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Advice for Singaporeans travelling to the US (Also includes time and money-saving tips on applying for the Singapore passport!)
Visiting the US?
The following groups of Singaporeans are advised to apply for a new passport if they intend to travel to the US without having to apply for a visa on and after 26 October 2004:
* Singaporeans holding non-machine readable passports; and
* Singaporeans with their children's particulars included in their passports.
(Please refer to Annex A for samples of a non-machine readable passport and a machine-readable Singapore passport).
2. Singapore is one of the countries participating in the US' Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows their citizens to travel to the US without having to apply for an entry visa, as long as their trip lasts 90 days or less. With effect from 26 October 2004, foreign nationals of countries under the VWP are required to have a machine-readable passport to qualify for visa-free entrance. Children, including infants, are also required to have their own machine-readable passports.
3. The majority of Singaporeans can rest easy. All Singapore passports issued in Singapore from 2 January 1991 are machine-readable. The existing non-machine readable passports refer to those issued before 18 October 1999 by Singapore's missions overseas.
4. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has been reaching out to Singaporeans who may be affected by the US' requirement. In June last year, ICA sent individual notifications to advise those holding non-machine readable passports to apply for a new passport. ICA has also sent out notifications to the parents of children whose particulars are currently included in their passport to apply for new passports for their children, should they intend to travel visa-free to the US after 26 October 2004.
Avoid the rush, apply early
5. In view of the upcoming November/December holidays, more than 100,000 Singaporeans are expected to apply for passport facilities. In anticipation of the pre-school holiday rush, ICA would like to offer some time and money-saving tips for prospective passport applicants.
Time and money-saving tips
Why queue?
6. Launched on 2 May 2002, the Application for Passport Online Electronic System (also known as APPLES) is an e-service that gives citizens added flexibility and choice when applying for their passports. APPLES enables citizens to apply and pay for their passports online anytime and at the convenience and comfort of their homes. Through APPLES, citizens not only save one trip to ICA Building, they also avoid having to spend time in the queue to submit their applications over the counter. APPLES can be accessed through ICA's website at www.ica.gov.sg as well as the eCitizen portal at www.ecitizen.gov.sg.
Other Convenient Ways to Submit Passport Applications
7. Besides APPLES, citizens can also apply for their passport by post or through the deposit boxes placed inside and outside ICA Building. Application forms are readily available at all Neighborhood Police Posts/Centres, Police Divisional Headquarters, Community Centres/Clubs, Resident's Committees or Community Development Councils. ICA also offers citizens the convenience of having the form mailed to their home addresses. Just call 6738 3352. Alternatively, the form can be downloaded from ICA's website.
Why Pay More?
8. In addition to the convenience, citizens that choose to submit their passport applications via APPLES, by post or through the deposit boxes get to enjoy a $10/- rebate. Instead of $70/- for counter applications, applicants pay only $60/- for their passports.
Collection of passports
9. Applicants who have submitted their passport applications via APPLES or by post or through deposit boxes need only to make one trip to ICA Building to collect their passports in person and to produce their original documents for verification. For applications made in Singapore, the passport would be ready for collection after three working days. ICA will inform the applicant when the passport is ready for collection. For the convenience of the working public, our operating hours for passport collection are extended as follows:
Mondays to Fridays - 8.00am to 7.00pm; and
Saturdays - 8.00am to 3.00pm.
10. ICA would like to advise the public to avoid collecting their passports on Saturdays, Fridays and Mondays, as the queues tend to be longer on these days. The waiting time before and during the school holiday period may exceed one and a half hours, especially during these busier days.
Extension of Passports
11. Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) NSmen who hold Singapore passports with restricted validity can also have their passports extended at Central Manpower Base (CMPB) at Depot Road, SAFRA Tampines, Police Cantonment Complex and SCDF HQ Complex respectively. Male citizens between 11 years and 16 1/2 years old may also extend their passports at CMPB or SAFRA Tampines. The operating hours can be found at Annex B.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
20 October 2004
The following groups of Singaporeans are advised to apply for a new passport if they intend to travel to the US without having to apply for a visa on and after 26 October 2004:
* Singaporeans holding non-machine readable passports; and
* Singaporeans with their children's particulars included in their passports.
