Season holidaymakers who are planning to take a break during the next school holidays will be pleasantly surprised when they mark their calendar.  Yes, there is more than just the term break starting from the first weekend this September.  Hari Raya Puasa also falls on the same month on a Friday.  That means those who want a longer break without having to apply for leave from work will have more reasons to get out of the country.

2.         While planning for an overseas trip during the September holidays, please check and ensure that your passport has at least six month’s validity on the day you plan to leave the country.  If your passport is expiring soon, wait no more to apply for your passports early! The rush for passports before school holidays has always resulted in large crowds of Singaporeans coming to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Building for passport services. The number of passport application is expected to increase by more than 50% during the September holiday period, as compared to the same period last year.  This will translate to almost 2,500 customers coming forth for passport services each day!  Waiting in the queue to collect a passport can take more than three hours during such time if no e-appointment has been made.

Convenient ways to apply for passports

3.         Many countries require a passport to be valid for at least six months as part of their entry requirements. Singaporeans whose passports have less than six months’ validity are reminded to apply for their new passports early.  For the convenience of Singaporeans, ICA has in place various modes of application for the Singapore passports:

·               Online

Complete and submit an electronic application via the APPLES (Application for Passport On-Line Electronic System) through ICA’s website (http://www.ica.gov.sg). Scanned photos of the passport applicant must be submitted online.

·                Deposit Boxes

Drop the completed application form in the deposit boxes located outside the ICA Building or at Levels 1, 2 and 3 of the building. The deposit boxes located outside ICA Building are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

·               By Post

Mail the completed application form to ICA at the following address:-

Passport Section

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

ICA Building

10 Kallang Road, #08-00

Singapore 208718

   ·              Over the Counter

Submit your application form at the ICA Building at Level 3.

4.         Passport application forms can be downloaded from ICA’s website. The forms are also available at Levels 1, 2 and 3 of the ICA Building. Colour photos submitted with the application must be taken within the last three months, and taken against a white background with matt or semi-matt finish.

5.         Singaporeans submitting their passport applications by post, deposit box or online are entitled to a $10 rebate and will only pay $70 instead of $80 for the passport.

Make an appointment to collect your passport

6.         An applicant will be notified by post to collect the new passport once it is ready. A notification of collection card will be mailed to the applicant within one week from the date the application is received by ICA. Upon receipt of the notification card, Singaporeans are encouraged to make an appointment to collect the passport through the e-Appointment system via the ICA website to better manage their time. Those who make e-appointments are served within a shorter time because priority will be accorded to them by deploying more counters whereas fewer counters are set aside to cater to walk-in customers who can expect to wait much longer for passport services.

Peak periods to avoid

7.         Singaporeans should avoid coming to the ICA Building for passport services during the busy periods, i.e. on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, school holidays, the eve and the day after public holidays.

Full validity granted even for early renewal

8.         New passports issued will be valid for five years. For renewal applications, the new passports issued will be valid for five years plus the remaining validity from your existing passport, pegged at five years nine months.  That means, even if you renew your passport early, the remaining validity in the existing passport will be transferred to your new passport, so long as the remaining validity on your existing passport is not more than nine months.

·                    Example A

Your passport expires on 16 December 2010. You renew your passport on 16 October 2010 (two months from expiry). The expiration date on your new passport will be five years two months later, or 16 December 2015.

 

·                    Example B  

Your passport expires on 16 December 2011. You renew your passport on 16 February 2010 (one year and ten months from expiry). The expiration date on your new passport will be five years nine months later (as the remaining validity exceeds nine months), or 16 November 2015.

 

·                    Example C

Your passport has already expired on 12 April 2010. You renew your passport two months after expiry on 12 June 2010. The expiration date on your new passport will be 12 June 2015.

Safety and welfare of our customers is our utmost concern

9.         We are committed to serving all our customers efficiently and expeditiously. However, longer waiting times are inevitable if Singaporeans choose turn up at the ICA Building for the same service during the peak periods.  We seek your understanding and cooperation to apply for passports early and to make e-appointments for collection to avoid longer waiting time for your passport services.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY

2 AUGUST 2010