Last updated: 8 October 2026. Checked against ICA, Changi Airport, SimplyGo, LTA, MOH and gov.sg pages.
Every traveler flying into Singapore must submit the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) within three days before arrival, including the day of arrival, through ICA's free e-Service or the MyICA mobile app. Since 30 September 2026 the enhanced version of the card, now in 19 languages, is available in the MyICA app, so update the app before you use it. After that, foreign visitors clear Changi through automated lanes with their passport and biometrics, and can pay for the MRT and buses by tapping a contactless bank card.
Arrival checklist at a glance
| Step | What to do | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least six months (Singapore passports excepted) | ICA |
| Visa | Check whether your nationality needs one before you fly | ICA |
| SG Arrival Card | Submit free, within 3 days before arrival (day of arrival included) | ICA SGAC page |
| Immigration | Automated lanes, passport needed on arrival for foreign visitors | Changi Airport |
| Customs | Green Channel if nothing to declare, Red Channel if you have goods to declare | Changi Airport |
| Transport | Tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet on the MRT and buses | SimplyGo |
The SG Arrival Card: who, when and where
All travelers must submit the SG Arrival Card with its electronic health declaration before arriving in Singapore, according to ICA. The rule covers Singapore citizens, permanent residents, long-term pass holders and foreign visitors arriving at Changi, as the Changi Airport immigration page states.
The window opens three days before arrival, counting the day of arrival. ICA's own example: a traveler arriving on 30 June can submit from 28 June. You cannot submit earlier than that.
Two groups are exempt: passengers who transit or transfer at Changi without clearing immigration, and Singapore residents (citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders) entering through the Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints.
There are only two official channels, the SGAC e-Service, linked from ICA's SG Arrival Card page and the MyICA mobile app for iOS and Android. Both are free. ICA says it "does not support or endorse such paid services for the submission of the SGAC", and its public advisory lists 63 unaffiliated websites that charge a fee. If a site asks you to pay for the arrival card, it is not ICA.
The health declaration is a legal statement: ICA warns that false declarations may be prosecuted under the Infectious Diseases Act.
What changed on 30 September 2026
ICA announced on 16 September 2026 that the enhanced SG Arrival Card, until then available only on ICA's website, would move to the MyICA app from 30 September 2026, and asked travelers to update the app first (as reported by Stomp, citing ICA's post). The enhanced card adds seven languages (Bahasa Indonesia, Dutch, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Filipino and Italian), for 19 in total. Scanning the passport's data page to fill in your details, already offered to foreign travelers, is now open to Singapore residents too.
In practice: if MyICA is already on your phone from an earlier trip, update it before you start your card.
Clearing immigration at Changi
Since May 2024 all foreign visitors arriving at Changi, regardless of nationality, can use the automated immigration lanes without prior enrollment, according to ICA's 17 May 2024 release. The Changi Airport immigration page says the lanes are open to holders of a valid ICAO-compliant passport.
Passport-free clearance does not apply to foreign visitors on arrival. ICA's 24 October 2024 release states that foreign visitors must still present their passport on arrival and can clear without it only when departing. Arriving Singapore residents clear with face and iris biometrics alone.
After immigration, take the Green Channel if you have nothing to declare and the Red Channel if you do. ICA requires a declaration for cash and similar instruments above S$20,000 and for goods above the GST import relief limits.
Do not bring a vape
E-vaporisers are prohibited in Singapore. The Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act came into force on 1 May 2026 with higher penalties, and an individual caught with a vape can be fined up to S$10,000, according to gov.sg. The Ministry of Health said on 11 August 2026 that checks at air, land and sea checkpoints have been stepped up, and that foreigners convicted of offences in Singapore are deported after serving their sentence and barred from returning. Leave vapes and refills at home, in your carry-on and in checked bags alike.
Getting from Changi into the city
Contactless American Express, Mastercard, NETS and Visa cards, including foreign-issued ones, work at the MRT gates and on buses, as do Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay, according to SimplyGo. A Foreign Bank Card Admin Fee of S$0.60 applies per day of use on foreign-issued Mastercard and Visa cards. If you pay by phone, tap in and out with the same phone and the same card, or you may be charged twice.
For bus arrival times, train operating hours and station exits, LTA's official app is MyTransport.SG.
Staying connected
Most of these arrival steps run through a phone. The SG Arrival Card window opens only three days before arrival, so on a multi-stop trip you may need to submit it after you have left home, through the MyICA app or ICA's website, both online services. On landing, data lets you check MyTransport.SG for your bus, open the ride-hailing app you plan to use, and message whoever is meeting you before you reach the taxi rank.
Changi offers free #WiFi@Changi in the public and transit areas of every terminal, with no registration, which is enough inside the terminal. It stops at the door. A data eSIM installed before you fly works from the moment you land. Check first that your phone supports eSIM (or browse our compatible devices list), then follow our guides for iPhone or Android. For the cost trade-off, see travel eSIM vs international roaming, and for terminal by terminal tips, our Singapore Changi airport guide. A travel eSIM is data only: it does not give you a local phone number for SMS codes.
Compare our Singapore eSIM plans and install one before you fly.
FAQ
Do I need to fill in the SG Arrival Card before flying to Singapore?
Yes. All travelers arriving in Singapore must submit the SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival, counting the day of arrival. The only exemptions are passengers transiting without clearing immigration and Singapore residents entering by the Woodlands or Tuas land checkpoints.
Is the SG Arrival Card free?
Yes. Submission is free through ICA's SGAC e-Service or the MyICA app, and ICA does not endorse any paid service that offers to submit it for you.
How early can I submit the SG Arrival Card?
No earlier than three days before arrival, with the day of arrival counted as one of the three. For an arrival on 30 June, the earliest submission date is 28 June.
What changed with the SG Arrival Card in the MyICA app?
From 30 September 2026 the enhanced SG Arrival Card is available in the MyICA app, with seven new languages for 19 in total. ICA asked travelers to update the app before submitting.
Can foreign visitors clear Changi immigration without a passport?
Not on arrival. Foreign visitors use the automated lanes but must present their passport when arriving, and can clear passport-free only when departing Changi.
Can I use my foreign credit card on the MRT in Singapore?
Yes. Contactless American Express, Mastercard, NETS and Visa cards, including foreign-issued cards, are accepted at MRT gates and on buses, with a S$0.60 admin fee per day of use on foreign Mastercard and Visa cards.
Facts checked on 8 October 2026 against ICA (ica.gov.sg), Changi Airport (changiairport.com), SimplyGo (simplygo.com.sg), LTA (lta.gov.sg), the Ministry of Health (moh.gov.sg) and gov.sg. ICA can change SGAC rules at short notice, so check its SGAC page before you fly.