(Please refer to Annex A for samples of a non-machine readable passport and a machine-readable Singapore passport).
2. Singapore is one of the countries participating in the US' Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows their citizens to travel to the US without having to apply for an entry visa, as long as their trip lasts 90 days or less. With effect from 26 October 2004, foreign nationals of countries under the VWP are required to have a machine-readable passport to qualify for visa-free entrance. Children, including infants, are also required to have their own machine-readable passports.
3. The majority of Singaporeans can rest easy. All Singapore passports issued in Singapore from 2 January 1991 are machine-readable. The existing non-machine readable passports refer to those issued before 18 October 1999 by Singapore's missions overseas.
4. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has been reaching out to Singaporeans who may be affected by the US' requirement. In June last year, ICA sent individual notifications to advise those holding non-machine readable passports to apply for a new passport. ICA has also sent out notifications to the parents of children whose particulars are currently included in their passport to apply for new passports for their children, should they intend to travel visa-free to the US after 26 October 2004.
Avoid the rush, apply early
5. In view of the upcoming November/December holidays, more than 100,000 Singaporeans are expected to apply for passport facilities. In anticipation of the pre-school holiday rush, ICA would like to offer some time and money-saving tips for prospective passport applicants.
Time and money-saving tips
Why queue?
6. Launched on 2 May 2002, the Application for Passport Online Electronic System (also known as APPLES) is an e-service that gives citizens added flexibility and choice when applying for their passports. APPLES enables citizens to apply and pay for their passports online anytime and at the convenience and comfort of their homes. Through APPLES, citizens not only save one trip to ICA Building, they also avoid having to spend time in the queue to submit their applications over the counter. APPLES can be accessed through ICA's website at www.ica.gov.sg as well as the eCitizen portal at www.ecitizen.gov.sg.
Other Convenient Ways to Submit Passport Applications
7. Besides APPLES, citizens can also apply for their passport by post or through the deposit boxes placed inside and outside ICA Building. Application forms are readily available at all Neighborhood Police Posts/Centres, Police Divisional Headquarters, Community Centres/Clubs, Resident's Committees or Community Development Councils. ICA also offers citizens the convenience of having the form mailed to their home addresses. Just call 6738 3352. Alternatively, the form can be downloaded from ICA's website.
Why Pay More?
8. In addition to the convenience, citizens that choose to submit their passport applications via APPLES, by post or through the deposit boxes get to enjoy a $10/- rebate. Instead of $70/- for counter applications, applicants pay only $60/- for their passports.
Collection of passports
9. Applicants who have submitted their passport applications via APPLES or by post or through deposit boxes need only to make one trip to ICA Building to collect their passports in person and to produce their original documents for verification. For applications made in Singapore, the passport would be ready for collection after three working days. ICA will inform the applicant when the passport is ready for collection. For the convenience of the working public, our operating hours for passport collection are extended as follows:
Mondays to Fridays - 8.00am to 7.00pm; and
Saturdays - 8.00am to 3.00pm.
10. ICA would like to advise the public to avoid collecting their passports on Saturdays, Fridays and Mondays, as the queues tend to be longer on these days. The waiting time before and during the school holiday period may exceed one and a half hours, especially during these busier days.
Extension of Passports
11. Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) NSmen who hold Singapore passports with restricted validity can also have their passports extended at Central Manpower Base (CMPB) at Depot Road, SAFRA Tampines, Police Cantonment Complex and SCDF HQ Complex respectively. Male citizens between 11 years and 16 1/2 years old may also extend their passports at CMPB or SAFRA Tampines. The operating hours can be found at Annex B.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
20 October 2004