SG Arrival Card Guide: Who Must Submit It, When & the Official ICA Process

The SG Arrival Card is a pre-arrival declaration, not a visa. Most travellers must submit it within three days before reaching Singapore, with specific exemptions. This guide focuses on practical decisions and uses current official sources available at publication time.

What is the SG Arrival Card?

The SG Arrival Card (SGAC) is Singapore’s electronic arrival declaration. It collects traveller and trip information before immigration clearance and incorporates the electronic health declaration when applicable.

It is not a visa. Travellers from visa-required countries or regions still need to meet the separate visa requirement even after submitting the arrival card.

Who needs to submit it?

ICA states that all travellers are generally required to submit the SG Arrival Card before arriving in Singapore, subject to listed exemptions.

Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass holders are exempt when entering Singapore through the land checkpoints. Foreign travellers transiting or transferring without seeking immigration clearance are also exempt.

If you are unsure whether your journey qualifies for an exemption, use ICA’s current entry guidance rather than relying on airline forum posts.

When should you submit the SG Arrival Card?

Submit it within three days before arrival, including the day of arrival. For example, if you arrive on Friday, you can submit from Wednesday onwards.

Submitting too early can place the declaration outside the accepted window. Waiting until you are at the immigration counter can also create unnecessary delays, especially if you need to connect to airport Wi-Fi or retrieve accommodation details.

How to submit through official ICA channels

1. Open ICA’s official SG Arrival Card service or the MyICA mobile app.
2. Enter the required identity and travel information.
3. Provide your Singapore accommodation/contact details where requested.
4. Complete the health declaration accurately.
5. Submit within the permitted three-day window.

The official submission is free. Be cautious with third-party websites that charge a service fee for a form you can submit directly through ICA.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Confusing the SG Arrival Card with a visa.
• Submitting more than three days before arrival.
• Entering the wrong passport number or arrival date.
• Using an unofficial paid website without realising the official form is free.
• Assuming a transit passenger must submit when they are not clearing immigration.

Check details against the passport you will actually use for travel. If you renew your passport before the trip, make sure your travel records use the new document details.

Other Singapore entry requirements

ICA also requires travellers to hold appropriate travel documents. Foreign visitors generally need at least six months of passport validity and, where applicable, a Singapore visa.

An approved SG Arrival Card does not guarantee entry. Immigration clearance is still determined at the checkpoint based on the applicable requirements.

For Singapore citizens renewing their document, see our Singapore passport renewal guide.

Avoid SG Arrival Card payment scams

The official SG Arrival Card submission itself is free. Search results can include commercial services that resemble official pages and charge assistance fees.

Use an ICA domain or the MyICA app, and never share Singpass credentials with someone offering to “process” an arrival card for you. Foreign visitors do not need Singpass to use the traveller submission process.