Requirements and Process

Requirements and Process

[NOTICE]

New entry approvals have been reduced or halted until further notice for all long term pass holders with travel history to higher-risk countries/regions (i.e. all countries/regions, except Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China and New Zealand). If you are unable to find an entry date in the SafeTravel application portal, please defer your travel plans until the situation has stabilised. If your prior entry approval has been cancelled, you will be contacted regarding refunds of fees paid.

Overview

The Student’s Pass Holder Lane (STPHL) is a Safe Travel Lane that Student’s Pass (STP) holders and eligible accompanying family members may use to enter Singapore. All STP holders and eligible accompanying family members must obtain entry approval before travelling to Singapore.

1. Eligibility

The following travellers are eligible to apply for entry through the Student’s Pass Holder Lane:

  • Student’s Pass (STP) holder, including Student’s Pass – In Principle Approval (STP-IPA) holder, in Ministry of Education (MOE) schools, Institutes of Higher Learning, Arts Institutions, Private Education Institutions (PEIs), and other schools/institutions (e.g. preschools);
  • Accompanying parent/guardian of STP holders who are 19 years old and under (only one accompanying adult per family unit is allowed);
  • Accompanying siblings, not enrolled in an educational institution, who are 6 years old and under;
  • Accompanying spouse and children of STP holders on post-graduate programmes.

For accompanying family members, please note that:

  • Accompanying family members must send their application and travel together with the STP holders to be eligible for entry application through the STPHL. Different travel dates between STP holders and their family members will not be allowed.
  • Accompanying family members must hold an ICA-issued pass (e.g. Long-Term Visit Pass) or be a short-term visitor to be eligible for entry application through the STPHL. Short-term visitors who are eligible for entry into Singapore will receive a Short-Term Visit Pass on arrival. For more information on the prevailing entry requirements, you may visit the main ICA website here.

The following groups should not apply for entry through the STPHL:

  • Foreign students and their family members holding MOM-issued passes (e.g. Dependent’s Pass) are not eligible for entry application through the STPHL. They should refer to the application process for the Work Pass Holder General Lane (WPHL).
  • Immediate family members or relatives of Singapore Citizens (SC) or Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) should not apply for entry through the STPHL. They should apply via the Familial Ties Lane instead.

2. Check Border Health Requirements

Please familiarise yourself with the indicative border health requirements including Stay Home Notice (SHN) duration and swab requirements depending on your travel history in the past 21 days prior to arriving in Singapore, via this table here. You may click the links to find out more about SHN, SHN in dedicated facilities and COVID-19 swabs, including details on costs and payment procedures.

The border health requirements may be subject to change, and the prevailing border health requirements will be applied to the traveller at the point of arrival.

3. Submit Approvals for Entry into Singapore

At least 2 weeks before planned date of entry into Singapore
Submit Application Eligible travellers should submit applications for entry approval through the SafeTravel online portal, at least two weeks from the planned date of entry. They can apply for entry up to about two months in advance. You may refer to the Guide to Applying for Entry Approval when submitting the application.

STP holders and their accompanying family members (if eligible) should submit their applications together. Via the online portal, STP holders may only apply for up to three travellers at a time. If you meet the above-mentioned eligibility criteria but need to apply for more than three travellers, please write in using the SafeTravel enquiry form.

Once the application is approved, the applicant will be issued with an Entry Approval via email. The Entry Approval is valid for the week of travel indicated in the application.
At least 7 days before planned entry date into in Singapore
Submit Visa Application (if required) Eligible travellers who require a visa for travel to Singapore must separately obtain a valid visa before departing for Singapore.
  1. Travellers can check if they require a visa to enter Singapore here; and
  2. Travellers who are existing visa holders can check their visa status here (travellers need not apply for a visa if his/her existing visa remains valid).

