Singapore Arrival Card (SG Arrival Card): Complete 2026 Guide
The Singapore Arrival Card (SG Arrival Card, or SGAC) is the free electronic arrival form that Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) requires before you enter the country. It replaced the old paper disembarkation/embarkation card and includes a mandatory electronic health declaration. You submit it on the official ICA website or in the MyICA Mobile app, within three days before you arrive, and it costs nothing.
Most problems come from small mistakes, not the rules themselves. Travelers submit too early and get rejected, type a passport number that does not match, use an email they never check (so they miss their e-Pass), or pay a lookalike website to file a form that is free. In August and September 2026, ICA also refreshed the form with a new interface, more languages, and passport-scan autofill, so older screenshots and guides may not match what you see.
Key Takeaways
- The SG Arrival Card is free and is filed only on ICA’s official e-Service or the MyICA Mobile app.
- Submit within three days before arrival, counting the arrival day. Arriving 30 June means you can file from 28 June.
- All foreign visitors must submit, whether they arrive by air, sea, or land. Singapore residents must submit when arriving by air or sea.
- Airside transit passengers who do not clear immigration do not need one.
- Since 26 August 2026 (website) and 30 September 2026 (MyICA app), the form supports 19 languages and passport-scan autofill.
- The SGAC is not a visa. You still need a valid passport, any required visa, and you should be ready to show onward or return travel and enough funds.
| Question | Answer (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| What is it? | ICA’s electronic arrival card with a built-in health declaration |
| Who needs it? | All foreign visitors; Singapore citizens, PRs and Long-Term Pass holders arriving by air or sea |
| Who is exempt? | Transit passengers who stay airside; Singapore residents entering via Woodlands or Tuas land checkpoints |
| When to submit | Within 3 days before arrival, including the arrival day |
| Where to submit | ICA SG Arrival Card e-Service (eservices.ica.gov.sg) or the MyICA Mobile app |
| Cost | Free |
| Group filing | Yes, up to 10 travelers on one trip |
| Can I edit it? | Yes, with “Update a Submission” before the record expires |
| Is it a visa? | No |
| Latest change | Refreshed form with 19 languages and passport-scan autofill (website from 26 Aug 2026, app from 30 Sep 2026) |
What Is the Singapore Arrival Card?
The SG Arrival Card is an online declaration of your personal details, trip details, and health status. ICA built it to replace the paper disembarkation/embarkation card that visitors used to fill in on the plane. The health declaration has been part of it since the COVID-19 period and remains mandatory today.
Once you submit, ICA has your data before you land, so you do not need to print anything. The SGAC also matters after arrival: Singapore no longer stamps visitor passports, and ICA emails your electronic visit pass (e-Pass), showing your last allowed day of stay, to the address on your arrival card.
Who Must Submit the SG Arrival Card?
Almost everyone entering Singapore must submit, including:
- Foreign visitors arriving by air, sea, or land, including tourists, business travelers, and people visiting family.
- Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and Long-Term Pass holders (Student’s Pass, Dependant’s Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass, and Work Pass) arriving by air or sea.
- Holders of an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from MOM or ICA, who submit as foreign visitors.
Two groups are exempt:
- Travelers transiting or transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance.
- Singapore citizens, PRs, and Long-Term Pass holders entering through the Woodlands or Tuas land checkpoints.
When to Submit: The 3-Day Window
You can submit your SG Arrival Card up to three days before arrival, and the arrival day counts as one of those days. ICA’s own example: if you arrive on 30 June, you can submit from 28 June.
Submitting earlier than that does not work, so do not file a week ahead “to be safe.” Each card covers one trip and lapses on the earlier of the day after your arrival or the end of that trip. If you make several trips, you need a new card each time.
If you forget, ICA will ask you to submit on arrival and rejoin the immigration queue. Airlines may also check your submission before boarding (see No-Boarding Directives below), so file before your flight.
How to Submit the SG Arrival Card Step by Step
- Open an official channel. Go to ICA’s SG Arrival Card e-Service at eservices.ica.gov.sg, or download the free MyICA Mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. If you already have the app, update it first. ICA asked users to update before submitting from 30 September 2026.
