Woodlands. Taking immigration into account, allow 30-60 minutes for the full journey. This service is expected to be terminated after a new cross-border rapid transit link opens in 2027.

Shuttle trains leave at irregular intervals throughout the day. Check the timetable. Tickets are released for sale 6 months in advance and sell out quickly, especially towards Singapore on weekday mornings and towards JB on weekday evenings, when commuters snap up seats.

For JB Sentral-Woodlands, at JB Sentral there are turnstiles installed at the departure gate (Gate A); scan the barcode or QR code on your ticket (can be one stored on a mobile device) to activate the turnstile. For Woodlands-JB Sentral, tickets bought online must be exchanged at the KTMB ticket counter before departure. For trains beyond Johor Bahru, see Johor Bahru#By train and Malaysia#By train for details.

Don’t confuse Woodlands Train Checkpoint with the neighbouring 5 Woodlands MRT station. Take a bus from Kranji, Marsiling or Woodlands MRT to Woodlands Train Checkpoint (not Woodlands Checkpoint), and double-check with the driver since they've been known to skip the train stop in heavy traffic.

By boat

Ferries link Singapore with the neighbouring Indonesian province of Riau Islands, and the Malaysian state of Johor. Singapore has two terminals that handle international ferries: 6 HarbourFront near Sentosa and 7 Tanah Merah near Changi Airport.

HarbourFront Ferry Terminal is located inside HarbourFront Centre shopping mall, not to be confused with the adjoining VivoCity. Alight at HarbourFront MRT station.

Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal is located south of Changi Airport. Alight at Tanah Merah MRT station and proceed to Exit B. From there, take bus 35/35M to the ferry terminal. Alternatively, alight at Bedok MRT station and proceed to the adjacent Bedok Bus Interchange, where the two bus services originate from. If you are arriving at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, getting a taxi can be very difficult due to the remote location and 200 other people hailing them simultaneously; it's often faster to take bus 35/M a few stops to the nearest MRT station and try your luck there. If you are arriving on a weekday and hence taking the 35, check the destination carefully. The bus calls twice in its route at the ferry terminal and visitors must pre-register to enter the logistics park ALPS. A shuttle service also connects Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal with Changi Airport, costing $4 each way.

From Indonesia

Ferries to Indonesia are operated by an ever-changing cast of operators with constantly changing schedules. The Singapore Cruise Centre maintains a real-time schedule service showing current services that can be helpful for ferreting out what's actually operating.From Batam: Ferries from Batu Ampar, Sekupang and Waterfront City (Teluk Senimba) use HarbourFront Ferry Terminal. Ferries from Nongsapura use Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Ferries from Batam Centre use both ferry terminals.

Indo Falcon, ☏ +65 6278 3167. Hourly ferries to Batam Centre, fewer to Waterfront City. This company does not operate from Sekupang. Similar fares.

Horizon Fast Ferry, ☏ +65 6276 6711. Operates 16 trips from Harbour Bay Ferry Terminal and Batu Ampar. Fares are similar to the other companies. $32/48 one-way/round-trip, including terminal fees. (updated Nov 2019)

Dino/Batam Fast, ☏ +65 6270 0311 (in Harbourfront), +62 778 467793 (in Batam Centre), +62 778 470344 (in Batam Centre), +62 778 325085 (in Sekupang), +62 778 3250856 (in Sekupang), +62 778 381150 (in Waterfront City). Also hourly ferries from Harbour Bay Ferry terminal, fewer ferries from Sekupang and Waterfront City. $19-25 one-way, $39-50 round-trip including fees (lower prices for late night departures, higher prices for peak times). (updated Nov 2025)

Majestic Fast Ferry. $49 two-way including fees (depending on departure time). (updated May 2019)

Sindo Ferry, ☏ +62 778 465 55, btc@sindoferry.com.sg. (updated May 2019)

Batam Fast, ☏ +65 6270 0311 (Singapore), +62 778 761071 (in Nongsa). Ferries to multiple locations on Batam $19-25 one-way, $39-50 round-trip including fees (lower prices for late night departures, higher prices for peak times). (updated May 2019)

Majestic Fast Ferry. $19-25 one-way including fees (higher mid-day, lower mornings and evenings). (updated May 2019)

Sindo Ferry, ☏ +65 6331 4122, tmft@sindoferry.com.sg. (updated May 2019)

From Bintan: Ferries from Bintan use Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. For Tanjung Pinang, there are four or five departures per day at $30 one-way including taxes and surcharges.