4. Pre-Departure for Singapore

Up to 3 calendar days before planned date of entry into Singapore
Pre-departure COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test Travellers, including but not limited to Long Term Pass Holders (LTPH) and short-term visitors, who had travel history to certain countries/regions, as listed in the Summary Table on SHN and Swab Requirements for Travellers to Singapore here are required to take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore at an authorised health centre designated by the Government of a counterpart country/region and obtain a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test result, that:
  1. Is in English (or accompanied with an English translation);
  2. Contains the traveller's name and Date of Birth or Passport number (per the passport used to travel to Singapore); and
  3. Reflects the date and the result of the PCR test.
Submission of Pre-trip Health/Travel History Declarations and Installation of Mandatory Mobile Applications Travellers should monitor their health and avoid travelling if feeling unwell. If travellers are fit for travel, they should:
  1. Electronically submit their pre-trip health and travel history declarations via the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) e-service here;
  2. Register and pre-pay for their on-arrival COVID-19 PCR tests here if they arriving at Changi Airport, or here if they are arriving at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal or the Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints; and
  3. Install and activate the TraceTogether, Homer and WhatsApp mobile applications on their mobile phones.
Day of Departure to Singapore
Pre-boarding Clearance Travellers under the Student’s Pass Holder Lane (STPHL) must produce the following documents when leaving for Singapore:
  1. Valid Approval Letter of Entry;
  2. Valid visa to enter Singapore (for visa-required travellers); and
  3. Valid certificate of negative result for a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure for Singapore (if applicable).

Travellers who do not produce the above documents at pre-boarding checks may be refused boarding by the airline or transport company.
TraceTogether app Travellers are required to download and register their profile on the TraceTogether App to aid contract tracing. For details and conditions regarding the use of the TraceTogether App, please click here.

5. Arrival in Singapore

Day of entry into Singapore
Immigration Clearance and Imposition of Health Control Measures Travellers can proceed with immigration clearance as per normal.

At arrival immigration in Singapore, the visitor must present to the ICA officer:
  1. a mobile device with the TraceTogether app downloaded and with their profile registered on the app.*

*If visitors have downloaded the TraceTogether app on or after 1 Feb 2021, they must click on the ‘ACTIVATE APP’ button on their TraceTogether app holding screen immediately after they have cleared arrival immigration in Singapore and follow the instructions to activate the app.


Depending on the traveller’s travel history prior to arrival in Singapore, a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) may be served.

Travellers may refer to this table to find out which requirement they would be subjected to upon arrival.
Transport from Checkpoint to Accommodation For travellers on self-isolation or serving Stay Home Notice (SHN) at a place of residence/self-sourced (non-residential) accommodation, they must take private transportation, taxi, or private hire car from the immigration checkpoint to the declared place of accommodation immediately after their on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test. The use of public transport is not allowed.

For travellers serving SHN at an SHN Dedicated Facility (SDF), dedicated transport will be provided.

6. Post-Arrival

Up to 14 days after arriving in Singapore
Self-isolation/SHN For travellers eligible for on-arrival PCR test with self-isolation until test results are out within 48 hours, they have to self-isolate at their declared accommodation until they are notified of their negative result.

For travellers who are required to serve SHN at a place of residence or SDF, please find more information about serving SHN or serving SHN at dedicated facilities here.

Travellers tested positive for COVID-19 will be accorded medical treatment at their own expense.
Retention of TraceTogether App Data or Return of TraceTogether Tokens Visitors who have used the TraceTogether App while in Singapore are required to retain the TraceTogether app with the data for 21 consecutive days after leaving Singapore. A visitor must upload all data in the TraceTogether app upon request by the Singapore Ministry of Health should he/she be tested positive for COVID-19 while in Singapore, or in the first 21 days after leaving Singapore.

For TraceTogether Token users, visitors must return their own TraceTogether tokens in-person at the designated TraceTogether token return booths/counters set up at checkpoints prior to their departure from Singapore.

For the full details and conditions governing the use of the TraceTogether App or token, please click here.

After completion of isolation
Safe Travel within Singapore All travellers are to abide by prevailing local public health requirements and safe distancing measures and encouraged to use TraceTogether and SafeEntry so that the authorities can identify close contacts to be quarantined if a positive COVID-19 case arises.

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