- Choose your language and submission type. The form now supports 19 languages. Pick Individual Submission for yourself or Group Submission for up to 10 people on the same trip.
- Select your traveler profile. Choose Foreign Visitor (this also covers IPA holders), or the resident option if you are a Singapore citizen, PR, or Long-Term Pass holder.
- Enter passport details. Scan your passport’s photo page to autofill, or type the details exactly as printed. Residents can also use Singpass.
- Add trip details. Enter your arrival date, mode of transport, flight, vessel, or vehicle details, where you are coming from, and where you go next.
- Add your Singapore address. Use your hotel, rental, or the address of the person you are staying with.
- Complete the health declaration. Answer truthfully, including recent travel to countries with a yellow fever risk.
- Enter contact details and submit. Use an email you can access during your trip and a reachable phone number. Review everything, then submit.
- Save your confirmation. You will receive an acknowledgement email. Foreign visitors also get a Disembarkation/Embarkation (DE) number. On the website, you can download a PDF copy. Check your spam folder if nothing arrives.
ICA estimates five to seven minutes for foreigners.
Information You Need for the SG Arrival Card
| Section | What it asks for | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Personal details | Full name, passport number, expiry date, date of birth, nationality | Scan the passport to avoid typos; details must match the passport exactly |
| Trip details | Arrival date, mode of travel, flight or vessel number, previous and next destination | Have your booking confirmation open while you fill this in |
| Departure / onward plans | Your planned departure date and where you go after Singapore | Use the same dates as your onward or return ticket |
| Accommodation | Your address in Singapore | Use your hotel booking, rental, or host’s full address |
| Contact details | Email address and mobile number | Your e-Pass goes to this email, so do not use an old address |
| Health declaration | Current health status and recent travel history, including yellow fever risk countries | Answer honestly; false declarations can be prosecuted |
The Health Declaration
The health declaration is why residents arriving by air and sea must submit too. The form checks whether you have been in, or transited more than 12 hours through, a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission in the past six days. If so, you may need a yellow fever vaccination certificate. If your health or travel history changes after you submit, update your declaration before you arrive.
False declarations may lead to prosecution under the Infectious Diseases Act.
Transit Passengers
If you stay airside at Changi and connect without passing through immigration, you do not need an SG Arrival Card. If you leave the airport, even for a few hours, you must submit one and meet normal entry requirements, including any visa.
Children and Group Submissions
Every traveler needs their own SG Arrival Card, including children. The easiest way to handle a family is Group Submission, which covers up to 10 people traveling together on one trip.
In a group submission, the flight details, last port of embarkation, arrival and departure dates, and Singapore address are copied from the lead traveler to everyone. If one member has a different itinerary, uncheck “Same as Lead Traveller” and edit their trip details. Group Submission is for one trip only, not for multiple separate trips.
You can also submit for someone else, such as an elderly parent, but you are responsible for the accuracy.
How to Edit or Correct Your SG Arrival Card
- Website: select “Update a Submission,” make your changes, and download the updated PDF.
- MyICA app: open your trip record, tap Edit, make your changes, and tap Submit.
- Record expired: updates work only before the record lapses, so make changes before you travel.
- New submission: you can also submit a new card. ICA says the newer declaration supersedes the earlier one, so you do not need to cancel anything.
- Trip cancelled: you do not need to withdraw the card. Submit a new one for your next trip.
Arriving by Land or Sea: Woodlands, Tuas, Ferries, and Cruises
The SG Arrival Card is not only for flights. Foreign visitors crossing from Johor Bahru through Woodlands Checkpoint or the Tuas Second Link must submit it, whether by car, bus, or on foot. Only Singapore residents are exempt at those two land checkpoints.
If you drive, MyICA can also generate QR codes for car clearance at the land checkpoints. Update the app before you use it, as ICA required the latest version from 30 September 2026.
Sea arrivals, including ferry passengers from Batam or Bintan and cruise passengers at Marina Bay Cruise Centre, follow the same rules as air arrivals: foreigners and residents both submit, choosing sea as the mode of travel.