Majestic Fast Ferry. $31 one-way including fees. (updated May 2019)

Sindo Ferry, tmft@sindoferry.com.sg. $27-29 one way including fees (promo and normal fares). (updated May 2019)

Bintan Resort Ferries, ☏ +65 6542 4369. operates five ferries from Tanah Merah FT on weekdays, increasing to 7 during weekends. $34.60/50.20 one-way/return peak period, $26.60/39.20 one-way/return off-peak including taxes and fuel surcharge.. (updated May 2019)

From Karimun: Ferries from Karimun use HarbourFront Ferry Terminal. For Tanjung Balai, there is one daily departure on even days only at $50 one-way including taxes and surcharges.

Sindo Ferry, tmft@sindoferry.com.sg. $27-29 one way including fees (promo and normal fares). (updated May 2019)

From Malaysia

Ferries to Malaysia are surprisingly limited. In particular, there are no services at all to Borneo. The on-demand "bumboats" that used to shuttle between Changi Point and Pengerang no longer operate.

From Johor: Ferries from Johor use Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

Batam Fast. Ferry services from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal and Tg Pengelih in Pengerang, Johor. (updated Jun 2022)

Cruises

Singapore is a popular stop for round-the-world and major regional cruises. Many of those cruises embark/disembark passengers here during all-day or over-night port visits, while others stop for perhaps just a day. Check with cruise companies and sellers for details. Cruise ships use the Singapore Cruise Centre (which HarbourFront Ferry Terminal is part of) and the Marina Bay Cruise Centre.

By bus

There are long-distance coaches from Kuala Lumpur and many other destinations in Malaysia through the Woodlands Checkpoint and the Second Link at Tuas, and even from as far as Hat Yai in Thailand. Coaches to Singapore take about 3 hours from Malacca, 5 hours from Kuala Lumpur, 10 hours from Penang and 13 hours from Hat Yai. There is no central bus terminal and different companies leave from all over the city. Major operators include:

Aeroline, ☏ +65 6258 8800. Luxury buses with meal on-board, power sockets, lounge area etc, to Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. Departures from HarbourFront Centre. From $47 one-way. (updated Nov 2025)

First Coach, ☏ +65 6822 2111. No frills, but the buses have good legroom and use the Second Link. Another selling point is convenient public transport: buses depart from Novena Square (Novena MRT) in Singapore and arrive right next to (KJ 16) Bangsar LRT in Kuala Lumpur. $33/55 single/return. (updated Nov 2025)

NiCE, ☏ +65 6256 5755. Over 20 daily departures from Copthorne Orchid Hotel on Dunearn Rd to Kuala Lumpur's old railway station. Double-decker NiCE 2 buses (27 seats) RM80, luxury NiCE++ buses (18 seats) RM88. (updated Nov 2025)

Transnasional, ☏ +60 2 6294 7034 (Malaysia). Malaysia's largest bus operator, offers direct buses from Singapore through the peninsula. Departures from Lavender St. Executive/economy buses RM80/35. (updated Nov 2025)

Transtar, ☏ +65 6299 9009. Transtar's sleeper-equipped Solitaire ($63) and leather-seated First Class ($49) coaches offer frills like massaging chairs, onboard attendants, video on demand and even Wi-Fi. More plebeian SuperVIP/Executive buses are $25/39, direct service to Malacca and Genting also available. Departures from Golden Mile Complex, Beach Rd (near Lavender MRT). (updated Nov 2025)

Most other operators have banded together in three shared booking portals.

redbus, ☏ +65 3158 2888, support@redbus.sg. redBus Singapore includes many destinations bus tickets. (updated Nov 2025)

Easybook, ☏ +65 6444 0745. Six bus companies including major budget operator Konsortium. (updated Nov 2025)

Bus Online Ticket. Another six companies, including major operator Fivestars Express, Hasry Express and AirAsia-affiliated StarMart. (updated Nov 2025)

In general, the more you pay, the faster and more comfortable your trip. More expensive buses leave on time, use the Second Link, and do not stop along the way; while the cheapest buses may not be punctual, use the perpetually congested Causeway and might make more intercity stops. Book early for popular departure times like Friday evenings (heading from Singapore to Malaysia) and Sunday evenings (heading from Malaysia to Singapore), Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, etc., and factor in some extra time for the expected congestion at the border; congestion can be assessed from the traffic cameras on the OneMotoring website.