Automated Lanes and Passport Clearance Changes
The SGAC is part of Singapore’s wider move to automated clearance:
- Since May 2024, foreign visitors of any nationality can use the automated lanes at Changi Airport without enrolling first.
- Since 30 September 2024, passport-less biometric clearance has been live at all Changi terminals. Foreign visitors can use it when departing but must still present their passport on arrival.
- Visitors receive an e-Pass by email instead of a passport stamp, sent to the email address on the arrival card.
- From 30 January 2026, ICA can issue No-Boarding Directives telling airlines not to board travelers who are barred or do not meet entry rules. ICA uses SGAC data as one source of advance traveler information, and airlines may be asked to verify your submission before boarding.
Singapore Visa Rules in Context
The SG Arrival Card is not a visa. Many nationalities visit Singapore visa-free, but ICA lists over 30 countries whose citizens need a visa, including India, Russia, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. Singapore’s missions list the basics for visa-free visitors: a passport valid for at least six months, sufficient funds, a confirmed onward or return ticket where applicable, and a yellow fever certificate if applicable. Entry is at ICA’s discretion.
Onward Ticket and Proof of Funds for Singapore
The SG Arrival Card asks for your departure plans but not for a ticket upload. The onward ticket question comes up elsewhere. Airlines often check at check-in that one-way passengers have onward or return travel, because they carry the cost if someone is refused entry. Immigration officers can also ask for proof that you will leave and can afford your stay.
So have a confirmed onward or return booking before you fly, plus proof of funds such as a bank statement. If your plans are flexible, a verifiable flight reservation can cover the check. Read our full guide on whether you need an onward ticket for Singapore, and our explainer on proof of onward travel for how airlines check it.
Fast Onward Tickets issues a real flight reservation for $12 per passenger, delivered by email in minutes, and can also provide accommodation proof if you need an address for forms like the SGAC.
Avoid Fake SG Arrival Card Websites
The SG Arrival Card is free on official channels. ICA does not endorse commercial websites that charge to submit it and says it is not liable for losses from using them. As far back as 2020, ICA warned about a lookalike site that charged US$30 for the card.
- Use only the ICA e-Service at eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard, reached through ica.gov.sg, or the official MyICA Mobile app.
- Official Singapore government sites end in .gov.sg. A site ending in .com, .org, or .online is not ICA.
- If a site asks for card payment, a “processing fee,” or “express service,” leave it.
Singapore Arrival Card Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Singapore Arrival Card free?
Yes. ICA’s e-Service and the MyICA app are free. Any site charging a fee is a third party.
How early can I submit the SG Arrival Card?
Up to three days before arrival, counting the arrival day. If you land on 30 June, the earliest date is 28 June.
Do I need to print my SG Arrival Card?
No. Your submission is in ICA’s system. Keep the acknowledgement email on your phone, just in case.
Do I need an SG Arrival Card if I am only transiting through Changi?
Not if you stay airside. If you clear immigration to leave the airport, you must submit one.
Do children need their own SG Arrival Card?
Yes, every traveler needs one. A parent can cover the family in one Group Submission of up to 10 people.
What if I made a mistake on my SGAC?
Use “Update a Submission” on the website or Edit in the MyICA app before the record expires, or submit a new card, which replaces the earlier one.
Where is my e-Pass?
ICA emails it after immigration clearance to the address on your arrival card. You can also look it up on the e-Pass Enquiry Portal in the SG Arrival Card e-Service using your DE number.
Other Arrival Cards You May Need
- Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC)
- All Indonesia Arrival Card
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
- eTravel Philippines
- K-ETA Korea
Final Word
The Singapore Arrival Card is free, takes a few minutes, and now autofills from your passport. Submit it within three days of arrival on the official ICA site or MyICA app, use an email you will check, and answer honestly.
Just remember the arrival card is only one part of entry. Have your passport, any visa you need, proof of funds, and onward or return travel ready before you fly. If your plans are still open, you can get an onward ticket in minutes and board with confidence.