An alternative to taking a direct "international bus", would be making the short hop to Johor Bahru and board domestic Malaysian long-distance express buses to various Malaysian destinations from 8 Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru. Besides having more options, fares are also much lower as you will be paying for a domestic fare in Malaysian ringgit, instead of the identical nominal amount in Singapore dollars. The downside is the time-consuming hassle (at least an additional hour of travelling time) of first getting to Johor Bahru and then getting to Larkin terminal on the outskirts of town. Another downside would also be the lack of domestic bus seats during festive seasons.

There are also regular public buses that ply between Johor Bahru and Singapore. The main operators are SBS Transit (Singapore) and Causeway Link (Malaysia), and by far the most popular route is from Kranji MRT to JB Larkin terminal, served by routes CW1 (Causeway Link) and SBS 170. Most buses cross via the Causeway, but Causeway Link runs a few services across the Second Link to Iskandar Puteri as well. Fares are around $2-5 depending on route length. EZ-Link is accepted by Singaporean buses and Malaysian buses from Singapore, but not in the other direction.

All buses make two stops at Singapore immigration and at Malaysian immigration. At both immigration points, you must disembark with all your luggage and pass through passport control and customs, then board the next bus by showing your ticket. Expect a minimum of 30 minutes to clear both checkpoints during non-peak periods, with the expectation of an average clearing time of 1 hour during peak periods, 2 hours at the ends of extended holiday periods. There is no need to board the same bus as the one you arrived on.

By taxi

While normal Singaporean taxis are not allowed to cross into Malaysia and vice versa, specially licensed Singaporean taxis permitted to go to Larkin bus terminal (only) can be booked from Johor Taxi Service ☏ +65 6296 7054, $80 one way), while Malaysian taxis, which can go anywhere in Malaysia, can be taken from the taxi terminal at Ban San St ($60 to charter, or $15/person if you share with others). In the reverse direction, towards Singapore, you can take Singaporean taxis from Larkin to any point in central Singapore ($60), while Malaysian taxis can only bring you to Ban San St (RM120). The main advantage here is that you do not need to lug your stuff (or yourself) through Customs at both ends; you can just sit in the car.

Private "limousine" transport services offer point-to-point services from anywhere in Singapore to anywhere in Malaysia. These services are unlicensed and authorities crack down on drivers periodically, but it is not illegal to ride in one as a passenger. The standard fare is $100 for Singapore to Johor Bahru for a 4-passenger Toyota Innova.

By car

Singapore is linked to Peninsular Malaysia by two land crossings:

The 9 Causeway is a very popular and thus terminally congested entry point connecting Woodlands in the north of Singapore directly into the heart of Johor Bahru. By some measures the busiest border crossing in the world, with 350,000 travellers on an average day, the Causeway usually experiences severe congestion on Friday evenings (towards Malaysia), Sunday evenings (towards Singapore) and around extended holiday periods. The Causeway is crossed by trains, buses, taxis, cars and motorcycles. The only reliable way to avoid jams is the train, see #By train, but the most flexible and most popular option is to take one of the many bus services, see #By bus.

A second crossing between Malaysia and Singapore, known as the 10 Second Link, was built between Tuas in western Singapore and Iskandar Puteri in western Johor. Much faster and (usually) less congested than the Causeway, it is primarily used by the express bus services from Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. It is more convenient than the Causeway for travellers coming from further up the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, but a major detour if you are just coming from Johor Bahru. Bus services across are not as numerous as those that service the Causeway, and you cannot legally use this crossing via a taxi (although this does not stop unlicensed operators from doing so).

Driving into Singapore with a foreign-registered car is complicated and expensive. If you have your own wheels and insist on using them, see Driving in Singapore for details.

By bicycle

Cycling into Singapore is possible only across the Causeway. You can take the motorcycle lane and process your entry at the manual motorcycle counters. Once you have cleared Singapore immigration and customs, make sure you avoid the ramp heading onto the expressway, which will be indicated as BKE (short for Bukit Timah Expressway) on road signs. As the Second Link is served by expressways on both sides, bicycles are legally unable to use it.

On foot

Walking into Singapore is possible only across the Causeway. Be prepared for a very long walk as Malaysia's customs and immigration complex is now 2 km (1.2 mi) inland. Unlike the previous checkpoint, the current Malaysian immigration checkpoint was not set up for pedestrians, meaning that there are no pedestrian footpaths on the Malaysian side, and you will have to walk on the road alongside potentially dangerous and fast-moving vehicular traffic. Pedestrians are not allowed on the Second Link; not that there would be anything within walking distance on either side anyway.